A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 2000 (DOST Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1499-1669
[0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0]
Sappy, -ie, Soppy, adj. [Late ME and e.m.E. sapy (Prompt. Parv.), sappie (a1555) (of a tree, etc.) full of sap, (1563) full of substance, (1562) juicy, succulent, soppie (1611) full of sops, late OE sæpig (1100) full of sap.] a. Full of moisture, moist, wet. b. Of meat or fish: Full of sap, juicy, succulent. Also fig. c. Of part of a tree: Full of sap.a., b. a1500 Henr. Fab. 1719.
To se the soill that wes richt sessonabill, Sappie and to resaue all seidis abill 1513 Doug. xii Prol. 140.
Quharof the beys wrocht thar hunny sweit … In sappy subtell exalations 1531 Bell. Boece I xxix.
The talloun of thair [supra ky and oxin] wambis is sa sappy, that it fresis nevir 1580 Hume Promine 74.
Furth of fresche fludes, … Rais sappie subtil exhalatiounis a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 1377 (Wr.).
The cherrie … Whose sappy sloking … Might melt into his mouth 1596 Dalr. I 50/30.
Quhen thay [sc. salmon] ar sa sappie and sa fatt and gudlyke 1596 Ib. 90/2.
Because than thay [sc. beef] war mair sappie and bettir thanfig. c1660 Select Biographies I 269.
What a sappie life were it to the merchand or the tradesman, when walking before his shop-door [etc.] … Then the meditation of Him shall be sweet 1669 Jus Populi 437.
A substantial sappy thing [sc. a bishoprick](b) 1609 Grahame Anat. Hum. 6b.
Thou letst all goe like the smoake of tobacco, or like a soppy billow, which flees from the shell of the walnut, and straight doth vanish in the airec. 1637 Rutherford Lett. (1894) 525.
Fat and green and fruitful may ye be in the true and sappy root
