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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.

Kis, v. Also: kiss(e, kys(s, kise, kyse; keis. P.t. and p.p. kissit, -yt, etc.; kist, kyst, kust. [ME. (midl. and north.) kysse, kisse, kys, kis, also kusse, kus(s and kesse, OE. cyssan, ON. kyssa. Cf. also Kes.]

tr., intr. and absol. To kiss. a. tr. Also in phrases, and fig.To kis the ȝettis in taking leave of a place; to kis the hand(is of a person, to pay one's respects.(1) (a) a1400 Leg. S. xii. 285.
Cristis awne mowthe he can kyse c1420 Wynt. vii. 1267.
He cald the chyld, as hym to kys ?1438 Alex. ii. 1971.
I am our ald to clap or kis Maydin that ȝoung and ioly is 1456 Hay II. 43/11.
Syne suld he outhir kys him in the mouth, or ellis kys the croce of the suerd a1500 Henr. Orph. 239 (Ch. & M.).
Quhare is … Thi lippis rede to kis diliciouse? a1570-86 Maitl. F. cxxx. 159.
It wes no neid … To bid ws vther kys 1560 Rolland Seven S. 8698.
[He] kissis him, as was of court the gise 1567 G. Ball. 158.
Johne, cum kis me now 1568 Hosack Mary Q. of Scots 536.
She … being kissand and familiarlie intertenand the king 1589 St. A. Kirk S. 652.
Sche hes mony tymes sein Mr. Androw kis Margret Scott a1598 Ferg. Prov. MS. 923.
Kisse a cairle & clap a cairle & tyne a carle ?a1648 Polemo-Mid. 33.
Et bobbare bene & lassas kissare bonæas(b, c) 1375 Barb. iii. 505.
All the lordis … kyssyt him in gret daynte a1400 Leg. S. i. 111.
Than kissit thai ilk other sammyne Ib. xviii. 1120.
Thane Ȝoȝomas … Kyssyt the erde quhare scho stude 1511 Treas. Acc. IV. 314.
To ane brid … that met the King in the gait, and wold have kissit hyme, xiiij s. 1513 Doug. iii. Prol. 7.
Pail Cynthia … That slepand kyssit [Sm. kist] the hyrd Endymyon a1568 Scott iv. 78.(b) a1400 Leg. S. xxii. 288.
He kyst his fet but bad c1475 Wall. i. 337.
Wallas … Hys modyr kyst … His leyff he tuk Ib. 426.
Sodanly in armys he coud him fang; He mycht nocht spek but kyst him tendyrlye 1531 Bell. Boece II. 89.
[Conwallus] had ane silver crucifix born ay afore him; and kist it afore he montit his hors c1552 Lynd. Mon. 2667.
In Loreit … Sum kyst the claggit taill of the armeit 1560 Rolland Seven S. 963.
His father with lufe and reuerence, About his neck oft times he tuke and kist 1590 Crim. Trials I. ii. 211.
He and all the rest kist him behind, and sum his erse 1661 Soc. Ant. XXII. 253.
The Divell kist them all except the said Helen herselfe whose hand onlie he kist(c) 1650 Brechin Presb. 37.
Shee confessed … that she keissed that spirit(2) c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyt. 131.
Thy commissar Quintyne biddis thé cum kis his erse a1598 Ferg. Prov. MS. 920.
Kis my ars & I shal claw your elbow 1679 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Processes No. 313.
Quhen I reproved him for the same he bad me kiss his erse(3) c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus iv. 727.
At Venus Court thair quite I tuik gude nicht, … I kist the ȝettis thair neuer to cum agane(4) 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 332.
The eist quarter of the said tour fell … notwithstanding the castell men kust their hand with schutting of small artailyerie 1582 Colville Lett. .
Kissing mest humlie the handis of my lord secretary 1605 Lett. & State P. Jas. VI 72.
When I had last honour to kis your hienes hand 1605 Elphinstone Mem. II. 151.
I kise your heighnes sacred handis(5) fig. a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 37.
Thow tirrane tressonable and germane to Judas [sc. the world]. Quhom thow can kis, saluce & embrace … His saull thow sesis a1538 Abell 125 a.
Warldlie prosperite folloit him; the warld kissit him … The warld sais to Sathan at Judas said to the Jowis … Quhem euir I kis be temporall prosperite, hald him fast

b. intr. and absol.(1) a1400 Leg. S. xxvii. 1087.
Syne, eftire all the cumpany Has kissit entrechangeably, … A schort sermone … [he] mad c1450-2 Howlat 845.
Thai forthocht that thai faucht, Kissit samyn and saucht a1500 Seven S. 2356.
Thai kist lyk lufaris quhen thai met c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 1154.
Howbeit the chalmer dure wes cloisit, They did bot kis a1568 Scott xv. 31.
In oxteris clois we kis(2) c1490 Irland Asl. MS. I. 68/16.
I haue committit syn … halsand, kissand, clappand, & brasand a1500 K. Hart 725.
He … in armis hint the cleir: Scho wryit about, to kys scho wes full swer 1540 Lynd. Sat. 2190.
Schir, will ȝe rewill this rilik weill, All hail the wyvis will kis and kneill, Betuix this and Dumbartane a1568 Scott iv. 74.
Sum thinkis na schame to clap And kis in opin wyis

c. Comb.With -dok (Dok n.¹), cf. a (2) above. a1585 Polwart Flyt. 826 (T).
Blind brok, kis dok, boird bloik