A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1986 (DOST Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1443-1697
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Proportio(u)n(e, n. Also: proporc-, perport- and -iown. [ME and e.m.E. proporcioun- (Wyclif), -cion, -cyon, e.m.E. also -tion (a1483), F. proportion (13th c. in Littré), L. prōportiōn- proportion, comparative relation, analogy, appar. derived f. the phr. prō portiōne for (one's) share.] Proportion, or a proportion.
1. A portion or part in its relation to the whole; a, or one's, share (of something possessed or received); a contribution by a smaller unit to an amount due by a larger one.1443 (1450) Reg. Great S. 85/1.
Thre pundis … to be payit … in evynly proporciones 1542 Reg. Cupar A. II 27.
Payand … ȝeirlie … at tuay vsuall termes in the ȝeir, … be evin proportiones 1617 Acts IV 537/2.
To rate everie parochin for a weeklie proportioun for the intertenement of these puir prissoneris 1633 Ib. V 35/2.
The lowest proportione for maintenance of ministers sall be aucht chalder of victuall 1651 Ib. VI ii 669/1.
The shyres of Fyff and Clakmanan to carie the biskett … according to the proportione of the shyres 1651 Pittenweem Ann. 73.
This burgh's proportion, which is weekly 3 firlots malt [etc.] 1658 Melrose Reg. Rec. I 178.
And that every joyner suld pay their proportione off the beds [etc.] 1661 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. I 16.
And that the rest of the heretours hes payed ther full proportion [of the cess] 1670 Dunkeld Presb. II 461.
Providing it take up no more roome then is allowed him as his proportion 1677 Irvine Mun. II 275.
Irwins proportiown is [£80] 1682 Fountainhall Decis. I 203.
Or if it was divided into haggs, such a proportion of it as was cut down in his lifetime 1697 Glasgow Stent Bk. Pref.
This tounes proportion of the burrow missive dues
b. The number of troops due to be raised by a particular local administrative unit as an agreed or prescribed proportion of the national army.1645 Acts VI i 351/2.
That everie shire and burghe shall interteene … a proportione of horse and foot … according to the reule of loan and taxt 1649 Ib. ii 721/2.
That any inequalitie of the proportioun their men and leavies may be rattified eftir the new listis sall be mad vp 1650 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 115.
[80,000] merkis money imposit wpon the royall burrowes in loo of thair proportioun of foot 1650 Inverness Rec. II 204.
Fyftie men wpone towne and territorie as being thair proportioune of the present leavie for recruting the armie 1678 Wodrow Hist. (1828) II 416.
For casting of the proportion of the said parish, for furnishing the said garrison 1688 Ib. IV 463.
That all persons liable in outriek of the said militia foot regiments … do peremptorily send out their respectiue proportions 1694 Glasgow Burgesses 231.
As ane souldier as ane of the proportioun of this present levie of foot for the burgh
c. Put for: Portio(u)n(e n. 3.Appar. only in Kirkcudbright.1670 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. MS 9 March.
That pairt and proportioune of the foir tenement of land … being ane laighe dwelling hous with the loft above 1690 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Deeds II 846 (2 Sept.).
[The] mid perportion [of land called Underwood]
2. The relationship existing between things, or the parts of something, in respect of size, number, quantity, etc.; ratio; relative amount.Chiefly in the phr. in (of, be) … proportioun.Also fig.(1) 1456 Hay II 119/14.
Than suld he be governit with the contrairis to put him in his rycht proporcioun of humouris 1480 Acts Lords of Council I 71/2.
That the saidis Macolme & Arthure sall pay in like proporcioune of the said annuel 1549 Complaynte of Scotland 20/23.
The grite tour of Babilone … biggit be ane maist ingenius artifeis, of proportione, quantite, ande of stryntht 1560 Rolland Seven Sages 8379.
He … was … weill maid at all fassoun; Weill fauourit of face and gude proportioun 1563–4 Edinb. Old Acc. I 447.
Makand thame [three windows] to be of proportioun of the north end of the heycht Tolbuith 1655 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 145. —1649 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 107.
Anent the reull and proportion betwixt heretage and merchand traid(2) a1500 Henr. III 120/52.
My self is sound … My wittis fyve in dew proportioun a1500 Id. Fab. 1674. 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 429.
The bodie of the cairt … Was all ouirfret in dew proportioun c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 90 (B).
A goun … Depaynt and braid be gud proportioun 1513 Doug. i vii 67.
In dew proportioun … He saw perordour all the sege of Troy 1587 Acts III 521/2.
The heip in proportione is the iust thrid of the firlot or peck 1587-99 Hume 19/62.
A … microcosme be number and be waight, Be measour and proportion iuste, he maid erect and straightfig. a1585 Maitland Quarto MS lxix 51.
The bark thairof [sc. a tree] wes fair proportion The bodye … lawlines
3. In references to music.
a. ‘Applied in music to both intervallic and temporal (or rhythmic) relationships’ (H. H. Carter A Dictionary of Middle English Musical Terms, 1968).See also the note to Proportionat(e adj. 2. b. Harmony. c. A tune or air.a. 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 493.
Proportionis fine with sound celestiall, Duplat, triplat, diatesseriall c1550-c1580 Art of Music 25.
In proporcionis the mesur is to be strikin sumtym be the semebrew, and sumtym be the mynnym c1550-c1580 Ib. 123b.
Disdiapason is ordorit in the proporcion of quadrupla as 4 to 1b. 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 361.
Proportion sounding dulcest hard I peip In musick number full of harmoniec. a1500 Henr. Orph. 368 (Ch. & M.).
Orpheus … his harp can ta, And playit mony suete proporcion 1513 Doug. vi x 43.
Orpheus … Playand proportionys and spryngis dyvyne Apon his harp
