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.
S(c)hort, v. Also: schorte; schurt. [ME and e.m.E. scort (Cursor M.), schort(en (1387), OE sceortian to grow short, f. sceort S(c)hort adj. Cf. OE (ȝe)scyrtan to make short.]
1. tr. To make or cut short, or shorter; to shorten a. A period of time, life, etc., or any non-material thing regarded as having duration, b. A narration; a process; a written document, a writing.a. (1) c1420 Ratis R. 172.
Ill corrupcioune of aire Will schort levyng 1456 Hay II 109/10.
And thaire dayis schortit and schamyt Ib. 117/6.
For glutony schortis the lyf 1492 Myll Spect. 273/26.
Arrestotill sayis … that lechory … schortis the lyf [etc.] 1533 Boece 466b.
I pray God … to schort thy dayis 1546 Reg. Privy S. III 296/1.
He may nocht travell without danger and perrell apperand to schort his life 1549 Compl. 134/18.
Quhar for I prayt to the goddis … to schort his lyif dais a1568 Bann. MS 72a/12.
All exces … Woundis heill and schortis dayis Ib. 246b/34.
O Atrapus … Cum schort my lyfe c1590 Fowler I 78/48.
O ladie fair, that … dois not knaw of this thy lyfe the fixed terme and space, I she am she … That shortis the day and haistis before or evening come the night; I she am she that hes conwoyed the Greikis vnto thair end [etc.] a1605 Montg. Sonn. iii 14.
Lord, short the season, for the chosens saiks(2) a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 588.
Wes na remeid bot ded his pane to schort 1533 Bell. Livy I 206/27.
For thai belevit thare awne army within schorte tyme suld soft [A. schorte] thare haterent, & ingener sum hele in thare myndis c1590 Fowler I 223/5.
Iff lyfe doith lightlye pas to short our joy [etc.] 1622-6 Bisset II 237/1.
Men of wear maryneris spilling victuallis or drink … quhairby they think to schorte the weyaigeb. 1456 Hay I 274/5.
Bot … schapis thame to schort all causis, and to lesse all expens … of parties 1560 Rolland Seven S. 1750.
And sa to schort my taill, The knicht [etc.] a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. 430/35.
Gar thame soone sum guid ordour devys To forder justice & schort [Maitl. Q. 166/35 schortin] the lang proces 1570 Sempill Sat. P. xii 147.
This schedull that I send ȝow; Beseikand ȝow to schort it gif ȝe may
c. ? To expedite.1601 Cal. Sc. P. XIII 871.
[Your going forward … to the overthrow of the traitor Tyrone is very slow … The same would be] schortit
2. To make (time, a journey, etc.) seem shorter, to make pass more pleasantly; to while away.1513 Doug. viii v 75.
With syndry sermondis schortis he the way Ib. xiii viii 108.
With diuers sermond carpyng all the day Thai schort the howris 15.. Clar. v 549.
The tyme thay schorte with heartis glaid and licht
3. To entertain, or amuse, (another person), also reflex.?1438 Alex. ii 10664.
The madinnis with Porrus left allane To short him fra the king is gane Ib. IV 441/1 (colophon).
To short thame that na Romanes can, This buke to translait I began 1460 Hay Alex. 8602.
Syne said he till his nece … , ‘Now fallis ȝow say furth … Sum gudlie thing … To conforte ws and schort ws in this were' 15.. Clar. i 1433.
Take thir two knichtis into commoning … and schort them with plesancereflex. ?1438 Alex. ii 5986.
The baronis was enterit … Into the palace … In joy [etc.] … To eis thame and to schort thame samyng 1513 Doug. v Prol. 7.
Ȝong folk thame schurtis with gam, solace and play Ib. vi x 37.
Sum thar … fal to werslyng … Assayand honest gemmys thame to schort 1528 Lynd. Dreme 75.
Ȝit fure I furth … Towarte the see, to schorte me on the sandis
4. To diminish in amount; to reduce.1601 Cal. Sc. P. XIII 871.
[The same shall] schort [your extraordinary expenses]
5. intr. To become short or shorter.1456 Hay II 129/27.
Quhen the sonne enteris in … the Crab … the dayes schortis and the nycht lenthis Ib. 132/5. c1490 Porteous Noblenes 183/10 (A).
A glutone allway has sum seknes … his lyf schortis & his deid approchis c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 193/46.
Ȝit quhone the nycht begynnis to schort It dois my spreit sum pairt confort
