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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.

Conquest, -queist, n. Also: -qwest. [ME. conquest, -queste (c 1300), OF. conquest m., conqueste f. For the long vowel in conqueist cf. inqueist, requeist, and arreist.]

1. Conquest by force of arms. c1420 Wynt. v. 4347.
Off Arthowris gret douchtynes … Hys conqwest, and hys ryalle state Ib. vii. 620.
Willam … The quhilk be conqwest wan Ingland 1456 Hay I. 41/12.
Thus began thai thair conquestis Ib. 46/35; etc.
His tyme of his conquestis lestit bot xij ȝere 1461 Liber Plusc. 336.
It is nocht my wil that ony man think that be way of conquest I wald desire ony mannis herytage wrangwysly a1500 Henr. Orph. 205.
Priam thare he fand, And Alexander, for his wrang conquest c1515 Asl. MS. I. 194/11.
The story here of war lang to tell, and of all vther nacionis thair subiectionis, conquest, & changis 1545 Douglas Corr. 160.
The Kengis grace dessyrit na conqwest nor destrwction of that contre c1552 Lynd. Mon. 2062.
The king of Arrabie In his conquest maid hym supplie Ib. 3655.

b. The territory, etc., gained by conquest. c1420 Wynt. vii. 188.
Till Willame Rede he gave Ingland … For he hys sowne wes mydlest, He gawe thare-for hys conqwest 1456 Hay I. 47/1.
Othir xij ȝeris he visyte his conquestis Ib. 122/7.
The lord that payis the wagis suld have the conquestis halely at his will and disposicioun 1665-76 Lauder Journal 228.
The French [are] to keip the conquiest of the late campaigne

2. Acquisition, esp. of property; property acquired (in contrast to inherited). 14.. Acts I. 24/2.
Of lande of conquest [L. de conquestu] to put away. It is lachfull … till ilk burges to geyff or sell his lande the quhilk he has gottyn of purchas or of conquest 1456 Hay II. 56/5.
Of the quhilk conquest cummys ire and invye Ib. 57/34.
Of it cummys … wrangwis conquestis of landis a1500 Henr. Fab. 1254 (H).
Men, quhilk settis all thair cure Be fals meinis to mak ane wrang conquest 1488 Lanark B. Rec. 4.
John of Gledstanis … deliverit to the said Stene Lokart the charter thairupon of his conquest a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 80.
[That] thus throu his gud beryng He wyn thair luf as conquest congruent 1495 Acta Conc. 404/1.
He intromettit nocht thairwitht … as are to … his fader bot be his avne richt and new conquest c1575 Balfour Pract. 162.
Gif ony man hes sum landis pertening to him as heritage, and some uther landis as conqueist 1556 Lauder Off. Kings 264.
Wrang conquest maks myscheuous end a1570-86 Maitl. F. clxxiii. 15.
Be mein of court sum gettis land, Thinkand that conquest ay sall stand 1603 James VI in Gardiner Hist. Eng. (1905) I. 91.
How happy I think myself by the conquest of … so wise a counsellor 1624 Orkney & Zetl. Test. I. 129 b.
The … gudis and gear … that sho haid in possessioun or conquest fra the day that sho was mariet 1663 Decis. Lords G. 49.
The deceast Iohn Anderson, by his second contract of marriage, is obliged to provide his conquest to the heirs of that marriage 1684 Ib. F. 64.
Being obliged by contract of marriage … , to secure all the conquest he should purchase during the time of the marriage to himself and his wife