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 2002 (DOST Vol. XI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Voce, Voyce, Voice, n. Also: woce, vos(e, wos(e, vox, wox, woyce, voic, woic(e, woys, vois, wois, voyice, vys. [ME and e.m.E. voiz (c1290), voys (1297), voce, voice, woice (all Cursor M.), vois (Manning), voyc (Destr. Troy), OF vois, voix, L. vox, voc-.]

1. The vocal utterance of an individual person, bird, animal, etc.; the individual character of a voice, esp. as a means of recognition; also, specif., speech. Chiefly const. possess. adj. Also coll. sing., the utterance of more than one person, etc.(a) a1400 Leg. S. iii 413.
Full of wodnes is thi woce ?1438 Alex. ii 4342.
Marciane … With his voce richt hard can cry c1420 Wynt. i 699.
Thaire [sc. monsters'] wocys [C. woces, W. voce] quhen thai ar spekand Ar lyk tyll doggys ay berkand 1456 Hay II 121/26.
Rub it all about thy mouth … and it sall clere thy voce a1500 Henr. Fab. 188.
The mous … knew hir voce, as kynnisman will do a1500 Henr. Fab. 847.
He … Schot out his voce full schyll, and gaif ane schout 1490 Irland Mir. I 163/7.
His woce and langage was mare plesand to gud personis than ony sang ore melody a1500 Quare Jel. 58.
Hir woce and eyne to hevin sche cast And said [etc.] c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 244.
All the pertlyar … thai put out ther vocis 1513 Doug. xi iv 28.
He ruschis plenand on wofull maner … Wepand and waland … bot no word mycht he spek And scars at last with gret difficulte The cundytis of his voce war lowsyt fre; Quhen he mycht speke 1513 Doug. vii Prol. 121.
As a trumpat rang thar vocis soun 1533 Boece 279b.
Ane voce of ane woman was herd … scho prayit thay suld [etc.] 1560 Rolland Seven S. 1918.
The grewhound … knew his maisteris voce 1558-66 Knox II 381.
The Quene … maid a paynted orisoun; and thair mycht have bene hard among hir flatteraris, ‘Vox Dianæ! The voce of a goddess'(b) a1400 Leg. S. xii 290.
Resone wald that his [sc. Judas'] throt ware Vith a snar cord hangyt … Fra quham … com that voice That gerte his mastere hang on the croice 1560 Rolland Seven S. 3286.
Howbeit I may not se, I heir thy voice 1604-31 Craig ii 52.
Musidorus knew thee by thy voyce 1611-57 Mure Dido & Æneas i 10.
Thy sweit voyce hath earst divinly strained 1662 Crim. Trials III 611.
I wold ken his woice, at the first heiring of itcoll. sing. c1475 Wall. ii 218.
Compleyn, Sanctis thus … Compleyne your woice wnto the God abuffe a1500 Seven S. 2642.
In birdis voce and thair syngyng 1567 G. Ball. 119.
The voce of thame that to the deid ar dycht; Heir now, gude Lord 1596 Dalr. I 59/30.
Sax kyndes of geis … quhilkes … differ … in the sownde of thair voce 1622-6 Bisset II 181/2.
The voce of the puir commoun peopillis cryes … allace vo is ws

b. A voice of a particular sort, also with particular reference to the voice as used in singing. Chiefly const. with (be) (a) he, curyous, etc. voce. Also coll. sing.(1) 1494 Deidis of Armorie 36.
The paon … has the … voice of the devil 1584-9 Maxwall Commonpl. Bk. Prov. No. 208.
The birde taurus hath a grit woce bot a small body 1562-92 Wode's Psalter (ed.) 239.
The counter is the part of all Quhilk does requyr a mightie voice 1562-92 Wode's Psalter (ed.) 191.
Kyng Jamis the fyft … culd sing that he had never seine before, but his voyce was rawky and harske 1602 Colville Paraenese 56 (see Vive adj. 5 c (1)).
Voyice 16… Craven Caithness Diocese 90.
He … hath Jacob's voice, and Esau's heart and handscoll. sing. 1549 Compl. 64/21.
Amphion … sang sa dulce quhil that the stanis mouit and alse the scheip and nolt and the foulis of the ayr pronuncit there bestial voce to sing vitht hym(2) without art. a1400 Leg. S. i 646.
The prefet with he woce Gaf sentence c1400 Troy-bk. ii 2968.
Vlixes … With drawand woce … With law wordis drawyng on lenth … Spered [etc.] a1500 K. Hart 819.
‘Go to the king,’ with sture voce can he say c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 60/4.
I hard a merle with mirry notis sing … with voce rycht comfortable 1531 Bell. Boece II 152.
Ilk ane … spake with sa how voce … that [etc.] 1541–61 Linlithgow Sheriff Ct. in Fife Sheriff Ct. xxxiv f.n.
The quhilk infeftment in audience of the cowrt wytht hie and intellegibill woice was rede 1561 St. A. Kirk S. 107.
Elizabeth Arnot … wyth hech voce said aganis hym thyr wordis 1567 G. Ball. 80.
Honour the image of the croce, Nocht cryand out with curyous voce, Bot in the spreit a1570-86 Maitland in Maitl. F. 36/62.
I heir thy peple with hie voce And ioyfull hartis cry … Viua Marie trenobill royne de escois — 1562 Mill Mediæv. Plays 152.
Johnn Kelo belman wes accusit … for the passing throw … the toun with the hand bell be oppin voce to convene the haill communite … to bring in symmer(b) 1587-99 Hume 15/7.
When I waill with weeping vosecoll. sing. a1500 Lanc. 13.
Throw birdis songe with opine wox one hy 1490 Irland Mir. II 58/22.
Than the … pepil … sall cry with hyduus woce c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 11/5.
The divillis trymmillis with hiddous voce c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 145/162.
Than all the birdis song with voce on hicht 1562-3 Winȝet II 76/25.
Al the bischopes with loude woce assentitindef. art. and possess. adj. 1456 Hay II 92/22.
It efferis till a king tobe … of faire langage with a hye voce ?a1500 Dewoit Exerc. 311.
Quhen ȝe liftit vp ȝour eyne to the hevin and said with a lowd woce, ‘Fader [etc.]’ a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 1075.
Senturio … had wounder, With sic a woce sa sone that he suld de 1513 Doug. v v 3.
Eneas … with ane harraldis lowd voce gan declare 1513 Doug. vi ix 189.
With his cry And lowd voce throw the dyrk 1535 Stewart 27079.
Colgernus … with ane voce richt loud on him did cry, ‘Fy on the king!’ 1560 Rolland Seven S. 1173.
That all micht heir scho cryit with ane loud vocecoll. sing. 1490 Irland Mir. II 38/6.
Ane infinit multitud of gud and haly pepill with a hevinly and lacrimable woce cryit a1578 Pitsc. II 100/1.
Thai … cryit witht ane loude woyce 1590 Burel Pilgr. i 297.
The houlet and the herison … Come with ane feirfull voce — 1622-6 Bisset I 153/29.
The four … maisseris … be ane lowde and heich voce … callis the pairtiespl. c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 63/105.
Than sang thay both with vocis lowd and cleir 1513 Doug. xi v 19.
Thai Circulyt abowt … With gowlyng and with vocis myserabill

2. Const. def. art. or without art.: Vocal sound or utterance as produced by a person, bird, etc., as a common attribute of persons, etc., but usu. identifiable contextually with a particular individual. c1400 Troy-bk. ii 442 (D).
One erne out of the ayre fleand In clamoure of the woice sownnand a1500 Seven S. 2428.
Him thocht baith be woce & taist It was his awne wyf 1490 Irland Mir. I 27/25, 26.
Quhen a man spekis … thocht ane heire the woce, it lattis nocht the tothir, for he heris all the woce als weill c1500 Fyve Bestes 161.
This bird wox a cok, … Clerast of voce 1513 Doug. i vi 115.
The voce drawand deip from his breist within 1551 Hamilton Cat. 86.
He forbiddis slauchter and all occasionis of the same, as hettrent of the hart, indignatioun of the voce 1590–1 Crim. Trials I ii 234.
Thow coft me on the aly croce And lent me body, saull and voce 1604-31 Craig vi 8.
Let each … faithfull subject sing With heart and woyce conjoynd, God saue the king

b. With (in) (without ony) voce (of worde), vocally, by use of the voice. 1444 Aberd. B. Rec. I 12.
He sal vphald the ladymesse with uoce on Twisdai Thurisdai and Fridai 1588 King Cat. 124.
Seing wraith without ony voce of worde is appointed to iudgement wraith in voce is appointed to a councel quhairin sentense is pronunced, bot wraith in voce and speiche is appointed to the punischement of the hell of fyre 1626 Garden Worthies 129.
Astrea … will ay With vult and nought with voce her woe bewray

3. The sound made by one or more voices; the thing said or sung; noises. c1400 Troy-bk. ii 765 (D).
The clamour … Of woices of thame deand c1400 Troy-bk. ii 2943.
With that the gret noys holy sounded That the woce of suche clamoure than Vlixes rois 1490 Irland Mir. II 110/29.
Consonaunt as the voces and the notis in the sang 1513 Doug. i vi 173.
Quhy grantis thou nocht we mycht ioyn hand in hand And fortill heir and rendir vocis trew? 1513 Doug. i xi 62.
Than rays the noys quhill dynnyt rufe and wallis So thik the vocis fleys throu the large hallys c1520-c1535 Nisbet Acts ii 6.
Thai began to spek diuerse langages … And quhen this voce was made, the multitude com togiddir, and thai war astonait … for ilk man herde thame spekand in his langage 1531 Bell. Boece II 69.
The preistis cryit … Alleluya! And incontinent the reflex of the voce resoundit agane the rochis c1550-c1580 Art of Music 24b.
The preceptour, dressand the sang mensuraly that the modulatouris ewerrie ane till ane vther failye nocht in the perfyt mensuring of the quantaties of all noittis and pausis in equall voces dewydit a1585 Maitl. Q. 273/3.
Sa that thair hymns, and voces … By sympathie, resonded in the air 1580 J. Hay in Cath. Tr. 39/19.
It is the trew intelligence that makes the wourd and nocht the outward sounding of the woce 1587-99 Hume 19/72.
The eares erected ar to heir and quicklie to conceaue Ilk liuelie voice, ilk speech, ilk sound

4. Referring, metonymically, to a person. b. As a name. 1574 Davidson in Three Reformers 115.
Our men … gan cry ‘A Hume, a Hume’ with voces shill Ane other voce upon the hill He heard crying ‘a Dowglasse’ … Then … Robert … cryed with mightie voice … 'O our good God … ' Quhilk wes mair fearfull to his fais Nor all the voces there that rais a1605 Montg. Sonn. xxxix 4.
Inchanting voce, beuitcher of the wyse 1643 Baillie II 109.
If two or three stand up at once, then the divines … calls on his name whom they desyre to hear first: on whom the loudest and maniest voices calls, he speaksb. a1400 Leg. S. xxxvi 15.
Candel wes he [sc. John the Baptist] callit … Angele als … And voice als callit he wes, Of his spek for gret meknes

5. With reference to particular voices, esp. as creating a particular ethos. a. The voice of God, Jesus, etc., esp. as generating awe or as commanding or authoritative. b. Of others embodying authority or command. c. Of a poet.a. a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 368.
‘I am Jesu’ he said … Bot with that woce thai fell apoun the greyne For the vertu of His godheid [etc.] 1549 Compl. 24/6.
Gyf thou obeyis nocht the voce of the Lorde thy Gode [etc.] c1552 Lynd. Mon. 992.
In ane busk thay hid thame cloce, Aschamit of the Lordis voce, Quhilk callit Adam be his name Arundel MS 240/89.
Mak me worthy to heir Thi maist sueit voce 1562-3 Winȝet II 7/10.
The scheip of Christis flok heiris, and obeys His voce 1567 G. Ball. 15.
The Fatheris voce was hard sayand … Jesus … is my weilbelouit Sone … ȝe sall Him heirb. c1460 Wisd. Sol. (STS) 502.
Syne sal all rys to-gyddir at the vocis of the angellis 1567 Anderson Collect. Mary II 255.
Not onlie be hir said commissiounis, but alswa be hir awin mouth and voce, that he sould accept the said office 1566 St. A. Kirk S. 265.
Thai … contumacetly absentit tham, and contempnit the voce of the kyrk 1596 Misc. Maitl. C. I 81.
Ane obdurit, impenitent, godles persone, and disobedient to the woyce of the kirkc. c1590 Fowler I 312/5.
O poetts … Sound furth your voce, and sing his praise 1581-1623 James VI Poems I 29/205.
So fond Phœmonoe … Her oracles hexameter did sing … That olde voce [F. voix] serude in Dodon spak in verse

6. A supernatural, disembodied voice, freq. heard in sleep commanding some sort of action by the listener. There is some overlap with 5 a above. a1400 Leg. S. vii 309, 311, 312, etc.
A voyce fra este & voice fra west … A voice & one Jerusalem, A voyce one tempil [etc.] ?1438 Alex. ii 435.
In his sleip ane voce can cry, ‘Richteous King, rise vp [etc.]’ 1490 Irland Mir. I 126/8.
He [sc. Moses] hard ane hevinly voce that said to him [etc.] c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 211/4.
Musing allone this hinder nicht … I hard ane voce that said on hicht May na man now undemit be c1510 Prester John 310 b.
Come till hym ane voce of godis c1520-c1535 Nisbet Apoc. xii 1.
Voces and thundris and erd moueing and gret haile 1533 Boece 144b.
This mont … was namyt the Dolorous Hill becaus inhabitantis on nychtis herd vocis menyng, murnyng and dolours 1533 Bell. Livy II 196/24.
He herd … ane voce fer clerare and farare than ony voce of man, commanding him [etc.] a1578 Pitsc. I 67/10.
On Ȝoull evin quhene he [sc. the bishop of Glasgow] was sleipand thair come ane thunderand woyce out of heawin cryand and sowmmondand him to the extreme iudgement of God 1591 Crim. Trials I ii 252.
Sche rasit the Spreit, be voce and nocht bodelie; quha declarit [etc.]

7. fig. The voce of a person's blude, with reference to an unavenged murder. 1533 Gau 104/28.
The voce of his blwid cryis … to the hewine 1551 Hamilton Cat. 87.
The voce of thi brothers blude, cries vengeance to me fra the erd

8. Something said or expressed by a voice. Also transf., something written. c1460 Wisd. Sol. (STS) 471.
Thar suld na man ban his king … for the fowlis of the hevyne beris the woice to the hiest kinge quhilk sal gif the sentens thar-vpone c1500 Fyve Bestes 221.
Sone come the tyme that he suld say his voce The houre ȝeid oure the cok he held him clos 1531 Vaus (1531) 2 (de interiectione).
Quhat is ane interiectione? ane part of orisone ondeclinabill the quhilk betakynnis the affek off the mynd onder ane vnknawin voce [L. sub voce incognita] 1562-3 Winȝet II 54/26.
Saue that thing, quhilk is geuin thé to keip, eschewand the prophane nouelteis of woceis [Vulg. vocum; AV babblings] 1567 G. Ball. 110.
Thir imagis … can pronunce na voce furth of thair throtis 1558-66 Knox I 69.
How terrible voces the said Thomas Scott pronunced befoir his death, men of all estaitis heard … his voce was ever, ‘Justo Dei judicio condemnatus sum‘transf. 1562-3 Winȝet II 7/16, 17.
That ony sentence in the haly wreit is the voce and mynd of Christe, or the contrare sense consauit be the wickit the voce of the enimie

9. a. Report, rumour, freq. the commoun voce, the attitude or belief of the people in general, public opinion. b. Chiefly const. def. art. Also be, upon oppin voce and the voice of the country. c. Fame, renown.a. 1398 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 38.
Commoune vois is … that Scottis men … dwelland on the marches of Ingland and Inglish men … dwelland on the marchis of Scotland ar principale cause of distrovblance c1420 Ratis R. 1036.
Comone voice is sum-deil laith To greif a lord ore mak hym vraith 1513 Doug. ii i. 49.
The onstabill common voce Dividit was 1524 Selkirk B. Ct. MS 108b.
This he saw nocht bot hes this of the said Jhone and common woic 1560 St. A. Kirk S. 66.
That common voce and fam beris record that James lyis wyth Elizabet Cwyk a1568 Sempill in Sat. P. xlvii 12.
Havand na caus bot commoun voce and sklander 1570 Sempill in Sat. P. xii 11.
James, earle of Murray … Now lyis deid … Wais me to want him! is the commoun voce a1578 Pitsc. II 212/29.
It was said be the common voyce that the Duik of Norphok desyred the quein of Scotland in mariaige 1615 Dundee B. Laws 415 (see Vot(e v. 2 a (2)).
Como-wos [? erron. for comonwos]b. 1463–4 Acts XII 30/1.
The kingis declaratioun … quhilk … thai hald sufficiant to purge the said Alexander … of the said voice and rumor 1474–5 Yester Wr. 75.
I her a nosyng and voice that Ser Walter Swift chapellane … is cumyng her c1475 Wall. ii 282.
For the woice in euiry place suld bide, At he was ded 1513 Doug. ii i 9.
The voce this wys throu owt the cite woyk 1527 Acta Conc. Publ. Aff. 270.
The voce is of apperand derth in uthir realmis 1532 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 123.
The voice in the countre vas that [etc.] 1525 St. A. Formulare I 268.
The pietuos … complaint that passis oure all the reaulme and cumin to his eris be oppin voce and fame 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 337.
The brute of the erle of Huntlies death was [etc.] … after Adamis hame-cuming, that voice was changit 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 247.
Causand the rumoure and voce to ryse that [etc.] 1613 Fraserburgh Kirk S. I (18 Feb.).
Examinit … in respect of … dilatioun maid befoir the sessioun vpon opin voice and comound fame 1649 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. III 50.
Sua reput and holdin be oppin voice and commone fame 1696 Cramond Kirk S. IV 15 May.
She heard the voice of the country that Jonet Linn had been withchilde & had parted with itc. c1475 Wall. viii 1138.
Sum off thaim said, the Queyn luffyt Wallace, For the gret woice off his hie nobilnes

10. The action of using one's voice to bring about some legal outcome, the right so to do. Also const. to have voce to do (something). Passing into sense 11. 14.. Burgh Laws c. 21 (A).
A burges may thru his awne voice [B. mouth] put him to the atht that nytis him his dett 14.. Reg. Maj. c. 48.
Scho sal neuer haf voce to clame doury c1575 Balfour Pract. 163.
Efter his deceis, his wife … may revoke and agane call, as scho that in the time of the making of the alienatioun wes under hir husbandis wand, and micht not ganestand his will: and the law sayis, that scho beand under the powstie of hir husband, hir voic [pr. voie] in law hes na richt

11. An action or fact of speaking or deciding, the right to voice an opinion, judgment, etc. in matters of communal decision making, esp. in the election of office bearers or the outcome of legal cases; a vote, orig. verbal, later also written. Also const. to have (ane, etc.) voce, to have the right to act in this way, to go or be put to voices (the voice), to be decided in this way. For further examples see Vot(e n. 1, 4.(1) sing. 1462 Peebles B. Rec. I 145.
Than the court fensyt about, ilke man to be his awn vos gaf thair lectioun to the sayd schyr John 1478 Acta Aud. 66/2.
Ilk baroun … that … geve voce with the said dome [etc.] c1475 Wall. vi 909.
To procur pees I am send fra our king With the gret seill, and woice off hys parliament 1482 Peebles B. Rec. I 190.
With hayll and fre alection … ilkaman be hys awn woce 1485–6 Peebles B. Rec. I 192.
Euere man be his awn vox … frely consentit and grantit the forsaidis twa corn millis [etc.] 1638 Glasgow B. Rec. I 394.
Patrik Bell … that his voyce and voit was to be cravit in the said assemblie anent [etc.] 1639 Edinb. Surgeons 141.
That qwatsomever of the brethrene happinis to be absent … it sall be lechome to thame to leive thair woyce to the election of thair deacone with any ane of the brethrene 1651 Cramond Ch. Speymouth 9.
By the unanimous consent of … the whole body of the people without a contrary woyce 1658 Lanark B. Rec. 169.
The baillies [etc.] … being conveinit anent the electioun of the dean of gild … except William Inglis [etc.] … who refuissit to give ther voice, did elect Michaell Gemmillpl. 1489–90 Acta Aud. 145/2.
The … deliuerance wes nocht gevin be autorite sensment avise and vocis of all the lordis 1600 Prestwick B. Rec. 84.
Johne Mertene canceller chosin … out of the mouthe of the haill inquest abone vrittin woices 1618 Bk. Univ. Kirk App. liii (see Voceing vbl. n. (1)). 1604-31 Craig iv 26.
By voces Of just assyse 1629 Maxwell Mem. II 16.
Others … whoeis pouer may procuir most woices to the election 1635 Aberd. B. Rec. III 85.
The prouest causit draw up the samen litt ower againe … and … Gilbert Collisoun [etc.] … gawe thair woyces of new againe and markit the said paper 1639 Baillie I 124.
The moderator … offered to my lord commissioner a lite, wherupon voices might passe for the election of a new moderator 1641 Baillie I 302.
It was voyced, whether the petition should be committed, or not? By thirty-six or seven voyces, our partie carried it, that [etc.] 1648 Soc. Ant. IV 470.
They did adhere unto ther former voyces in choising of him commissioner 1657 Balfour Ann. I 78.
The maniest woyces went with the Bruce ?c1675 J. Gordon Hist. I 151.
Lord Carneggye … was chossne comissioner, laufully chossne by the voices of all the rest of the ministers and laye elders 16… R. Gordon in Macfarlane's Geog. Coll. II 400.
Who had all papers and roles necessarie by him … and wes to keep reconing of voyces in all matter(2) 1493 Lindores A. 181.
[The burgesses] to hafe voce and jos all priulege as afferis of law 1525 (1527) Reg. Great S. 97/2.
That he [the deacon] be chosin be fremen, and na servandis till have voce amangis maisteris in ony materis a1586 Maitland Ho. Seytoun 27.
William Seytoun … was the first … maid Lord in the parliament; and he and his posterite to haue ane voce thairin 1562 Edinb. Hammermen 252b.
Neuir to be at na assemblie of the brethair of thair craft in tymeis cuminge nor to haue woce amangis tham 1568 Anderson Collect. Mary IV ii 130.
This … treasonable usurpation … as never have been seen the like, subjects to have done before; for the first and best of them hath not in parliament the first voyce of eightene of that realme 16.. R. Gordon in Macfarlane's Geog. Coll. II 393.
Every shyr had one voyce 1633 Maxwell Mem. II 235.
The king … had the whoill rollis in his hand of all that had voyce 1635 Aberd. B. Rec. III 83.
The prouest, baillies, and counsall … and otheris hawing woce in thair electioun 1647 Bk. Pasquils 151.
Tell me, James Stewart … have ye ane elector's woyce, Or wold you all our wottes ingrosse? 1648 Glasgow B. Rec. II 154.
That none of these thrie quartermasters … sall naither have power nor any voyce in the leitting of the new deacone 1649 Lamont Diary 4.
Thir werre the first ministers that euer had voice in the electione of a measter to ane of the colledges 1678 Mackenzie Laws & C. ii xv 3 (1678) 425.
His majesties Justice-deputs … are not deputs to the Justice-general; for else they could not sit in judgement with him as they do, and in effect they have an equal power and voice with him 1678 Mackenzie Laws & C. ii x 1 (1699) 199.
With us these bishops abstain from voting in criminal processes brought in to the parliament, though there they sit as heretors, rather than as meer church-men, and so might pretend to a voice, upon that account(3) pl. 16… Gordon in Macfarlane's Geog. Coll. II 399.
The Lords of the Articles, who considdered what was fit to be proponed in full parliament, and to go to voyces, or to be rejected a1639 Spotsw. Hist. (1677) 150.
The confession read in open parliament and put to voicessing. 1670 Dunblane Synod 86.
It was putt to the voice whether [etc.] 1675 Inverness Rec. II 263.
It being putt to the woice this day quhither or not the said act suld holden inteir

b. An opinion, argument or point of view (expressed verbally). 1533 Bell. Livy II 233/8.
How the senat movit be this orisone of Camillus and be voce of the centurione [etc.] … Camillus movit the Romanis [etc.] … Nochtheles the thing that was in dout was cleirly discussit be ane voce that was happely spokin for sone eftir that Camillus had maid his orisone the senat convenit in the court … to tak consultatioun thairapone 1565 Facs. Nat. MSS III xlix.
Thame quha … wald gif ȝe will harkin to thair voce draw ȝow eftir thame to ȝour vthir distructioun 1657 Cramond Kirk S. I 10 May.
That there was no neid of him in the session forasmuch as they neuer askit his voce bot held him as a cipher

c. To pass voyce upon, to come to a judgment or decision, to arbitrate. 1655 Stitchill Baron Ct. 1.
Fyfteen … honest men of whois … qualificatioun he has assurance to pass voyce upon inquest or jury in all matters questionable

12. (All) with, in (be, under) a(ne) (generall, etc.) voce (vocis), also, with haill voce and consent, etc., expressing unanimous consent.(1) 1375 Barb. xi 414.
Than all ansuerd with a cry And with a woce [C. voce] said generaly That [etc.] a1400 Leg. S. xvii 118.
Vith a voyce syne thai sad Of his drownynge the enchesone 1460 Hay Alex. 4009.
Duke Bites … callit the pepill and askit thame counsale, And with ane voce thai ansured him alhale … With ane consent thai said him al attanis That [etc.] a1500 Lanc. 3470.
Woys a1500 Seven S. 1760.
Syne thai all four … With a voce ar till him past Said [etc.] a1500 Bk. Chess 1260.
All the pepill with a woce thai crye ‘Waspasiane sall be our king’ 1513 Doug. iii viii 35.
‘Italy! Italy!’ fyrst cryis Achates, Syne al our feris … with a voce atanys cryis, ‘Itaill’ 1516 Stirlings of Keir 309.
With ane woice, consent and assent of oure haill cheiptoure 1539 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 207.
Vys 1558 Inverness Rec. I 25.
All with ane woce hes grantit to admit … Thomas Balȝe … to thair nychbour burges 1565 Black Bk. Taymouth 211.
Sall with ane woce concur togidder and rais the schoutt aganis thame 1574 Inverness Rec. I 239.
The prowest [etc.] … all wyth ane wois hes lattin and gewin to William Cuthbert [etc.] — 1513 Doug. xi iii 74.
All the remanent Tharto annerdis with haill voce and consent — 1533 Boece 38a.
The pepill … with glade continence and voce … declarit him thair king(2) 1490 Acta Conc. I 156/1.
Johne Lord Glammis and Robert Lord Lile concordand in a voce indeferently chosin be baith the saidis partiis 1498 Acta Conc. II 281.
In caice that the sadis jugis aggre nocht all in a voce it sal be lefull to thame to cheise the fift persone 1517–18 Aberd. B. Rec. I 94.
All in ane woce, thai being circuler inquirit be the officiar … gaif … of euery sek [etc.] 1518 Edinb. B. Rec. I 182.
We the saidis prouest baillies counsall and communite all in ane voce … be thir our present letteres … gevis and grantis [etc.] 1524 Hist. Pluscardyn 238.
It is … finalie aggreit be the said partis concurrand in ane woce 1527 Carnwath Baron Ct. (SHS) 103.
The said inqueist … deliuerit all in ane wose be the mouth of Thome Browne chancellar … that [etc.] 1550 Glasgow Prot. I 18.
We the saidis devyderis … all in ane voce devyidis the said land and tenement as eftir followis 1556 Inverness Rec. I 3.
Our hayll cunsell and communite all in ane woce … hes sworne the gret ayth [etc.] 1560 Rolland Seven S. 2841.
Sa in ane voce thir twa did condiscend To brek this towre 1569 Reg. Privy C. II 21.
Except sic boittis as the lieutenentis in ane voce sall find gude to hald on the watter 1581 Bk. Univ. Kirk II 512.
The Kirk, in ane voyce, acknowledgis [etc.] 1584–5 Burntisland B. Ct. 11 March.
All in ane voce without discrepance or warians c1597 Misc. Spald. C. I 102.
The haill assise, in ane voce, for the maist pairt [except thrie] 1616 Fraserburgh Kirk S. I 74a (1 Aug.).
[Witnesses] being admittit and sworn in ane woice testifies thay hard [etc.] a1633 Hope Major Pract. II 305.
The king and his counsell may inquyr how many of the assysers agreed in one voyce 1634 St. A. Baxter Bks. 98.
They all in ane voyce, and with ane consent, ratifiet [etc.](3) 1523 Selkirk B. Ct. MS 102a.
That daye be ane voic of this inquest … James Ellot is condampnit — 1531 Bell. Boece I 10.
He, be generall vocis of the pepill, wes maid king 1531 Bell. Boece II 46.
This last opinion was rejeckit be universal vocis of al the noblis(4) 1533–4 Selkirk B. Ct. MS 177a.
This inquest all vnder ane voic deliueris [etc.]

13. The word itself. c1616 Hume Orthog. 20.
C is alsoe written in our wordes deryved from x in Latin, as peace from pax … Lykwayes we sould keep the vouales of the original, quherin … from vox, the north voce, the south voice