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

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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Apon, prep. Also: apone, appone, apponne, apoun(e, appoun; avpone, aipone. [ME. apon, variant of upon, the u becoming a through lack of stress.] = Upon prep.For special phrases, as apon fer, apon hand, apon loft, see the latter words. The forms apoun(e, apone, are freq. editorial renderings of apon in the MSS.

1. In local position on or above.1385 Rotuli Sc. II. 73/1 (apan [sic] the West Marche). 1391 Lennox Mun. 44 (apone the haly evangellis). a1400 Leg. S. xvi. 112 (apone his hed). c1420 Wynt. iii. 434 (lyand apon hyr skyrt). 1435 Maxwell Mem. I. 466 (apon the hee altare). 1456 Liber Aberbr. 89 (apon the northe syde). 1472 Reg. Great S. 257/2 (appone his kneis). c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 242 (apon my fete I sprent). 1513 Reg. Privy S. I. 383/2 (the fysching apoun Tay). c1552 Lynd. Mon. 2092 (ane croun apone his haid). 1579 Black Bk. Taymouth 147 (the pudyr castin apon the place).

b. In transferred uses.c1420 Wynt. ii. 1304 (the bul this Mynotawre apon hyr gat). 1416 Liber Melros 539 (grete besines that we hade appoun hande to do). 1456 Hay I. 179 (apon his sauf condyt). 1476 Acta Aud. 49/1 (apon thar awn expens). 1492 Acta Conc. 254/2 (his faider maryit him apoun his sister dochter). 1493 Antiq. Aberd. & B. II. 213 (apon thar athis and conscience). 1516 Reg. Privy S. I. 422/2 (thai being apone the inqueist). 1524 Reg. Privy S. I. 499/1 (playing apoun organis). 1530 Edinb. B. Rec. 43 (the seiknes beand apone hir). 1559 Inverness B. Rec. I. 35 (apon ane competent price). 1570 Leslie 74 (apoun the kingis expensis).

2. Towards; in the direction of; against; so as to meet or assail.a1400 Leg. S. iii. 1005 (he knokit apon the ȝet). Brus v. 25 (stemmand alwayis apon the fyre). c1475 Wall. i. 56 (Eduuarde had new begune hys wer apon Gaskone); v. 35 (apon Wallace thai ȝeid). c1515 Asl. MS. I. 286 (Orestus come aipone [them] in a castell). c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxxiii. 7 (thay set avpone him).

b. In transferred uses.1424 Acts II. 7/2 (that na vittallis be deryt apon the kyngis men). c1450-2 Howlat (that ȝe wald cry apon Crist). 1488 Dunferm. B. Rec. 4 (Wil Smytht followit a borcht apon Paul Wallas). a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 316 (apon thy cors vengeance thay cry). 1512 Reg. Privy S. I. 367/1 (that all his folkis await apoun him). 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 10 (that God wald send the sort apon hym). a1570-86 Maitland M. Fol. xxi. 86 (apone trespassouris mak pvnitioun).

c. From (a person), by force or pressure. 1476 Acta Aud. 55/2.
Elene Tulloch … wes marijt the tim that the said det wes recouerit apon hir 1483 Acta Conc. II. Introd. 114.
Quhilk some was recoverit be … Dure apone the said Schir Johne c1515 Asl. MS. I. 226.
[Thai] tuk the castall … apon the lard of Movswald 1507 Reg. Privy S. I. 212/1.
Scho has recoverit divers soumes of money apon the said James

3. On the basis of; in respect of; concerning; about.1385 Red Bk. Menteith II. 261 (this cunand made apon this cause). 1391 Antiq. Aberd. & B. IV. 163 (a contract made apone the landis of Marre). a1400 Leg. S. xxxvi. 980 (to plenȝe apone thare fadir iniure). 1495 Treas. Acc. I. 228 (expens maid apoune the Kingis chapell). 1529 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 18 (the statut maid apone [h]wxtaris). 1531 Bell. Boece I. p. xvii (the auctouris that hes writtin apon the discriptioun of the warld). a1570-86 Maitl. F. xxx. 247 (to muse apone the deid).

4. In or after (some manner, etc.).a1400 Leg. S. vii. 170 (James answert apon hycht). c1420 Wynt. i. 784 (mare licht than ony foule is apon flicht); 1099 (liffand apon syndry wyse). a1500 Seven S. 749 (he had seiknes that he couth stanche apon na mak). c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 35 (with ryale cowpis apon rawys); xlviii. 177 (apone this wys).

5. Of time: a. On (a day, etc.); on the occasion of.a1400 Leg. S. v. 88 (apone the todir day). c1420 Wynt. ii. 1271 (apon a day). 1469 Ayr Friars Pr. Chart. 51 (the mes apone the terment of the said Alane). 1477 Edinb. Chart. 140 (apoun the merket dayis). 1513 Doug. Æn. Concl. 2 (apon the fest of Marie Magdelan). 1529 Edinb. B. Rec. 14 (apone Fryday nor ȝit apone Satterday).

b. Immediately after. c1460 Dietary 6.
Apon thi slepe drink nocht

c. On the point of. 1491 Acta Conc. 205/1.
I am apone my saling and may nocht lang tary