A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1631-1649
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Vacillatio(u)n, Vassillatioun, n. [Late ME vacillacion (c1400), 17th c. Eng. vacillation (1623).] The state of wavering as to belief, etc., hesitancy, uncertainty. — 1631 Justiciary Cases I 156.
The pannell hir vacillatioun or altering of hir depositioun can nevir mak hir to cum under the compas of ane fals witnes 1631 Justiciary Cases I 157.
Hir … confessioun quhilk can nocht be fals witnessing bot the vacillatioun of ane disturbit spreit of ane pure woman in hir sex fraill in hir ȝeiris ȝoung … dascht and consternet in mynd befoir his maiesteis … grit counsell … And hir vassillatioun arryseing frome the causses foirsaidis … is na fals witnessing a1649 Drummond Wks. (1711) 40.
That the friendship begun might continue without all vacillation
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"Vacillation n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 20 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/vacillatioun>
