Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

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

Study(e, -ie, v. Also: stude, studdie, stody, stowday. [ME and e.m.E. studie, stode (both Cursor M.), study (1422), studdy (1526), OF estudier.]

1. intr. To apply the mind to the acquisition of knowledge (in(to, on) a subject, in (at) a university, vndir an authority).(1) 1456 Hay I 224/33.
The privilege of the clerk studyand c1515 Asl. MS I 315/1.
Ane king Athlas fand astrology studying on the hie gret mont Athalenticus 1560 Rolland Seven S. 802.
Fra his chalmer, quhair he was studiand, His seuin maisteris all sittand thair he fand 1560 Rolland Seven S. 8338.
I … past to my librair And studyit thair a quhyle … efter my lessoun was compleit 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 143/2.
That ye studdie not for knauledge naketlie, but that youre principall ende to be to make you able thairby to use youre office(2) 1375 Barb. iv 717.
Thai men that will study In the craft of astrology, Knaw all … the constillacioune, [etc.] a1400 Leg. S. xxxi 34.
Thir twa ȝung men ithandly Studyt in philosophy 1456 Hay I 221/34.
The quhilkis levis … all warldly and temporale plesaunce, to tak the payne and travaile to nycht and day study in sciencis, [etc.] and in vertu and wisedome 1456 Hay II 111/29.
Sum men sais that God before the begynnyng of the warlde had … devisit all thingis as thai suld be and tharefore, … it is bot tynt travaill … to studye in syk materis c1460 Regim. Princ. 36 (Maitl.).
Bot gar ȝoung lordis study in thy lawis 1549 Waus Corr. 7.
License … to pas to Paris in France … to leir and study in gude artes and sciences 1563 Hannay College of Justice 139.
[He has] studit his tyme in the … lawis and sensyne hes usit the practik a1586 Lindsay MS 64.
The clerkis studiand in doctrine and scyence how thai may cum to knaw God and lufe him 1596 Dalr. I 306/11.
He gaue ouer all … that … haillie he mycht studie til heuinlie thingis 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 143/6.
Not lyke thir uaine astrologiens that studdies nicht & daye on the course of the starres onlie that thay maye for satisfeing thaire curiositie knau thaire cours 1612 Breadalbane Lett. 28 Nov.
Ȝour sone Patrik is bussie studeing to his Greik and lookis to be some metrapolitane bischop or some lord of the saittransf. c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 1158.
I am not in lufe expart, And neuer studyit in that art(3) 1456 Hay I 221/12.
Gif a clerk … war studyand in Paris in the universitee, quhethir [etc.] c1490 Irland Asl. MS 60/18.
In Paris quhar I haue waikit to study 1576 Reg. Privy S. VII 86/2.
And willing to confer the said prebendarie to a bursar to studie at the scoles — 1596 Dalr. I 249/9.
This king … was instructed vndir Bischope Adaman … in lettres, nocht lychtelie, vndir quhome he … had studiet weill

2. To consider, think about, give one's attention to; meditate (on (in(to)) something). c1400 Troy-bk. i 64.
Quhen Jasone of this messinger Had herd the wordes … All wrath and angry in hys hert Stud studeand a litill stert c1420 Wynt. iii 177.
Thai … studyand [W. stodyit] on this rydyll were, Quhyll [etc.] a1500 Lanc. 1230.
With-outen wordis mo In to hir mynd thinking to and fro She studeit so and at the last abraid Out of hir thocht and [etc.] c1475 Wall. xi 587.
‘O wrech’ he said ‘that neuir couth be content [etc.] … I am the caus, I suld haiff all the payn.' Quhill studeand thus, quhill flitand with him sell [etc.] c1475 Wall. vii 84. a1500 Seven S. 716.
Fra that day furth his eme … studyet how he suld gar him de a1500 Seven S. 2292.
The knycht of na thing than had mynd Bot for to study in to quhat kynd That he mycht speke with hir allane a1500 Seven S. 2448.
‘Twa women lykast I trow … God neuer wrocht' Scho said ‘Schir on [that] study nocht For women oft tymes has bene sene And men has lyke till vther bene’ 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 1459.
Studiand heiron my nimphe vnto me spak 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 1871. 1528 Lynd. Dreme 545.
Sic subtell mater I man … lat be, To study on my creid it war full fair, And lat doctouris of sic hie materis declare 1549 Compl. 18/3.
Thy cheretabil correctione maye be ane prouocatione to gar me studye mair attentiulye in the nyxt verkis that I intend to set furtht a1568 Bann. MS 53b/15.
I studeit than of this birdis indyte And did revolve rycht oft in myne entent Gif I sic sentence had hard in to wryte

3. To expend one's effort or exercise one's thought in (to) (doing something). 1456 Hay I 25/6.
[They] studyit nocht in the keping of leautee, bot mare in the contrusing of falshede 1567 G. Ball. 73.
In gude warkis to perseueir To studie in thame nycht and day 1596 Dalr. I 116/21.
The secund sorte ar thay quha studie to merchandise, and of that kynd to honest craftes

4. To strive, expend one's effort to do (something). c1400 Troy-bk. ii 889.
All the gret palaas Illioune, … They studyit … It till oure-tyrve c1460 Wisd. Sol. (STS) 128.
Al the werkis … that I … mycht study … to gar be done a1500 Colk. Sow iii 145.
Study nevir … warldis gud in hurd till ley a1500 Seven S. 2313.
Bot euer he studyit to fynd a gyn How [etc.] 1490 Irland Mir. II 82/36.
The ressouns that I sall induce … sall … conferme … the faith in all the gud pepil that heris thame and studeis to wnderstand thame 1490 Irland Mir. III 103/6.
Sche … studiis to pleis hir lord 1533 Boece 163.
Mogall … memorative of the glorios actis of his gudeschir studyit to ensew his maneris 1562-3 Winȝet II 81/14.
Studiing to thraw be his mokrie and bairding the mekle vertew … of his father to be a vyce 1571 Q. Mary in Cal. Sc. P. IV 60.
We sal yit wirk them a pirne that studyes to circumvene us a1578 Pitsc. I 259/1.
The king panssit on thir wordis studeing to gif him ane ansuer c1590 Fowler II 147/5.
He quha wald maist cairfullye studie to eschew an inconvenient incurreth oftentymes in another 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 142/6.
Bot aboue all uertues, studdie to knau ueill youre awin crafte quhilke is to reule youre peopill 1646 Old Ross-shire II 14.
Stowday

5. To wonder (at), exhibit perplexity, puzzlement or astonishment. 1460 Hay Alex. 1660.
Quhan Nicolas persauit his princis dede He studiit and was stonist in the stede, And he mycht nocht eschap withoutin lak a1500 Henr. Fab. 2264.
Schir be my saull thir oxin ar all myne: Thairfoir I studdie quhy ȝe suld stop me, Sen that I faltit neuer to ȝou trewlie 1513 Doug. vii vi 94.
The round tap of tre … rynnys about … The wytles sort of forsaid babbys ȝyng Studeis awondrit of sa nyce a thing 1567 Sat. P. iii 13.
I studeit still, and nathing could I say, My mynde was full of admiratioun a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 60 (Wr.).
Where dew like diamonds did hing, Ou'r twinckling all the trees, To study on the flourishde twists a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 488 (Wr.).
Why quakes thou, and shakes thou, Or studies at our strife? a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xxiv 31.
I, that som tyme solide wes and sage, Begouth to studie, stupefact and strange Bereft of resone, reaving in a rage

6. tr. To read with care or attention, to give one's mind or consideration to, to study (a book, author, etc.). b. With reference to an author: To apply one's mind to the preparation or writing of (a work). c1420 Ratis R. 2.
Wndirstande this buk, Thow study & reid it oft 1466 Charter (Reg. H.) No. 391.
Deligentli to haiff studyit ane letter of assidacion 1490 Irland Mir. I 16/3.
To emples thi hienes I sall lauboure sua … that redand and studeand this werk, thou sal be richt perfit in theologi 1490 Irland Mir. II 151/20.
At and thai bukis be weill studeit all temptacioun … and sophistic argumentis … may be perfitlie solȝeit 1508 Reg. Privy S. I 244/2.
To lere and study the kingis lawis … , and eftirward to exers and use the sammyn 1513 Doug. i Prol. 130.
Quhen twelf ȝheris he had beyn diligent To study Virgill a1538 Abell 56a.
He put in his law at his pepill suld nocht stude na reid the auld testament na the new na thai suld nocht admit disputatioun of the sam 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 36/4.
Reid uith delyte the plaine placis [of Scripture] & studdie cairfullie to understande thaise that are sumquhat difficill 1600-1610 Melvill 37.
Studeing his comentares thaironb. 1490 Irland Mir. III 165/1.
This werk I haue studiit and maid with gret labour and submittis it to the correccioun of the halykyrk

c. To apply one's mind to a (learned) subject.Row quot. may belong in 6 above. a1500 Henr. Fab. 1373 (Bann.).
And in that toun [sc. Rome] first to the scoullis ȝude, And science studeit mony a day 1567 Acts III 25/1.
To studie vertew, and letteris, within ane college 1600 Crim. Trials II 253.
But quhen he ȝeid to Padua, thair he studieit Nigromancie a1650 Row 447.
After he had past his course of philosophie, and wes laureat in St. Androes, he returned againe to it, where he studied the lawes 1681 Cloud of Witnesses (1714) 82.
Why did he not debate these things with men and not with lasses? For we told him we never studied debates

7. To consider, think about (something). c1420 Wynt. ii 497.
Thus quhill thai studyit this Pyrra The first spekyne begouth to ma; For rydely wylis in wemen Sunnere apperys than in men

8. To give one's attention to (a matter). a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 34.
Of thi glore sall haue fruicioun Bot he that studyis heir efter his estait 1658 Cramond Kirk S. I 17 Jan.
To studie amendement 1660 Cramond Kirk S. I 19 Feb.
Shee being much exhorted to studie more accurate & circumspect cariage in tyme to come

9. ? To doubt. 1641–2 Lennoxlove MS (The Duke of Hamilton) C 1/1749.
[Letter of the Marquis of Argyll.] It can never be for his majesties honor nor advantage to mak himself head of ane pairtie which sum studdies sa muche