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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 2000 (DOST Vol. VIII).
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Seso(u)n(e, Sasoun, n. Also: sesso(u)n(e, ses(s)owne, ses(s)io(u)n, seisoune, seissoun, seaso(u)n(e, seassone, ceasone, sas(s)one, saiso(u)n, saesoun. [ME and e.m.E. sesun (Cursor M.), sesyne (Manning), sesoun (c1350), season (a1370), seson (Chaucer), seysoun (14th c.), OF seson, seison, saison (12th c. in Larousse), L. satiōn- sowing, planting; cf. Cessone n.]

I. 1. A period or time of the year, esp. one of the four seasons into which the year is naturally divided, spring, summer, autumn and winter; one of the calendar months or some other specified period of the year.Also spring, somer (etc.) sesoun, and sesoun of winter.(1) 1456 Hay II 107/36.
Scho knew the course of the ȝeris, dayes, monthis and sesonis 1456 Hay II 127/27.
The four sesonis of the ȝere(b) c1400 Troy-bk. i 265.
Watter … Whar-throw the herbis quhyt & grene Maid moistour ay in ilk sessoune 1513 Doug. x Prol. 10.
For diuers causys [God] schupe seir sessonys and spacis, Fresch veir … , hait symmyr [etc.] 1568 Buch. Indict. 36.
Sche hazard hir self in ane sessoun of the ȝeir maist vnganand(c) 1576 Reg. Privy C. II 515.
That nane … tak upoun hand to fowle or slay ony pertrikis … fra the first day of Marche quhill Midsomer, … or to use ony uther ingyne for the slauchter of the saidis wyld fowlis during the space and sessioun of the yeir 1588 King Cat. fol. g viij.
Julius Caesar … persaving the festuall dayes nocht to returne ȝerlie in the same session, quhairin thay war constitut, in the beginning(d) 1531 Bell. Boece I 7.
Hemecus governit … in gret justice, havand na les respect to the seissoun, as the time occurrit than to the maneris of the pepill 1681 Glasgow Merchants House 139.
The grass this last seisoune was almost good for nothing to us(e) a1500 Henr. Fab. 1681 (Bann.).
The somer … With flouris … Quhilk Flora … Hes to that lord as for his seasoun lentattrib. c1590 Fowler I 128/60.
Pisces or the horned bull which saesoun change inbringis(2) 1456 Hay I 194/34.
In every somer sesoun ?1507 Aberd. B. Rec. I xxxix.
That na swyne be hauldin within this burgh, vteuche band in somer seasoun for destroying of the cornis 1513 Doug. iv v 37.
The wyntir sesson 1530 Edinb. B. Rec. II 41.
That na maner of personis … pas furth … fra viij houris at evin furth in the wynter sesoun without bowet or vthir licht 1538–9 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 249.
Furnessing of the saidis xiii hors for x wolkis symmer sessoun 1556–7 Edinb. Old Acc. I 205.
For candill furnist at the Nether Bow the winter sessoun last bypast, for knawlage of the pepill that past in and furth eftir the nycht fell 1581 Acts III 225/2.
The halding of horsis at hard meit all the somer seasoun(3) 1529–30 Edinb. B. Rec. II 18.
Mair dangeir apperis now in the spreing in the yeir than in the sesion of winter 1543 Reg. Morton II 289.
To pas to Invernes … and ther remane in ward in the sesioun of wynter(4) c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 24.
Thair mantillis grein war as the gres that grew in May sessoun c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 142/33.
Lord Eolus dois in thy sessone [sc. May] ring 15.. Clar. v Prol. 1.
In Mayis seasoune … When … bewis brekes and blomis upon breid

b. specif. As characterised by weather conditions, temperatures, etc. c1400 Troy-bk. i 443.
Notht agane standand the sessoune Of kindely chele c1450-2 Howlat 7 (A).
So soft was the sessoun our souerane dovne sent … That all was amyable owr the aire and the erd 1456 Hay II 100/21.
God … sendis thame the rayne that dois gude in the gude sesoun of the ȝere a1500 Henr. Fab. 1321 (Bann.).
June, that ioly sueit sessoun c1475 Wall. v 317.
The sessone was rycht cauld, For Piscis was in tyll his dayis of auld c1500-c1512 Dunb. (STS) lxviii 7.
For ȝisterday, I did declair How that the sasoun soft and fair, Come in als fresche as pacok feddir 1513 Doug. vi v 35.
As … byrdis … Quhom the cald sesson cachis owr the see 1513 Doug. vii Prol. 13.
The tyme and sesson bittir, cald and paill 1531 Bell. Boece II 223.
The ingine and maneris of al pepil ar mutabil, and corespondent to the season, as it occurris 1579 Conv. Burghs I 98.
Thatt … the said burgh lay far distant … and the sesoun of the ȝeir tempestuous c1600 Montg. Suppl. xxiii 11.
Sche hes ane hairt for seasoun hard and cauld 1623 Melrose P. 549.
The seasoun of the yeir wes suche, that it threatned a laite and bruckle haruest

c. The time of year set aside for certain agricultural operations. 1483 Acta Conc. I 81/1.
In this sesoune of hervist a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 274 (Asl.).
The tyme of sawyng is callit tedious And eike of schering richt sweit is the sessoun

d. The time of year when living things are fully mature, available for eating or the like. Also in sessone, good for eating at that time, fresh; out of seasoun, not good for eating, not fresh. 1456 Hay II 134/1.
Gude precious herbis and wele savourand in thair sesone 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 1423.
Still in the sessoun all things remanit thair Perpetuallie but outher noy or sair, Ay rypit war baith herbis, frute and flouris 1533–4 Acta Conc. Publ. Aff. 413.
[Nichole Carncors … has bought 15 or 16 lasts of herring and codling … ] and becaus the sesoun tharof is fast gangand he wald rather send thaim in Ingland nor in France   1562 Reg. Privy C. I 200.
In the spring of the year ... all kyndis of flesche debilitatis and decayis, and growis out of seasoun  a1568 Bann. MS 266a/8.
Quhen that in June in sessone is the oister   1573-4 Reg. Privy C. II 337.
Sessioun a1597-1617 Hist. Jas. VI (1825) 22.
At the beginning of this year ther was exceiding derth of cornis … for remeid wherof, inhibitions were maid sa far out of season, that na victuall sould be transportit furth of the cuntrie under the payne of confiscation 1613 Conv. Burghs II 429.
Sic vther meitt as the seasoun of the yeir randeris

e. The time of year when an animal is hunted, or is ready to breed. Also in sesoun. 1375 Barb. vii 504.
For than the der war in sesoun c1400 Troy-bk. i 245.
And of huntyng that ilk tyd As I tell, was the sessoune sett With syk delitis to intremett 1525 Douglas Corr. 104.
Giftis … convenient for his … disportis baith of hunting and halking according to this present seson 1531 Bell. Boece I xliii.
Thir salmond … abidis thair quhil the season cum of thair generatioun 1549 Compl. 141/14.
The mail vitht the femmel committis nocht the verkis of natur, bot in the saison of generatione

f. fig. The time of ripeness, maturity or fulfilment. 1461 Liber Plusc. 385.
Ordand he that deed [= death] suld be ay bayn, To tak his werkis in thaire best sesoun 1461 Liber Plusc. 386.
At the dreidful jugement. Thaire is oure rest; there is oure rycht sesoun c1475 Wall. iv 9.
All warldly thing has nocht bot a sesoune c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 289.
Bot leit the sueit ay the sour to gud sesone bring

2. Passing into a period of time more generally, esp. the period during which something takes place. Also in(to) all sessoun, in seson, out of seson, at all times, always.Sometimes with metaphorical reference to growth, etc.(1) 1375 Barb. iv 105.
Thai … saw the men defend thaim swa That thai nane hop had thaim to ta, Nane had thai done all that sesoune Gyff it ne had bene fals tresoun c1420 Ratis R. (STS) 1206.
In that sessone, … Quhen rutis springis of resone c1420 Wynt. vii 624.
In Inwergowry a sesowne Wyth ane honest court he bade c1450-2 Howlat 977 (A).
Think how bair thow … will be For ought that sedis of thi self in ony sessoun a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 178 (Asl.).
Schrewit aduocatis The quhilkis sum sessoun thair sciens thai will sell a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 547 (Asl.).
Of his deid … Is na man knawis … the place In sey or land nor ȝit in quhat sessoun 1513 Doug. xii iv 105.
Sall nevir tyme, sesson nor day betyd To breke this peax 1531 Bell. Boece I iv.
Mony uncouth merveillis and wounderfull thingis, schawin ay in the samin season as thay fell c1530-40 Stewart in Bann. MS 89a/31.
Than may thay mend within ane sessone schort 1556 Lauder Off. Kings 257.
Than neid ȝe nocht, no tyme nor ceasone, Be ferit for falset or for treasone 1567 G. Ball. 100.
For God sall stryke thame in schort sesoun a1568 Bell. Bann. MS I p. 3/9.
The sesoun quhen the grete Octauiane Baith erd and seis had in his gouernance 1597 James VI Dæmonol. (STS) 12/20.
There ar likewise certaine seasons, dayes, and houres, that they obserue in this purpose [sc. the conjuration of spirits] 1685 Kingarth Par. Rec. 150.
The collection for the poor the last season extending to 2 lib. 14 . Scots 1701 Aberd. Journal N. & Q. 184.
To James Walker, my half nets man, in pairt of his fei for season of fishing(2) a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 468 (Asl.).
In all sessoun syn is mast contrar To mannis weile a1568 Bann. MS 72b/46.
Chaingeing of meittis but discretioun Raisis seiknes in to all sessoun(3) 1588 King Cat. fol. 139.
Preache the word, be instant in saison, out of saison

b. (For) a sesoun, for an indefinite period, for some time. Also (once) sa lang sesoun. 1535 Stewart 6735.
Thair he tuk rest ane sessoun of the ȝeir, Quhill all his men wer maid haill and feir a1568 Scott i 12.
Rycht and ressone … Quhilk sa lang seasoun hes bene soir supprest 1558-66 Knox II 390.
God … had strycken … the Duke of Gueise, which somwhat brak the fard of our quene for a seassone 1570 Bann. Trans. 30.
They sall be taried a ceasone 1571 Bann. Trans. 141.
They both think it best that he remove for a ceasone a1585 Maitl. Q. 188/67.
For deid wald lest bot for ane sessoun and pas sone with celeritie 1667 Dunlop P. III 6.
It is lyk ye and I shall not see other for a season

c. A point in time. 1594 Misc. Spald. C. II 124.
Ye … passit nocht to your bed at your wountit sassone

d. The nicht seson.See also Nicht-seson n. for further examples. 1596 Dalr. II 309/27.
In the nycht sesone he sett for the walis to brashe the toune 1659 Dumfries Kirk S. 28 April.
James McBurny fleshor being dilate of drunkennes, stryking & abuseing of his wyff into the night season 1677 Dumbarton B. Rec. 88.
Nane suffered to go in to the prison during the night season

With reference to time more generally: e. (In) (the) mene seson, in the mean time, passing into sense 3 below. See Mene adj.² 3 for further examples. 1513 Doug. v xiii 33.
In the meyn sesson Venus al onflocht … Spak to Neptune [etc.] 1513 Doug. vi viii 96.
That notabil spows furth of hir lugyng place, This meyn sesson, al armour dyd arrace 1528 Douglas Corr. 129.
And in the meyne saisoun, quhil [etc.] 1560 Rolland Seven S. 6949.
In meane seasoun he liftit vp his ee In her windo this lady can he se

3. The right or appropriate time or moment. b. In (gude) sessoun, in due time, at the appropriate time. c. Be sasone, by the correct or appropriate time. ?1438 Alex. ii 7676.
Bounte … That lufe geuis quhen him thinkis sesoun 1513 Doug. x i 27.
Haist no the sesson [L. tempus] to provoke nor preveneb. 1560 Rolland Seven S. 304.
Than spak the fourt [sc. doctor] to name hecht Malquydrak And pleis ȝour grace my seruice for to tak In gude sessoun a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. 45/19.
And tak in thank and gude sessoun Quhat God will send Davidson Sat. P. xlii 640.
That, as the body can not dure, Except in sesoun men procure Fude in dew tyme it to sustene 1584-9 Maxwall Commonpl. Bk. 11b.
How plesand according to ressowne Is perfyt wordis spokin in sessownec. 1600 Crim. Trials II 180.
Be ressoun his awin culd nocht be sasone be preparit

d. Out of (but) seson, inopportune, ill-judged, beyond or outwith what is acceptable. c1500-c1512 Dunb. (STS) lix 18.
Off ane vod fuill far owt off seasoun [OUP ressoun], He wantis nocht bot a rowndit heid 15.. Dum Wyf 77.
Hir speitche but sessoun [MS sessioun] Butt ryme or ressoun Now deiffis vp all the hous 1650 Strathbogie Presb. 122.
They could not esteeme of the said George his deposition but as of ane elder this exception being now proponed out of seasone

II. 4. Taste, flavour. a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 421.
With saipheron sals of ane gud sessoun a1500 K. Hart 658.
Quha gustis sweit and feld nevir of the sowre, Quhat can he say? How may he seasoun iuge? 1513 Doug. Comm. i iv 98.
And euery man knawis vennyson owt of ply tynys the sesson 1533 Boece 477.
Be na sals nor sessoun of spicerie