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

Circumstance, n. Also: sircum-, serkcomstance. [ME. circumstance, -staunce (1303), OF. circumstance, L. circumstantia.]

1. Elaborateness of detail. Freq. in phr. with or withoutin (also but) circumstance. c1420 Wynt. i. Prol. ii.
Thai … Fluryside fayrly thair purpose Wytht queynt and curyous circumstance c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxx. 30.
Bot ony proces, cum on thairfoir annone, All sircumstance put by and excusationis 1531 Bell. Boece I. 203.
He began, be lang circumstance, to schaw the wounderful slichtis and operatioun of this wiche 1535 Stewart 11115.
He schew till him with circumstance … the text c1550 Rolland C. Venus ii. 325.
He … The small missiue withouttin circumstance Deliuerit thame c1552 Lynd. Mon. 25.
Declare thy mynde to thame, with circumstance Ib. 3864. 1560 Rolland Seven S. 8792.
Quhais sone ar ȝe, tell me but circumstance

2. The collective details of a matter. c1450-2 Howlat 266.
The circumstance and the stait all couth thai argewe a1500 Lancelot 417.
His drem all hail he haith disclosit, The houre, the nyght, and al the circumstans c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 441.
The ordour and the circumstance Wer lang to put in remembrance c1552 Id. Mon. 1195.
To schaw the circumstance … of that myschance

3. One of the attendant facts. Usu. in pl. 1456 Hay I. 285/35.
He suld … inquere how and quhare … and all the circumstancis c1490 Irland Asl. MS. I. 6/7.
It is requirit that it haue mony noble condicionis and circumstancis c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxiii. 29.
Als lang … my work sall hald, Als haill in everie circumstance … As ony of thair werkis all c 1536 Rec. Earld. Orkney 221.
Quhilk wreats … in all thair poyntis, artickels, … and serkcomstances quhatsomever, … we aprove 1551 Hamilton Cat. 222.
[To] declare and schaw thame … with all circumstancis of tyme, place, persone and purpose

4. The surroundings or environment (of a place). 1529 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 123.
The haill toun … ordinit … to pas and vesy the circumstance of the said toun, and devise quhar it mycht be maist speidfull and esy to begyne to … waw the said towne