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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.

List, v.¹ Also: liste, lyst(e, leist. [ME. lyst(e, also leste(n, luste(n, pres. t. lyst, list, lust, also lisste (Orm), liste, lyste, leste, luste and lestyth, p.t. lyste etc., also (14th c.) lysted, listed, OE. lystan. Cf. also Lest v.²This verb is normally without inflectional ending in all persons and in pres. and past tenses, returning to the OE. 3rd sing. pres. contracted form lyst; past t. lyste. Rare occurrences of inflected forms of the pres. and p.t. (with -is and -ed respectively) are, however, also recorded below.]Very common in Douglas.

1. impers., with (normally) preceding indirect object, and a. infin. or b. with infin. understood: It is (was) pleasing to (one, to do something); me list, I please(d), choose (chose), like(d), or desire(d).a (a) a1400 Leg. S. v. 1.
To spek of the thred nov me liste. That is of John the ewangeliste Ib. xxxvi. 933. a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 186.
Ye ar welcum … quhil you likis and list to luge in this leid c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 258.
Wnto my lesson ȝe lyth … Gif yov [M. ȝe] nought list be forleit with losingeris vntrew 1513 Doug. iii. Prol. 23.
Or is it Virgill quham thame list bakbyte Ib. iv. v. 177.
Gif that na lavd ne honour move thé list Ib. xi. Prol. 57.
Gyf Crystis faithfull knychtis lyst ws be Ib. ii. ii. 37, etc. a1568 Scott iv. 28.
To lat hir wamb be clawin Be thame list geir betawcht hir Ib. xxiii. 45.
Scho that thé list to luve(b) 1535 Stewart 59180.
Me listis nocht now to rehers sic taillis Betuix Ingland also and the Waillis(b) c1400 Troy-bk. i. 453.
Quhen hyr list to gamyn & play 1513 Doug. vii. Prol. 155.
And thocht I wery was, me list not tyre 1535 Stewart 26741.
Marling … Quhen that him list to round into his eir, Culd tell perfitlie baith of peax and weir a1540 Freiris Berw. 401 (M).
All was brocht as him list devyseb (a) 1375 Barb. iii. 519.
Wemen that can wet Thair chekys, quhen thaim list, with teris 1456 Hay I. 173/29.
Quharfore he is nocht behaldin to kepe that arreste bot gif him list a1500 K. Hart 821.
For and him list I will him serve for fee 1546 Lynd. Trag. Card. 265.
Quhen euery man had iugit as hym lyste(b) 1567 G. Ball. 110.
Our God … ringis in heuin … And quhat him listis or lykis, workis he(b) a1400 Leg. S. xii. 238.
His discipil be mad hyme fyrste & syne apostil, as hyme lyste Ib. xviii. 162.
Ilkane lufyt as hym lyste [: viste] 1456 Hay I. 183/15.
To put him to quhat dede that him list a1500 Henr. Orph. 430.
Bot he suld drink ineuch quhenewir hym list Of couatise a1540 Freiris Berw. 130 (M).
That he micht vsche quhen him list [B. quhen that he list] vnknawin 15.. Clar. iv. 1735.
The King … could be mirrie and solatious Whair that him list

2. personal, tr. To please, choose, care or wish (to) do something.Occas. as a merely tautological auxiliary verb, adding little or nothing to the force of the governed infin.(a) a1400 Leg. S. xvi. 309.
Bot reke of powre thu na liste a1500 Henr. Fab. 528 (B).
God … Smytis full soir … Adulteraris that list thame nocht repent Id. Test. Cress. 230.
Thus variant scho was, quha list tak keip a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 85.
As thai list answere to God and to ȝour crowne c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 187.
He … liftis his leg apon loft, thought he nought list pische 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. iii. 520.
Humilitie carwer that na wicht list to greif Id. Æn. ii. x. 203.
Gyf thou lyst pas … thi self to spill Harl ws with thé in all perrell quhar thou will Ib. iii. viii. 144.
Quhen he lyst gant or blaw, the fyre is bet a1540 Freiris Berw. 105 (M).
And gif ȝe leist to pas bayth on in feyr 1548 Corr. M. Lorraine 281.
Quhat your grace list command, wryt and it sall be doun, well God c1568 Lauder Minor P. i. 452. 1558-66 Knox II. 126.
How the said Lord of Sanct Johne was entreated we list nott reherse 1570 Sat. P. xiii. 124.
How horriblie ȝe spulȝeit … Ane nobill lord … He can declair gif ony man lyst speir a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xlvi. 24.
I list not longer live 1598 Goudie Shetl. Antiq. 200.
List ye to knaw this building quha began(b) a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 256.
Lady Cynthia … in the nicht scho listis best appeir 1549 Compl. 27/27.
Quha listis to reide the prophesye of Ysaye 1570 Leslie 5.
Quha lystis also to reid the naturall histories [etc.] Ib. 249.
As may be sene in thair cronicles … , quha listis to reid at lenth(c) 1513 Doug. xi. xvii. 37.
A part closyt … the portis, Ne to thar ferys, nor ȝit nane other sortis, The ȝettis listyng oppyn(b) a1400 Leg. S. xxxv. 49.
He to syne that nocht liste Ib. xxxvi. 21.
Criste of hyme howine be liste a1500 K. Hart 808.
The king sat still, to travaill he nocht list 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. Prol. 104.
Bownand me hame and list na langer tary Id. Æn. vi. iii. 59.
Wald God ȝone goldin branche list now appeir Ib. xi. Prol. 20.
Not for thou lyst to mak discentioun Ib. xii. xiv. 1.
Ene with this instantly list not ces Forto recontyr Turnus Ib. i. Prol. 473. 1531 Bell. Boece I. 21.
Quhidder thay list to strength peace under the auld conditionis or new Id. Livy I. 115/1. 15.. Clar. i. 269.
Sa monie prinsis … Ȝe had in proffer, quhom ȝe list to take a1570-86 Dunb. Maitl. F. cxlviii. 50.
Quod Dumbar quhone he list to feyne a1585 Maitl. Q. lxv. 36.
Quhen Boreas list to prove his power plaine a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xv. 17.
Fra thyn that flour List not to lour

b. With the infin. understood.Gif, and ȝe list, if thou list, if you will, if yon please, please.(a) a1400 Leg. S. xxxvi. 685.
Thai ma not here quha liste That Sancte Johnne the ewangeliste Deit as that day 1439 (c 1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I. 6.
That quhasa brings victuale to Leyth sall be welcum to sell thair victuale as thai best may and house it gif thai list a1500 Henr. Abbay Walk 14.
Thy gold and all thi gudis gay, Quhen fortoun list, will fra thé fall a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 1549.
Cheise quhat thow list be fre electioun a1500 Seven S. 1504.
I sall neuer langar frist Bot that thow luf quhar euer thow list c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxvii. 108.
Now trow this gif ȝe list 1513 Doug. ii. ii. 81.
Quhy tary I my deth? and ȝe lyst, stryke a1540 Freiris Berw. 453 (M).
For I wait nocht gif ȝe may ay cum hidder Quhen we list or lykis sic as this 1550 Knox III. 67.
Now juke, cros and nod as ye list, thai ar but your awn inventionis Ib. II. 409.
The treuth I speik, impung it quhoso list 1580 Hay Cath. Tr. 64/22.
Thrawing it to quhat contrarietie or absurditie ye list a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xxi. i.
Love, if thou list, I pray thé let me leiv a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 460.
Drink if ye list, ye wate if ye mister(b) 1570 Sat. P. xiii. 147.
Now luke Gods buik quha listis(b) a1500 K. Hart 299.
And as scho list scho leirit thame to mang 1560 Rolland Seven S. 6230.
And quhome thay list captiue thai brocht away a1578 Pitsc. I. 282/21.
The Erle of Arrane was weill contentit that my lord of Angus sould … depairt quhene he list but molestatioun a1597-1617 Hist. Jas. VI 21.
That they might reule as they list, without any controlement of lawfull auctoritie 1619 Brechin Kirk S. 5 Sept.
That he hard hir say that he suld never get ane wyff himself now quher he list(b) a1500 K. Hart 124.
Ane legioun liell war at hir leding Quhen hir court leist semble fair and clein(c) 1590-1 Bruce Serm. 228.
And we had time to haue done them gif we had listed