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.
Quotation dates: 1400-1499
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Doutous, Dowtous, a. Also: doutouse, -ttousse, dowtows, -ttouse, dowtus, -ws. [ME. doutous (Chaucer), dowttouse, early dotouse, dotus, OF. doutous, dotous.]
1. Doubtful, dubious, uncertain. c1400 Troy-bk. i. 10.
Quhethire this be suth or noutht, It is doutouse to mannes thought c1420 Wynt. ii. 1381.
Sen werde off batayle is dowtows [C. dowttousse] And tyll all partys peralows c1420 Ib. v. 1958.
Hys ansuere alwayis is dowtows [C. douttouse] 1456 Hay I. 249/5.
All sik grete actiouns that ar doutous standis in … the grace of God 1456 Ib. 256/1.
Becaus this mater is rycht doutous to knaue c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace iv. 113.
Thai demede about off that derff doutous cas a1499 Contemplacioun of Synnaris 693.
Quhilkis [signs] I postpone as dowtous and vnclere
2. Causing apprehension; formidable. c1420 Wynt. v. 4737.
The dowtws gret peryle Off hys saule c1420 Ib. 3102.
The persecutyowne, That ay wes dowtows and fellowne
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"Doutous adj.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 14 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/doutous>
