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.
Excus(e, Excuis(e, n. Also: excwise. [ME. excuse (Chaucer), OF. excuse.] An excuse.(a) a1500 Henr. Fab. 1439.
Thy fals excuse … Sall not auaill ane myte Id. III. 140/14.
Than eftirwart the pairteis sowld be cald For thair excuse to mak lawfull defence c1475 Wall. xi. 978.
To cum fra thaim he suld mak sum excus 1492 Myll Spect. 271.
The conclusioun of this lytill buke with the excus of the translatour 1568 Haddington Corr. 276.
In spending of thair lyves, … landis, … guidis or geir, but excuse or delay 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 58.
Of the quhylke albeit I haif mony excusis, … yit I wyl use nane as now(b) c1520-c1535 Nisbet III. 350.
The luf of Paul towart the Chorinthians, ande his excwise that he comm not to themm 1572 Grant Chart. 151.
All excuis, fraud and gyill … avayput 1616 Mure Misc. P. xvi. 4.
Feir to offend must be my best excuise 1664 Rec. Old Aberd. I. 105.
Give they hed not ane lawfull excuis for ther absenty
