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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.

Condescend, Condiscend, v. Also: -descende, -decend, -desend, -deschend; -disend, -dischend. [ME. condescende (Chaucer), -decend, -dissend, etc., OF. condescendre, L. condēscendere.]

1. intr. To acquiesce or assent; to agree or come to an agreement.Used absolutely, or with various constructions, esp. to (with inf. or noun), that (with clause) or with (a person).(a) c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 1500.
They also gan condescend To do hys counsale 1562-3 Winȝet I. 131/5.
We … will … condescend vnto ȝow sa fer as we may 1579 Conv. Burghs I. 101.
The haill commissioneris present aggreit, votit, and condescendit the sovme of ane hundreth pundis be gevin to Henry Nesbett 1631 Glasgow B. Rec. II. 5.
The proueist … and counsall … hes condescendit and aggreit to pay the thrid pairt of the outred 1639 Annandale Corr. 298.
I sall quant your lordship shortly how he and I condescendis at meiting 1662 Soc. Ant. XXII. 221.
Ye confesst … Sathan … desired you to be his servant, whilk ye willingly condescended unto 1678 Mackenzie Laws & C. i. xxvii. § 6.
The cedent who had gotten the bond might be oblieged to condescend(b) 1531 Bell. Boece I. 16.
The counsel … condiscendit to be governit be empire of ane king Ib. 204.
The king, movit of piete, condiscendit to thir desiris 1541 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 109.
We pray … ye will condiscend and grant glaidlie til pas … to the port and toun of Veyr 1560 Rolland Seven S. Prol. 76.
To euerie verse thairin thay condiscendit Ib. 2841.
Sa in ane voce thir twa did condiscend To brek this towre 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 119.
Seing on nowayes him to condiscend vnto thair desyres 1581 Prot. Bk. J. Robertsone 14.
That thay wald condiscend how mekle of the said sowme … thay offirit 1598 Misc. Bann. C. II. 228.
I … will requeist my wyff … to condiscend therto 1630 Red Bk. Menteith II. 31.
That yow condiscend with him vpon the best maner 1645 Aberd. B. Rec. IV. 55.
They all in ane voice … condiscendit that ane watch sould be keipit alsweill by nicht as day 1669 Red. Bk. Grandtully II. 187.
I have condiscendit to yowr desyr 1682 Urie Baron Ct. 96.
They … amicablie concord and condiscend to lead … ane leit of peates(c) 1631 Glasgow B. Rec. II. 5.
They did all condeschend and agrie that what … glenings can be gottin [etc.] 1648 Chart. St. Giles p. cxv.
To condischend with thame of the fittest … way for doeing thairof 1651 Aberd. B. Rec. IV. 120.
The provost and baillies to aggrie and condeschend with … canoneiris, for the keiping and awatting on the saidis canones

2. To agree on or upon something.(a) 1549 Compl. 171/33.
Ȝour hartis & ȝour verkis condescendis on ane purpos 1583 Conv. Burghs I. 177.
Thir … customaris and thair comptroller to be … aggreit and condescendet on be the … counsale 1588 Events Mary & James 52.
His Ma[jes]tie thocht it … conform to that quhilk was condescendit upon 1630 Blair 83.
The particular heads [of the dispute] were condescended upon 1644 Aberd. B. Rec. IV. 22.
The taxation grantit and condescendit vpon … be the haill inhabitants 1671 Inverness Presb. 14.
The stent for erecting a manse wes condescended upon and subscribed by each particular heritor(b) 1560 Rolland Seven S. Prol. 134.
On this debait than we war condiscendit 1571 Sat. P. xxvii. 34.
Thocht on ane cours we can nocht condiscend 1603 Moysie 8.
[They] could not condiscend vpone the headis and artickelis givin in be the saidis erles to thame 1618 Haddington Corr. 135.
My lordis … knauis the conditiounse quhilk was condisendit wpone 1637 Lanark Presb. 11.
To condiscend vpon the best … way for furnishing themselves with two service bookes 1656 Aberd. B. Rec. IV. 161.
To … pay to the said principall what he suld condiscend upon and aggrie for(c) 1653 Stirling Ant. II. 13.
The sessioun condeschended uneanimuslie upon Mr Harie Muschet to be there schoolmr 1681 Irvine Mun. II. 293.
[To] give to Captaine Strahane eight Leg dollors … condeschended upon by the Magistratts 1689 Acts XII. 59/1.
The receavers to giue out the money that Skellmurley … & Baillie Bosewell condeschend on as necessary for that effect

3. To agree, harmonize, concur. 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. i. 400.
Thay condiscend sa weill in ane accord, That by na joint thair soundis bene discord 1549 Compl. 98/35.
Thai al beand ane be ane examinit, condiscendit in ane ansuer

4. To enter into particulars, to give information, on or upon a matter. 1549 Compl. 178/23.
I can nocht condiscend in special on na man that hes committit ony trason 1615 Highland P. III. 235.
George Grahame … condesends not to quhat end the rebels sent to him this lettre 1638 Bk. Univ. Kirk III. App. p. xxiii.
My Lord Rothes desired these exceptions to be condescended on, and they should be presently cleared 1660 Aberd. B. Rec. IV. 190.
It is presumit that he himself is the autor, or otherways he can condiscend upon some othir 1661 Justiciary Ct. Rec. I. 12.
The article of the indytement is not relevant, because it does not condescend upon the means of the sorcery 1692 Conv. Burghs IV. 619.
They have some casuall comon good … quheron they cannot condescend

b. tr. To enter into, to specify (particulars). 1618 Haddington Corr. 135.
I neid not to condisend heire the particularis, your lordships memorie is good aneuche

5. tr. To agree upon, acquiesce in. 1640 Spalding I. 251.
For keiping the proportioun dew be the brughis, it is condiscendit that [etc.] 1647 Glasgow B. Rec. II. 123.
It was condiscendit that Mr Patrik sould be writtin to 1656 Misc. Spald. C. V. 231.
It is … condescendit and agried betuixt the said Sir Alexr and the tennantis … in mainer wndirvrittin 1667 Aberd. B. Rec. IV. 236.
It is condiscendit betuix the saids parties that [etc.]

6. To be gracious. 1490 Irland Mir. I. 112/9.
Thi faderheid and hie deite suld condiscend and fauour me and my caus

7. To descend, come down. 1513 Doug. iii. ii. 44.
Quhidder wilt thou, fader, at we now wend? … Condiscend in our myndis, and schaw this plane