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

Displesour, -plesur(e, n. Also: displesoure, -owre, -plessour, -pleisour(e, -plessore, -pleisore; despleswr; displeasour, -ur, -plasure, -plaseur. [Late ME. displaysure, -pleasure (Caxton), variant of displaisir; cf. Displesere,n. and Plesour.]

1. The fact or condition of being displeased or annoyed.(a) 1492 Myll Spect. 283/11.
The king … tuke thare at sa gret displesour that [etc.] Ib. 288/31.
For verray malancoly & displesour this Ninus … straik hir to the hart 1531 Dunferm. Reg. Ct. I. 8.
He hed na displesour to the said Robert, bot repute hym as his frend, & the displesour vas betuix vtheris personis 1539 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III. 199.
Certane vourdis of displessour I spak of you … in my crabbyne movit of angyr 1562-3 Winȝet I. 14/26.
Thairfore I haue pourit oute my creuell displesour vpon thaim 1558-66 Knox II. 28.
Youre Grace's displeisoure aganis me, most injustlie conceaved 1596 Dalr. I. 110/33.
The displeisour and auld rancour of the furious haeretiks against the Catholiks c1650 Spalding I. 214.
Bot wnder this fair generall lurked muche poysoun … to his Majesteis heiche displesour 1658 Aberd. B. Rec. IV. 177.
For which the Lord in his displeasour is many wayes punishing the place for sin(b) 1545 Douglas Corr. 161.
Ther is none that … wil haif sa gret … despleswr as we, and the Kingis majestes pwrpois cwm not to effect 1558-66 Knox II. 379.
This bill was not weall accepted of the said Erle; and yitt did he utter no part of his displeasur in publict

2. Whatever may cause annoyance or be disagreeable to one. 1489 Acta Conc. 101/1.
Making of amendis for all acciouns of vnkyndnes and displessore donne be the said William … to the said Robert 1530 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 27.
[The council] ordanis Jonet Andersone, … that scho say na displesour nor iniurious language till Thomas Wauhope 1545 Douglas Corr. 154.
Thay sal … do ȝow sik displesur … or ellis sal lose ther layvis for it c1550 Rolland C. Venus iv. 288.
Scho did protest that his court nor his bour In time cumming suld haif na displesour 1562 Reg. Morton I. 9.
I knaw … my brother hayd nevir meynit sic thing to my displaseur a1578 Pitsc. II. 26/3.
He wald haue had sum hunttis of the Hammiltownis … , quha had done him … so gret displessour 1614 Breadalbane Lett. (Reg. H.) 7 Dec.
It wes done to do him displeisore

b. A cause or source of annoyance; a displeasing or injurious action. 1522 Acta Conc. MS. XXXIII. 108.
Thai slew ane houshald man of myne without ony … displesour done be … him to thaim 1531 Bell. Boece II. 93.
King Aidane … send ane cumpany … to invaid the cuntre with all displesouris that thay micht 1549 Buccleuch Mun. II. 192.
Quhairthrowcht he hes sustenit greit dampnagis, hyrschopis, and displesowres 1560 Rolland Seven S. 147.
For weill I knaw, displesours ar to cum 1622-6 Bisset I. 33/13.
Be dammaige of his guid aige, sindrie displesuris followed in this realme

3. Vexation, distress, sorrow, grief. 1533 Boece iii. xvi. 114 b.
Be suddane displesoure scho departit with hir birth Ib. xii. xviii. 489.
Prince Henry … (to hie displesure of the pepill) closit his fataill houre 1535 Stewart 16061.
Of erthlie joy displesour is the end c1552 Lynd. Mon. 1531.
Noye had gretast displesouris, Behauldand the dede creatouris 1570 Leslie 142.
Archebald past in France, quhair sone eftir throuch displesoure he deceissit 1596 Dalr. I. 167/19.
Nocht lang eftir … he disceisses with the hauie displeisour of al man, dule and dolour 1602 Reg. Privy C. VI. 499.
They … gaif hir occasioun … to have tane sic displeasour quhairof scho mycht nevir haif convalescheit 1622-6 Bisset II. 149/17.
He wes wounded in battell [and] beand overcum died of displesoure