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

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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Sop, n.² Also: sopp, sope. [ON soppr a ball; cf. late ME soppe (a1450), later only Sc. and north. Eng. dial.]

1. An assemblage or company (esp. of fighting men), in fighting formation; a (small) group of fighting men. Also const. of.Freq., with verb of movement, in(to) a sop.Common in Doug.(1) 1375 Barb. iii 47.
Samyn in-till a sop held thai 1375 Barb. vii 567.
Thai … Syne in a sop assemblit ar 1375 Barb. viii 326.
The hors … ruschyt thar folk … Swa that thai … War skalyt in soppys her & thar ?1438 Alex. i 1606.
Thai ilkane turnit agane, Semblit in ane sop [F. Tuit recovrerent ensamble] as of men mane ?1438 Alex. i 2216.
Syne into ane sop thai drew 1513 Doug. ix viii 109.
The Volscenaris assemblyt in a sop To fyll the fowseis and the wallis to slop 1513 Doug. x vii 163.
The thikast sop or rowt of al the pres … Thys Lawsus alto sparpillyt and invadys 1513 Doug. xii x 57.
Knyt in a sop [L. cuneum] with gret pissans thai thrist The leddyrris to the wallys 1513 Doug. xii v 81.
The other fowlys … Sammyn in a sop thik as a clowd … Thar fa dyd assalȝe(2) 1513 Doug. vii xi 154.
Bot of the swouchand swannys suld he wene A sop [L. nubem] fleand in the ayr thai had bene 1513 Doug. x vii 31.
Quhar ȝondir sop of men thikkis in a rowt

b. transf. In a sop, as a group, unanimously. a1500 Colk. Sow i 357.
All assentit in a sop To the vse of Ewrop

2. Only in Doug.: A cloud or densely-packed mass (of mist, smoke, dust, hailstones, etc.).(1) 1513 Doug. iii viii 138.
Sum tyme it [sc. Mt. Etna] … lowsyt stanys vpwarpys in the ayr Rownd in a sop [L. nubem] 1513 Doug. viii ix 116 (Ruddim.).
The woful moderis … did … follow with thare sicht The dusty sope, quhareso the reik went richt(2) 1513 Doug. i vi 176.
Venus with a sop of myst [L. obscuro aëre] baith tway … closyt rownd abowt 1513 Doug. v xii 5.
The fyre sparkis fleand vp thyk fald In a blak sop of reik 1513 Doug. vi xv 50.
A blak sop of myst, als dyrk as nycht 1513 Doug. vii Prol. 50.
Scharpe soppys of sleit and of the snypand snaw 1513 Doug. xii Prol. 45.
Sweit as sens, In smoky soppys of donk dewis wak 1513 Doug. xiii Prol. 37.
Owt our the swyre swymmys the soppis of myst 1513 Doug. viii iv 164.