Show Search Results Show Browse

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

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

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

Idiot, Ydiot, n. Also: id-, ydeot(e. [ME. yd-, ideot(e, etc., yd-, idiot, etc. (a 1300), F. idiot (13th c.), L. idiōta, an uneducated, ignorant, common person.]

1. An idiot, a natural, an imbecile. a1400 Leg. S. xxx. 148.
Wenand that I ware sic a ydiot That thu suld wit my priuete
1475 Acts II. 112/2.
The alienacione of lordis and barons landis throw ydiotis and natural fulis, furious and woodmen
1536 Reg. Privy S. II. 305/2.
Makand mentioun that William Creichtoun … is daft and natural ideot
c 1580 Misc. Spald. C. II. 333.
That your hienes … will neuir mene to coact … me to my barnis as ane sencles ideot
1585 Acts III. 396/1.
That the nearest kinsmen of naturall foulis, ideottis, and furious salbe … ressauit … to thair tutorie and curatorie
1672 Justiciary Rec. II. 113.
He was but an ideot and not able to entertain himself

2. A person without professional knowledge, an inexpert person; an unlearned or illiterate person, a simple layman. 1549 Compl. 14/4.
Quhen ane ydiot, distitute of knaulage, presumis to … leyrne ane man that hes … experiens
1560 Bk. Disc. 253.
Some idiottis … dar counterfait in thair housses that which the treu ministeris do in the open congregatioun
1606 Rollock Serm. 1 Thess. 344 (J).
The translating of the Bible in euery common language is ordained, that the idiots who hes the mother tonge only may vnderstand [etc.]
attrib. 1540 Lynd. Sat. 3887.
Ane idiot preist Esay compaireth plaine Till ane dum dogge
1573-1600 Burne Cath. Tr. 145/26.
It is na meruel that God … sufferis thair idiot inferioris callit Ministeris, to be maisteris ouer thame [sc. the Bishops]

You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.

"Idiot n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 31 Oct 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/idiot>

19233

dost

Hide Advanced Search

Browse DOST:

    Loading...

Share: