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.
Quotation dates: 1450-1596, 1650-1661
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Terrible, -ill, adj. Also: -il(e, -yll, terrable, -ill, -yll, terrebill, -yll. [Late ME and e.m.E. terrible (Lydgate), OF terrible, L. terribilis.] Inspiring fear or awe, terrifying, dreadful. Passing into use as a mere intensive: Very bad, severe, dreadful, awful.c1450-2 Howlat 620 (A).
That terrible felloun my spreit affrayd a1500 Henr. Orph. 115.
Hir madin wepit … Cryand with mony schout and voce terrible 1490 Irland Mir. I 40/5.
Terribile 1490 Irland Mir. III 8/4.
Sa cruell and terrible a ded c1515 Asloan MS I 261/9.
This Alexander was gud to haly kirk … and terrible yneucht till his subiectis c1490 Irland Asl. MS 22/10.
[Confession] makis the face of the saull and mynde … terrible to the devill to luke on ?a1500 Dewoit Exerc. 133.
The scharp croun of thorne, the quhilk wes horabill and terrabill to behald the scharp lang pikis of it c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 266.
Terrebill 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 764.
Terribill thochtis oft my hart did gryis 1513 Doug. ix viii 106.
With terribill brag of brasyn bludy soundis 1525 St. P. Henry VIII IV 417.
The terribill swerd of Halykirk 1533 Bell. Livy I 291/14.
Terribil 1533 Boece 433.
The eistyn wynd, with ane terrible drift blewe the sand … in the face of Constantinis armye c1552 Lynd. Mon. 5608.
Terrabyll c1552 Lynd. Mon. 6018 (see Trimbil(l v. 3 (a)).
Terribyll 1562-3 Winȝet I 3/9.
Terrible rolkis presenting deth 1565 St. A. Kirk S. 235.
Wyth sorowfull mynd and sayr hart, bursting owt wyth tearis throw the aufull and terrebyll fear 1567 Gude and Godlie Ballatis 233.
That day sall horribill be and eik terribill a1578 Pitsc. II 81/3.
Then they laid fyre into him and gaif him the first blast of pulder quhilk was werie terribill and odieous to sie 1596 Dalr. II 129/19 (see Trimbil(l v. 2).
Terrable c1650 Spalding I 239.
The Spanȝeard gat heir ane terribill overthrow 1661 Forfar Witches in Reliq. Antiq. Sc. 129.
Shoe hes been a great banner and a terrible curser
