A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 2000 (DOST Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Scandal(o)us, adj. Also: -eux, -owes, -eous, -allous, -olous, -el(l)ous; skandalous, -el(o)us, scandlous; scandaluous. [e.m.E. scandalouse (1592), -ous (1603), F. scandaleux, med. L. scandalosus (c1332 in Latham).]
1. Of something said or written, also transf. of the tongue: Uttering false or malicious reports; defamatory.c1590 Fowler II 31/21.
It is not the maist part of my deutie to repres thy scandaleux tong 1632 Justiciary Cases I 219.
Whairin ar set doun ane number of fals and scandalus speiches 1646 Glasgow B. Rec. II 104.
By a scandaluous paper given in to the parliament 1650 Strathbogie Presb. 130.
Among the rest of [the] scandalous calumnies Ib. 136.
A scandellous pamphlet of James Grahames 1671 Alford Rec. 174.
Concerning scandalous reports passing upon ministers 1672 R. Brown Paisley I 321.
Because of some scandalous crying fame against John Fork 1699 Edinb. Paper-sellers.
To prevent the dispersing of prophane or scandelous papers
2. Of a person: Guilty of, or notorious for, shocking or disgraceful behaviour. Also absol.1615 Elgin Rec. II 146.
Ane skandelus persone not meit to have societie within this parosche 1647 Dunferm. Kirk S. 23.
Convict … in … holding in hir hous of anie scandalous whoorish drunken lowns 1650 Culross I 239.
The persons who wer scandalous in Thomas Eizat's house, to mak their repentance publickly 1657 Dumfries Council Min. 20 June.
Grissell Caillie ane scandolous woman 1661 Dunkeld. Presb. II 417.
Considering that Mr. Thomas Irland is a man so scandalous and infamous 1662 Glasgow B. Rec. II 491.
The haill penalties dew to be payit be all furnicatouris, and wther such scandelous persones 1662 Forbes Baron Ct. 231.
Skandalous 1664 S. Ronaldshay 45.
An infamous, lewde and scandalous persone 1666 St. A. Presb. 84.
That processe … against Margret Guthrie, scandalous for many yeares for vitchcraft 1690 Misc. Hist. Soc. X 131.
To enquyre … if any of the masters etc. be scandalous or guilty of immoralities in their life and conversation 1692 Edinb. Kirk S. in Sc. Ant. XIII 74.
Scandalous persons … to have their names read out publickly from the pulpit 1693 Culross Kirk S. in Sc. Ant. IV 82.
A convenient seat to be placed in the middle of the church for scandalous faultie persons to sit in to receive theire reproofs 1698 S. Ronaldshay 71.
Mr. Alexander connived at one Mr. Robert Denoon, a most scandalous fellow, to officiate as schoolmaster 1700 Minnigaff Par. Rec. 34.
He should be reput scandallous and uncleanabsol. 1697 Penninghame Par. Rec. I 6.
Alexander M'Gillis appointed to … cause make a sackgown for the scandalous to appear in
3. Bringing ill repute upon the church or a religious congregation; giving rise to scandal in senses 1 and 2 of Scandal(l n. a. Of behaviour of doctrine. Passing into sense 4. b. Of members of the church. c. Of ministers.There is some overlapping with sense 2.a. 1626 Aberd. Council Lett. I 253.
Guiltie of … using of charmes and inchantments and otheris devillishe practizeis, offensive to God, skandelous to the trew religioun 1638 Rec. Kirk Scotl. 163.
[The] proces … contained many blasphemous poynts, both of Arminianisme and Poperie … besyde his scandelous lyfe. … the whole Assembly voited to his deprivation 1652 Kirkcaldy Presb. 381.
Some scandelous doctrine preached in Dysert be the said Mr. William 1657 Lanark Presb. 103.
Ther scandelous way of mariage, quhilk was vnorderly and not according to the actes of the church c1662–3 Bentinck Dornoch 236.
The … Synod considering the great and scandalous abuse of taking oaths of privat persons upon suspicion of malefice done … to ther person or goods by witchcraft 1696 Culross Kirk S. in Sc. Ant. IV 84.
[They] by theire presence had countenanced the … disorderlie dispensing of the ordinance of baptism [etc.] … to admonish the said heritors of their sinfull & scandalous carriadgeb. 1649 Brechin Presb. 13.
That speciall cair be taken of the election of elders and deacons … and every one who is ignorant or scandalous [Alyth Kirk S. scandalowes], or doeth not perform familie duties, be removed from the Session 1650 Boharm Kirk S. 13 Oct.
That gross ignorants and scandelous persons be not admitted to the Sacramentsc. 1691 Cramond Kirk S. III 14 May.
Exhorting all presbetryes to purge out scandalous … ministers 1691 Old Ross-shire I 42.
For want of the powerfull ordinances of the gospell in purity and besides the present incumbent being scandalous and not edifieing to the people 1692 Presb. Eloq. (1692) 13.
There is one [minister] whom I can prove to be very atheistical, ignorant and scandalous
4. Of behaviour or wrong-doing: Flagrant; shocking; disgraceful.a1633 Hope Major Pract. I 138.
Ane penalty … incurred be the said Janet … for the scandalous conversing with ane David Williamson 1640 Mouswald Kirk S. 1 July.
If the adulterer or adulteress foirsaid hes not bein in tymes bygane of ane scandlous counversatione Ib.
That all extreordinare and scandolous drinking and gosseping upon the Lordis Day at any tyme be forborne 1646 Dunferm. B. Rec. II 201.
For thair scandalous behaviour in abusing of Euphame Robertsone in hir awin hous 1649 Alyth Kirk S. in Sc. N. & Q. 1 Ser. XII 75.
Scandalous offences of all sorts, whither it be uncleanes, drunkenes, suearing, cursing, malignancie, or anie other 1658 Argyll Synod II 195.
The scandalous careage of Mr. Neill McLachlan, paedagogue to McLaine of Dowart 1659 Cramond Kirk S. I.
Hir cariage was scandalous lyke with Alexander Wilson 1665 J. M. Beale Fife Schools 179.
Inquyrit gif he knew anything scandalous in the said Mr. John Schoolmaster 1666 Dunkeld Presb. II 68.
To confesse his scandaleous sinns … and engadge himselfe to no mor so 1669 Alford Rec. 141.
Some flagrant reports of scandalous cariages of [two ministers] 1680 Kirkintilloch B. Ct. 107.
For thaire scandallous language remitts them to the Sessione 1693 J. M. Beale Fife Schools 171.
[The schoolmaster was dismissed for] gross & scandalous faults 1706 Rothesay Par. Rec. 204.
What a horrid and scandalous sin charmeing was
