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.
Quotation dates: 1475-1500
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(Sophim,) Sopham, n. Also: sophysm, sophine. [ME and e.m.E. sophim (c1350), -ym (Wyclif), sopheme (Chaucer), sophism (1532), OF soufisme, soffime, sophisme (c1160-early 13th c. in Larousse), L. sophisma, f. the Gk.] a. A sophism, a specious argument. b. A trick, artifice. —a. c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace viii 1509.
Wallace he herd the sophammis [1570 thair sophysmis] euiredeill 1490 Irland Mir. II 82/29.
The argumentis that Arestotill and philosophouris makis that ar in contrar to the faith ar na wourth bot sophamis and ressouns sophistice —b. a1500 Prestis of Peblis 967.
I farly quhair sik sophine [? erron. for sophime] thou hes fund
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"Sophim n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 13 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/sophim>
