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

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First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Deforce, Defors(e, v. Also: defforse, defoirse, diffors(e. [ME. deforce (1430), deforse, AF. deforcer, OF. deforcier, med. L. de-, difforciare.]

1. tr. To ravish, violate (a woman). a1400 Leg. S. xi. 350.
Scho … sad that he agane hir will Hyre difforsit Ib. xxx. 569. c1420 Wynt. iv. 138.
For his sonys iniquyte, That had deforsyd a lady fre 1531 Bell. Boece I. 55.
He repudiat his nobil quene, … and gart his vicious harlotis deforce hir Ib. II. 163.
He that deforsis ane woman, sal be heidit 1560 Rolland Seven S. 2732.
Me to deforce sa oppinlie he wald, To my greit schame 1622-6 Bisset I. 43/11.
He that fuilȝeis ane uther mannis bed, salbe put to death, with the woman unles sche be deforsed

2. a. To deprive (one) of something by force. 14.. Acts I. 357/2.
Gif ony complenȝeis … that wrangwisly he is defforsyt of his land 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. 137.
Gif any man complaines … that he is vnjustlie deforced be sic ane man, of sic lands, or sic ane tenement

b. To take or retain by force. 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. 28.
Command B. that … he … restore to M. … her reasonabill dowrie … And inquire him, for quhat cause he deforces and deteins the samine fra her

3. To impede or prevent by force (an officer of the law) from discharging his duty. Also absol.(a) 1461 Liber Plusc. 399.
Quhen ony makis rebellioune, … Deforsand serrefis, masaris or sergeand 1472 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 26.
Gif ony disobeyis or deforssis thame, thay sall … minister justice to thame thairpoun as efferis 1504 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. I. 63.
The said Duncan deforsit the said William and tuk his guds againe 1559 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 322.
To compryis the sam … and gif ony persone or personis deforsis to warne thaim to ane court 1579 Acts III. 143/1.
In cais the officiar … beis violentlie defoirsit and stoppit in executioun of his office 1615 Highland P. III. 175.
All of them bend their bous and guns and wiolentlie deforssit and boistit to haif kilt the saids seruande(b) 1479 Acta Conc. 38/2.
The Lordis fyndis … that the said George has deforcit our souuerain lordis officiaris a1578 Pitsc. I. 201/9.
The harrott … was manifestly deforceit and his lettres revin 1587 Acts III. 495/1.
Gif the saidis sercheouris … sal happin to be deforceit, the committaris of the said deforcement salbe rigorouslie punissit 1613 Lanark B. Rec. 119.
It was ordorlie tryit that Robert Weir, talyour, had vyolatlie deforcet Robert Harve, offecer 1633 Ann. Banff I. 71.
William Gordon decernit to pay 5 merks for deforcing Gilbert Mowat, officer, when poynding a brason pan 1674 Highland P. I. 262.
The … persons foresaids most violently resisted and deforced ws in the execution of our offices 1688 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. XIII. 244.
The said Archibald … not knowing that the messenger was deforced