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

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First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Heich, Heych, adv. Also: hech, heich(e, heigh, hiegh. [ME. hech, OE. héh, héah, also héᵹe, héaᵹe Hey adv. Cf. Heicht adv.]

1. High, on high, at or to a height.(1) 1375 Barb. iv. 117.
He tuk a culter hat glowand … And heych vpon [E. wp in] a mow [it] did ?1438 Alex. I. 1715.
Lycanor hit him … With his brand … Weill heich vpon the helm of steill 1513 Doug. i. viii. 23.
Sche … tuke hir sete Heich in a trone Ib. vi. Prol. 16.
Heich on ȝour hede set vp the foly hat 1535 Stewart 11005.
Richt heiche aboue ane gill Ane craig thair stude c1552 Lynd. Mon. 6200.
Suppone sum be on erth, … Or heiche abone a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 12.
Sum [birds] … springing So heich into the skye(2) c1420 Ratis R. 1190.
[God] sittis heich a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 436.
To be Hingit heigh on ane tre c1475 Wall. ix. 996.
To God a vow I mak … to hyng thé heych to morn 1513 Doug. iii. x. 47.
Cipressis berand heich thar bewys Ib. v. xiv. 3.
Heys heich the cros, he bad 1529 Lynd. Complaynt 385.
Oppressioun and all his fallowis Ar hangit heych apon the gallowis c1500 Interlude Droich 50 (B).
Hir heid wan heichar nor the lift 1570 Sat. P. xxii. 46.
Quha heichest clymmis the soner may thay slyde a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 145 (L).
As Icarus … I muntit heichar nor I mycht(3) 1387 Edinb. Chart. 38.
The buteras [sal be] fynyt wp als hech as the lane of that werk askys 1535 Stewart 53021.
To … gar the watter grow … And ryis so heich of spait 1601 Paisley B. Rec. 240.
That he … sal on nawayis big … the said gavell ony heicher nor benethe the windois 1663 Glasgow B. Rec. III. 15.
The key at the Broomelaw to be heightit twa stones heigher(4) c1500-c1512 Dunb. xiii. 21.
Sum beckis full law … Wald luke full heich war not the sessioun 1535 Stewart 1548.
Ane rank revar … wilbe set full heiche abone the laird 1567 Sat. P. vii. 44.
Abone the rest heich mountit vp in gloir a1578 Pitsc. I. 169/10.
Couchren … ewer clame heigher and heigher to the court a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 360 (L).
Quha speiddis bot sic as heych espyris?

b. From a height. 1535 Stewart 26316.
Quha fallis heichast gettis the grittest faw

c. Heich up, far up. a1568 Bann. MS. 162 b/2.
God and Sanct Petir was gangand be the way Heiche up in Ardgyle

2. Loudly, violently. 1513 Doug. xiii. i. 132.
The deray full heich dynnys the air 1535 Stewart 39622.
In that tyme the wynd so heich it blew 1585 James VI Ess. .
Can thunder reard the heicher for a horne?