Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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Fors, Forse, v. Also foirs. [ME. forse, var. of Force v.]

1. refl. To exert (oneself), to strive. a1400 Legends of the Saints xviii. 27.
A monk [that] forsit hym ay In althinge God to enplese c1420 Wynt. viii. 5610.
Quhen the Rukby saw … That Fortown forsyd hyr to be fa 1456 Hay II. 19/16.
His inymyes, the quhilkis … every day fors thame at thair powar to put doun the fayth of haly kirk a1500 Henr. Fab. 2880 (H).
With all hir micht scho forsit [B. foirsit] hir to swym 1530 Lynd. Test. Pap. 465.
Thus Cochrame with his catyue companye Forsit thame to flee

b. tr. To enforce, press strongly. a1500 Golagros and Gawane 202.
Sic frendschip I hald fair, that forssis thair dedis

2. tr. To compel by force or necessity. 1456 Hay I. 148/23.
Ȝe do me all wrang, for … I am forsit to pas to my place 1572 Satirical Poems xxx. 76.
For na offence culd thow be forsit to flyte Aganis thy seruandis 1615 Highland P. III. 268.
To susteane ws rather nor to fors us … to opres otheres c1650 Spalding II. 347.
Thay war forssit to yeild

b. To ravish (a woman). 1456 Hay I. 281/4.
Gif the Franche knycht … forsit wommen a1500 Buke of the Sevyne Sagis 1309.
He … wald haf forsit my qwene c1515 Asloan MS I. 317/8.
In quhais dayis Paris forsit quene Elene of Grece

c. To wrest, distort. 1570 Satirical Poems x. 225.
Be wrang law falslie forsit

3. intr. To be of importance, to matter. c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace ix. 76.
It forsyt nocht, wald God I war torment, So Wallace mycht with worschip chaip wnschent c1475 Ib. x. 819.
Mycht we be saiff, it forst nocht off our gud 1513 Doug. ix. Prol. 45.
Quhat forsis hym the bussart on the brer

4. To take into account; to care. c1500-c1512 Dunb. lviii. 22.
Swa thai the kirk haue in thair cure, Thay fors bot litill how it fure 1584 Waus Corr. I. 304.
Gif I haif your lo[rdships] gudwill I fors the les