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.
Spiritles, Spreitles, adj. Also: spret(e)-, spreyt- and -lesse. [e.m.E. spiritless (1570), spiritlesse (1597); Spirit n.] a. Lacking boldness or courage, cowardly; having no strength of character. b. Drained of emotion; sorrowful; exhausted.a. a1500 K. Hart 171.
The bernis both wes … out of mesour marrit in thair mude As spreitles folkis on blonkis hvffit on hicht Both in ane studie starand still thai stude 1513 Doug. ix iii 187.
Grekis, nor pepill Pelasgane, Quhilkis in thar weris previt sa spreitles [Sm. spreytles, Ruddim. spreteles] men That Hector thame delayt ȝeris ten 1595 Duncan App. Etym.
Iners, lither, spiritles 1596 Dalr. I 314/14.
To put out a manis lyfe quhen he sleipis … is a takne nocht only of ane abiecte and spreitles harte, bot of a beistlie natureb. 1513 Doug. iv xii 55.
Hir systir An, spreitles [Ruddim. spretles] almaist for dreid … thyddir speid, With nalys ryvand reuthfully hir face, And smytand with hir nevis hir breist a1568 Scott xv 33.
Meittand oure lustis, spreitles we twa depairtis. Prolong with lasar, lord, I thé exort, Sic tyme that we may boith tak our confort, First for to sleip [etc.] a1568 Bann. MS 231a/14.
We interchange our hairtis, In vtheris armis soft Spreitles we twa depairtis … We murne quhen licht day dawis, we plene the nycht is schort 1619 Garden Elphinstoun 2442.
For verie greef he grew almost Bothe speache and spiritlesse
