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.
Fley, v. Also: flye, flie. P.t. fleyit, flieit, flied. P.p. fleyit, flie(i)t; fleyed, fleyd, fleid, flied. [ME. fley, flay, var. of Fle v.3] tr. To frighten, scare.(a) a1400 Leg. S. xxx. 650.
He schupe to fley hyr of hir wit a1500 Henr. Orph. 586 (B).
This perfyte wisdome … Fleyis the spreit of fenȝeid profecy a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 152 (H).
Thy lymmair luik wald fley thame 1513 Doug. iv. iv. 68.
To fley our myndis Ib. vi. ix. 160.
Scho … fleyis thame with flambe 1563 Davidson Answ. 208.
Thay wald faine fley us with the wynde of the worde of perturbatione 1584 Melvill 202.
To these Hell is but a boggill to fley barnes 1633 Orkney Bp. Ct. MS. 86 b.
He desyrit his father to shoot ane gunn ower the boyis head to flye the seiknes from him 1642 Thanes of Cawdor 287.
They will scarr and flie and missuse the gentilwoman(b) 1533 Boece xvi. i. 606 b.
Be noyis thairof thai fleyit and skarrit all the hors a1578 Pitsc. II. 322/6.
Thay flieit bischope James Bettoun sua that he staw away c1650 Spalding I. 186.
The barronis schot ane feild peice in amonges thame quhilk … fleyit the Commouns Ib. II. 401.
Mr. Androw Cant gat ane letter … quhilk fleyit him to the hairt 1665 Lauder Journal 110.
The sport K. James made with his fool who to chasse away the axes had flied him(c) 1375 Barb. xvi. 217.
Thai war so felly fleyit thar a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 35.
Fantastik fule, trest weill thow salbe fleyit 1533 Boece x. iv. 384 b.
Scottis preparing to batell … rais terribil schoutis quharethrow thay think inemyis ar fleyit 1549 Compl. 70/21.
The eldest of them … beand al affrayit ande fleyit for dreddour of his lyue 1575 St. A. Kirk S. 415.
They war all fleyit and ane myst cam ower the deponentis ein 1596 Dalr. II. 15/36.
Dauid Bruce … sair fliet was, and feiret quhen he knew this(b) c1420 Wynt. vi. 1926.
He … bad hyr noucht fleyd to be of that Ib. vii. 300. 1540 Lynd. Sat. 620.
Was never Roy sa fleyd as I 1583 Sempill Sat. P. xlv. 275.
The pure man, being fleid for feir 1600-1610 Melvill 43.
We war verie fleyed our pasport sould haiff bein loked c 1680 Row in Blair Autob. 539.
Sharp (who was as flyed as a fox) clave close to the Chancellor's back
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