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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.

Defoul(e, Defowl(e, v. Also: defoull, -fowll, difoull. [ME. defoule (c 1290), defowle, etc., OF. defouler to trample down, oppress, etc., partly associated with foul adj.]

1. tr. To trample under foot; to strike down, cast to the ground, in battle. 1375 Barb. ii. 359.
Men mycht haiff seyn … Knychtis … Wnder hors feyt defoulyt thair Ib. xiii. 31.
With mony rich and ryoll wedis Defoulit roydly vnder feit a1400 Leg. S. xxvii. 864.
He … saw a bare mekill & gret Defoull the corne with feit c1420 Wynt. iv. 1014.
He hym put in pres sa fast Quhill he defowlyde wes at the last 1432 Acts II. 21/2.
Gif he hurtis or defoulis with fellon assailȝeing … , he sal remayn in preson ?1438 Alex. ii. 2619.
Ȝour men defoulit ar and slane Ib. 5717.
[Thai sal] vnder feit defoullit be Throw brount of hors and chad-melle a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 444.
That nobill Prince thai defoulit vnder futefig. c1420 Wynt. iv. 880.
Wyt wyth wyle thare yhe supprys, And honesté defowlyt lyis c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyt. 236.
Oule, rere and ȝowle, I sall defowll thy pryd

2. To treat with contumely or scorn; to disparage or contemn. a1400 Leg. S. ii. 732.
Law warnis … That ony chyld … Suld defowle the modir that hym fed c1420 Wynt. iv. 1312.
Thaire messyngere … Thai defoulyde wnhonestly ?1438 Alex. i. 2942.
Neuer in speche for melancoly Defoulet he gude man na wourthy Ib. ii. 6658.
Ȝe … Defoulis the barronis and dois thame schame 1456 Hay I. 159/7.
That nane do him wrang, … na to defoule him in his persoun c1450-2 Howlat 906.
So hiely he hyit him … , That all the fowlis of the firth he defowlit syne 14.. Acts I. 380/2.
Thai that wilfully brekis, defoulis, or despisis the statutis of the apostolis

3. To disgrace, bring discredit or shame on. 1375 Barb. xviii. 56.
God scheld that ony suld vs blame, That we defoull our nobill name ?1438 Alex. i. 2799.
To greatly thow defoulles thé, That fleis and leiffis thy folke lyand 1456 Hay II. 69/20.
Knychthede, the quhilk … is defoulit and dishonourit quhen a knycht levis vertu of curage a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 1038.
Wes I neuer yit defoullit, nor fylit in fame 1531 Bell. Boece I. 19.
Ye sall defoull yourself with maist terribill offence aganis the Goddis

4. To make foul or dirty. 1375 Barb. xiii. 184.
Armoris … With blud wes swa defowlit thar, That thai mycht nocht descrivit be ?1438 Alex. ii. 9722.
Sa mony ane riche garment Thare was defoulit, reuin and rent

5. To defile by immorality.(1) a1400 Leg. S. xxv. 320.
He wend it had bene sum mane, That had his wyf defowlyt thane c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 870.
Her for to help … Or that scho fall handes in-till That hyr defoule or hyr sla will Ib. 2030.
Quhen women settis thaim … for to defoull thare bodyis 1456 Hay I. 263/15.
To ly with his wyf agayn hir will, to defoule hir and schame hir a1500 Bk. Chess 667.
The women war defowlit fellonly 1513 Doug. iv. Prol. 102.
Thame to defowle, and schent ȝour self betweyn, Is al ȝour lykyng 1533 Bell. Livy I. 125/6.
The body is allanerlie defoulit, but the sprete is innocent & clene 1556 Digest. Iusticiary Proc. B. 128.
Alexander Symsone … be force and way of deid reveissit and defoulit hir persone 1596 Dalr. I. 122/4.
Gif quha defoulis a nothir manis wyfe [etc.](2) c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 2019.
This Cletemistra … In-to the absence of hir lord Had defouled hir mariage 1456 Hay I. 266/11.
That thou has defoulit my bed with my spousit wyf a1500 Seven S. 1923.
Defowle nocht my lordis bed 1513 Doug. x. vii. 70.
The quhilk … Defowlit hys faderis bed incestuuslyfig. 1560 Rolland Seven S. 1157.
Gif I defoull my fatheris awin orchaird