A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. X).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Tas(e, Tais, v. Also: tays, teaze; tie. P.t. also taist, taysyt. P.p. also teased. [ME and e.m.E. teys(e (Manning), taise, tese (both 14th c.), teis(e (Wyclif), tays(e (c1400), OF teser, L. tensāre.] tr. a. To bend or stretch (a bow). b. To aim, direct, throw (a projectile); to poise, position (a weapon). c. To stretch or poise (a mechanism) like a bow or projectile. d. Of a person: To stretch out his arms. e. To tee up a golf ball (to be struck).a. 1375 Barb. v 625.
He taisyt [C. tasit, H. takes] the wyre & leit it fley, & hit the fader in the ey ?1438 Alex. ii 5089.
He tuke the bow and taist it sone And thairin hes ane pellok doneb. 1513 Doug. v viii 111.
Hys stern burdon behynd hys bak onhie With hys rycht hand gan tays and mesour swa 1513 Doug. x vi 106.
A bustuus schaft … he grippyt has, And incontrar hys aduersaris gan tays [Sm. tais] Quhilk flaw towartis Meonyus 1513 Doug. x viii 102.
A bustuus lance with grundyn hed ful kene, That lang quhile taysyt he [L. diu librans] in proper teyn 1513 Doug. xi xi 51.
Tasandc. 1684 Descr. Zetland 66.
And on the island side opposite there are so many stakes fixed, upon which there is a rope with a small ark called the craddle fast teased, whereon one man at once goes in & comes out of the holmed. 1513 Doug. ix x 79.
Ascanyus … Hys bow … bend hes he Tharin a takill set … And tasand vp his armys [L. diversaque bracchia] far in twyn, Thus onto Jove lawly dyd begyne. c1680 Bk. Pasquils 181.
He jure postliminii did transub Himself to ball, the Parliament to club, Which will him holl [= hole] when right teased at ane blow a1646 Wedderburn Voc. (1709) 26.
Statumina pilam arena, Teaze your ball on the sand(b) 1687 Bk. Old Edinb. C. XXVII 133.
I found that the only way of playing at the golve is … you most aim directly to hit the ball it selfe and not aim to scum the ground … The way to learn this is to tie your ball at first pretty high from the ground
