Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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.

Los, Loss(e, Lois, v.¹ Also: lose, loce, loise, loys. P.t. and p.p. losit, lossit, loissit, etc., los(s)ed, loased, and lost(e, loist, loisst. [ME. lose(n, also losse (1427, Waterford), north. loyse (Towneley Plays), p.t. losede (12–13th c.), lost(e (c 1330), p.p. i)losed (13–14th c.), losid (1428, Waterford), i-), y)lost(e (13th c.), e.m.E. lose, also luse (15th c.), loze (17th c.), p.t. and p.p. lost(e, OE. losian, p.t. losode, p.p. ᵹelosod. Cf. Loose v.² and Lows v.³Modern Sc. has a form loze, i.e. with voiced s, regularly derived f. OE. losian. The prevalent mod. Sc. form has, however, voiceless s, perh. orig. by back-formation f. the p.t. and p.p. lost. loist. No doubt, as most of the rhymes suggest, this form of the pres. t. with voiceless s was also prevalent in Older Sc. To what extent the Older Sc. disyllabic forms of the p.t. and p.p. (as los(s)it etc.) had the voiceless s of the common pres. t. form or the voiced s regularly derived f. OE. losode, ᵹelosod, cannot now be ascertained.In the form loissing [sense 3 b (a) (c)] the inflexion is a ‘Chaucerianism’ or ‘anglicized form’ by (erroneous) imitation of English.] To lose.

1. a. tr. To cause to perish, to do away with, to be the ruin of, to destroy. a1500 Henr. Fab. 1292.
Se how this cursit sone of couetice Loist hes baith lawtie and eik law c1420 Wynt. v. 1992 (W).
Gif scho had had a knyf, Scho suld haif lossit thare batheris lif 1535 Stewart 17384.
Dalie sturt and stryffe, Quhairthrow richt mony loissit hes the lyff Of nobill men 1560 Rolland Seven S. 8934.
A mannis life to lois for laik of lufe, Gif I sa did I war greit to reprufe 1562-3 Winȝet II. 24/12.
Thai following … al preistis … had leuir hef loseit thame selfis than the fayth of the vniuersal antiquitie 1567 G. Ball. 199.
Adame … loste vs all for his trespas 1640 Kirkcudbright Min. Bk. 76.
Haist hither all the schoes and clothes … for, if they come not, … the want of thame will lose all our sogers

b. intr. To perish. 1535 Stewart 23671.
The wyngis baith than of the Britis oist Inlaikit fast and in the tyme neir loist a1651 Bannatyne in Calderwood III. 276.
As the said scrolls are so intacked and mixed together that … they … sould altogether lose and perish

2. Passive (chiefly without expressed or implied agent). To be brought to destruction, ruin, misery or damnation; to perish; to be destroyed, ruined or killed.Passing into passive of senses 3–5.(a) 1375 Barb. xviii. 176 (C).
On this wis war thai nobill men Throu wilfulnes all losit [E. lesyt] then a1400 Leg. S. ii. 156.
Nero of wit ner cuth ga Quhene he harde this warld be fyre Suld losit be c1460 Alex. (Taym.) 2982.
The lyf of mony ane leid was losit c1475 Wall. v. 507.
I trow nocht ȝeit at Wallace losyt be Ib. vii. 520.
Lossyt c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxxiv. 14.
Leif creuelte … Or throucht the warld quyte losit is ȝour name 1513 Doug. i. iv. 101.
Thai Bewalit thar feris lossit on the flude c 1515 Adam Williamson in Doug. (Sm.) I. xxi.
[They] beyn in gret danger and lyke to be lossyt by the inimes the rebell lordis off Scotland 1535 Stewart 48651. 1562-3 Winȝet I. 10/35.
At sic extreme pouertie all we of the clergye [are] that we ar almaiste losit without ony mercy of man a1568 Bann. MS. 93 b/38.
The leill men all in sic perrell lyis That thay ar losit & chesit our feild, Gart thig thair meit 1570 Leslie 199.
The multitude of the Scottismen, beleiffing be thair satling that all had bene losed Ib. 257.
A gret nombre of thair cumpanie was dronit and boith the shippes, the moist pairt of his guidis losed be the wrake of the sey 1579 Reg. Privy C. III. 242.
Gret losse … sustenit be … having his schip and haill guidis being thairin pertening to him lossit without recoverie(b) a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 277.
Mony ledis salbe loissit, and liffis forlorne 1535 Stewart 10479.
The Romanis all had loissit bene that nycht Had nocht [etc.] Ib. 16900.
Ȝouthheid … can no perrell cast, Quhill that all thing be loissit at the last Ib. 22982.(c) c1450-2 Howlat 958.
He said, ‘Allace! I am lost, lathest of all’ c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 500.
And gif his lust be so lent … That he be lost or with me lig, his lif sall nocht [haif] danger Id. xlii. 101, lxxiv. 21. 1513 Doug. xi. iv. 90.
Sen now is lost hys son Pallas the bald Ib. iii. 21. Ib. xiii. i. 2.
As Turnus in the lattir bargane lost. Venquyst in feild ȝald furth the fleand gost 1531 Bell. Boece (M) I. 78.
Quhat danger sustenit oure king Reuther, evading his inymyis be maist perrellous ischeing, quhen his realme wes neir lost 1535 Stewart 311, 19591. 1540 Lynd. Sat. Procl. 185. a1599 Rollock Wks. I. 440.
We wer lost, tint and gane, quhen God of his love pat to his hand and saved us(d) 1533 Bell. Livy I. 133/11.
The commoun liberte, sa recentlie recouerit, was nere loist be falset and tressoun 1533 Boece ix. vi. 300.
The weremen loist be delicatis, like neuer as afore thai had bene hantit Ib. i. ii. 35. a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. xciv. 86.
Leif, burges men, or all be loist, On ȝour wyfis to mak sic coist 1571 Sat. P. xxvii. 30.
Wanlukis quhairby thow may be loist (a1500 Henr.) Fab. 1017. a1599 Rollock Wks. I. 441.
Trowis thou thou ar not loist quhen thou can braith? 1649 Lanarh B. Rec. 139.
Severall of these boittis with the speit of water hes bene loist and caried over Clydis Lin

b. To cease to exist or maintain its potency, to pass away, decay, decline, fail. a1500 Colk. Sow Proh. 33.
The lyfe is gone, the los lesting is lost c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 174.
He has bene lychour so lang quhill lost is his natur 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. ii. 200.
How glaid becam my febilgoist, My curage grew the whilk befoir was loist Id. Æn. iv. Prol. 11.
Quhar schame is lost [R. loist], thar spredis ȝour [sc. Cupid's] burgeonys hait Ib. vii. Prol. 41.
Bewte was lost and barrand schew the landis Ib. viii. Prol. 14. 1528 Lynd. Dreme 989.
Liberalitie and lawte boith ar loste a1570-86 Maitl. F. lx. 32.
On to thy awin be nobill and fre For thow art bot ane king of bane Fra lossit be liberalite

3. tr. To incur the privation of, be deprived of, forfeit, give up, cease to posses or enjoy. With various material and immaterial objects.Also intr. const. of (the thing lost).(a) c1475 Wall. vi. 86.
Thow sall los a gage Quhilk neuir in erd sall be redemyt agayne Ib. viii. 1106, ix. 83. a1540 Freiris Berw. 208.
And Symon fynd me heir, I dreid me sair … that I los bath my quhynnis c1590 Fowler I. 292/48.
My eis did los thair light 1633 Orkney Witch Trial in Reg. Privy C. 2 Ser. V. 553.
His wyf not being at leasure to give yow alms ye went to the dure and sayde … that schie should loss als meikle schortly 1639 Articles of Militarie Discipline 8.
If any officer do strick any of them … he shall losse his right hand 1693 Banff Ann. II. 63.
If the parties buked should stay at drink in cheange houses … they wer to loss their pledges(b) 1531 Bell. Boece I. 81.
Thay ar nocht movit … to lose thair landis and liberteis but extreme jeopardie of battall 1546 Lynd. Trag. Card. 172.
I brocht the Erle of Lennox furth of France, That lustie lord … Did loce that land and honest ordinance c1552 Id. Mon. 1080.
Lose a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 393 (Wr.).
What canst thou losse when honour lives? c1590 Fowler II. 153/25.
[A bad king] lossis be his vnworthines … his heritable estate 1611-57 Mure i. 136.
Bot quho into such rhethorick reposses Lyfes sueitest joyes, and true contentment lossis 1607 Facs. Nat. MSS. III. lxxxii.
We ar lyk to lose all exspectatioun of him albeit your Maiestie and we hes writtin him, quhairof we have reseauit na ansuer 1633 Lithgow Poet. Rem. 111.
Men are made Often for lack of change, to leaue or losse Whole, half or part of their twyse dollourd drosse a1657 Balfour Heraldic Tracts 18.
If a noble woman marrey a plebeian … shoe not only impairs her dignity, but losses by the law her nobility 1678 Mackenzie Laws & C. i. xxxi. 2.
It may be doubted if the true owner having lent them [weapons] without being conscious to the crime, should losse them(c) a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 1488.
To lois a fynger his lyf for to resplait a1500 Rauf C. (1572) 640.
My laid war I laith to lois 1513 Doug. v. iv. 131.
Or thai thar lawd suld loys [v.rr. los, lois] or vassyllage [etc.] 1531 Bell. Boece I. 279. 1533 Boece ii. i. 57 b.
To lois baith the kinrik of thare fader and thare propir livis Ib. x. xi. 372 b.
[He] sall pay ane ox for the first faleȝe, for the secund he sall lois ten 1535 Stewart 19461. 1558-66 Knox III. 213.
To loise eternall life 1570 Sat. P. xxiii. 102.
Now in the north his fais thay durst nocht byde Quhair throw that pak did lois thair men of weir c1590 J. Stewart II. 71/62.
Thy luifers all and chastetie preclair Quhy sould thow for ane sempill suldart lois [: disclois, rois, lois = release] c1650 Spalding II. 385.
Loiss(b) 1375 Barb. xviii. 160 (E).
Thoucht that thai lossyt of thair ger, [they] Come to Cragfergus hale and fer 1513 Doug. iii. i. 100.
Seand how Troy Lossyt his myghtis, be forton turnyt from joy 1549 Compl. 108/34.
His frendis consellit hym to decist fra his veyris, be rason that he prosperit nothing, and lossit mekil 1567 Sat. P. vii. 200.
Losit 1591 Sc. Ant. VII. 10.
Be that fall lossit bayth all the uprichnes quharin thay war creatit 1600-1610 Melvill 525.
I my selff lossit all the sunne, I was struckin with … feir 1633 Misc. Abbotsf. C. 155.
Presentlie scho losit hir milk 1649 Sc. N. & Q. 1 Ser. III. 122.
At 4 hours after noone she losed her spetch and lay senseless(b) 1535 Stewart 6983.
We faucht all da quhill that we loisit lycht Ib. 37769.
Mony virgin that wes of honest fame Deflorit wes and loissit hir gude name(c) 1535 Stewart 61166.
Of the left hand tua fyngaris [he] lost c1552 Lynd. Mon. 154.
Synthea … loste hir lycht … And ouer hir visage kest ane misty vaill c1610 Melville Mem. 5.
I lost my credit with the prince and tint my reward(d) 1531 Bell. Boece II. 96.
King Ethelfred loist ane of his eine a1585 Maitl. Q. xliv. 59.
Monye nobill natioun … Quho loist at lenth thair libertie and law(c) a1500 Henr. Orph. 138.
Now wepe with me … Quhilk losit has in erd all his lyking 1513 Doug. i. v. 42.
We … Schame forto say, all throw the feid of ane, Has lossit our schippis and ar betrasit ilkane c 1515 Adam Williamson in Doug. (Sm.) I. xxvi.
I haffe lossyt my gooddis that I shuld haff leyff apon in my age 1590 Welwod 69.
Becaus it can not be sayd … that that quhilk is tane [by a pirate] is lossit by any common necessity for oftentimes pirats takis nathing c1590 Fowler II. 82/8.
He … recovered … this whole reputation that kings [sic] Charles before had lossed 1622 Scot Course of Conformity 56.
What the Kirk of Christ hath lossed, as much has Antichrist gained 1641 Kirkcudbright B. Rec. II. 651.
[The council] declaires him to have lossit and foirfaltit his libertie and fredome of ane burges of this burgh a 1660 Coll. Aberd. & B. 192.
They have losed ther stock by heavie burdeines of debt 1688 Red Bk. Grandtully I. cxlv.
The neues … that the Douitish … hath losed two men of war, four hounderreath horses throne over board(b) 1535 Stewart 28718. a1578 Pitsc. I. 135/12.
Sen we have loissit the boundis within the realme of France 1593 Cochran-Patrick Coinage I. 265.
Quhairby … it sall appeare that he hes loissit mair in his bying nor he hes won be ony proffite ressauit of the cunyie 1614 Mure Misc. P. vii. 2.
In Venus court thy libertie is loissed 1619 Argyll Rentals 9 Oct.
Item loisit of my ressait of moneyis of the compt 1619 be the lois of gold & silver in wecht [etc.](c) c1475 Wall. iv. 8.
Quhen … lewys had lost thair colouris of plesence Ib. v. 8, 826. 1535–6 Selkirk B. Ct. MS. fol. 207 (28 Feb.).
At command of the forsaid bailȝeis and inquisitouris the said Dauid hes lost halff ane fut vtoucht the grovnd val stane(d) c1500-c1512 Dunb. xliii. 43.
Richt littill loist, Thay get indoist, Alhaill thair evidens 1533 Boece iii. xx. 120.
Scottis contending at thare power to recovir the parte of thare kinrik loist afore 1540 Lynd. Sat. 1015 (B).
Lowp now, gif thow list, for thow hes loist the ledder 1572 Buch. Detect. (1727) 58.
Quha nouther had in his welth ony thing left to be loist, nor in his fame ony thing remaning that micht be staynit c1650 Spalding I. 211.
[The defence of] the brig … quhilk wes … loist by the ingoing of the soldiouris to John Forbes buriall

b. To lose, forfeit or give up the (this) or one's life or lives. c. To lose one's life-blood, head etc., = to die.b. See also Lif(e n. 3.(a) c1460 Consail Vys Man 74.
Wnlawte of tung & hande Garris mony ane los baithe lyf and land a1568 Bann. MS. 83 a/104. a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. ci. 19. c1590 Fowler I. 88/70. 1676 Edinb. B. Rec. X. 258.
Archibald Law … did loss his lyfe by ventering to quench the lait fyre(b) a1400 Leg. S. ii. 702.
Nero gert hym lose the lyf Ib. xl. 1193. 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 177.
Threatning him that gif euer he come againe he sould losse his life 1573 Sat. P. xl. 362; Leslie 38.
This lyfe temporall Quhilk ȝe mon lose but let quhen ȝe leist wene a1578 Pitsc. I. 76/1.(c) a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 268.
Bot gif I loissing my life or be laid law a1500 Henr. Fab. 2848. 1533 Boece viii. iii. 252. 1560 Rolland Seven S. 1174.
Fy help for schame or I my life will lois [: voce] 1570 Sat. P. xviii. 80. a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 562 (L).
Go to and mak na mair excuis Or lyfe and honor lois [: na vther chois; v.rr. lose, losse: chose] And owther thame or ws refuis 1607 Bk. Carlaverock I. 307.
Loise c1650 Spalding II. 413.
Quhairvpone … many of his … subiectis loissis thair lives(b, c) 1375 Barb. xi. 590.
Thai that rydand on thame [horses] weir, That doune war born, lossit the lyvis a1400 Leg. S. i. 62.
At Peteris wyfe For Cristis sak losit the lyff c1420 Wynt. iv. 823.
Losyde a1578 Pitsc. I. 108/14.
Lossit 1644–5 Rec. Kirk Scotl. 416.
Losed 1645 Aberd. B. Rec. IV. 57.
Losit 1630-1651 Gordon Geneal. Hist. 46.
Lossed(b) a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 726.
Loissit 1535 Stewart 42589.
For falt of fude richt mony … that tyme loissit the lyfe 1647 Wemyss Chart. 230.
Widowis … of these who loissed ther lyves in the publict service(c) 1513 Doug. v. xiv. 82.
Lost c1552 Lynd. Mon. 3558.
Loste 1571 Sat. P. xxvii. 112.
And lywes lost [v.r. loist] for thair deloyaltie 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 321.
War nocht he wes cuttit he haid lost the lyff a1605 Montg. Misc. P. lvii. 14.(d) 1492 Myll Spect. 280/6 (Asl.).
Quhar the noble Tedeus & full mony vther worthy Greik loist thare lyffis 1533 Boece vi. xiv. 215 b. c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 1590. 1560 Rolland Seven S. 5447, 10731. 1570 Sat. P. xiv. 39.
For me now he hes loist his lyfec (1) 1375 Barb. xvi. 232 (E).
I se fele her lossyt the suet c1475 Wall. iii. 194.
The Scottis on fute gert mony lois the suete 1513 Doug. i. iii. 10. 1560 Rolland Seven S., Schawing 17.(2) a1500 Henr. Fab. 572.
I wes vnwyse thatwinkit at thy will, Quhairthrow almaist I loissit had my heid 1540 Lynd. Sat. 1948 (B).
Lowp, or … thow salt lois thy heid 1560 Rolland Seven S. 5061 (see Hede n. 1 c). I b. 5596.(3) a1500 Bk. Chess 778.
His father throw his fals sentens Hes lost his hyd 1573 Sempill Sat. P. xxxix. 155.
[Many soldiers] fell, and loste the hydis(4) 1513 Doug. xi. viii. 76.
For thou sal neuer los … By my wapyn … Sik ane … catyve saule as thyne 1567 G. Ball. 26.
Body and saull he loissit than(5) 1560 Rolland Seven S. 3434.
Thairfoir scho [the magpie] hes loist life and hals 1665 Argyll-Lauderdale Lett. 13.
Lesst by claiming bake his money he losse his necke(6) 1570 Sat. P. xviii. 30.
Gif one of ȝow siclyke had loist his breith … he [Moray] wald be deligent Ȝour … quarrell reuenge vnto the deith

d. In various other idiomatic uses.To lose one's braith, be out of breath: cf. c (6) above. To lose heart, become discouraged. To losse faith, rememberance. To losse (all) credit, depreciate (entirely). To losse one's coat (sc. of office), to forfeit one's office. 1570 Leslie 198.
The Scottismen … going forduart furiouslye … be the hoill space of tua myles … upwart, thay almost losed thair braithes or evir thai culd cum to the joyning with the ennemie 1585 James VI Ess. 39.
Lose not heart, though pale inuye Bark at thy praise 1600 Hamilton Facile Tr. 379.
Sa sune as thay commit ony daidlie sinne thay losse thair faith 1623 Drummond II. 46/311.
Day-liuers wee rememberance doe losse [: tosse] Of ages worne 1632 Aberd. Council Lett. I. 353.
Befoir that commoditie [plaiding] losse all credit 1665 Aberd. B. Rec. IV. 218.
[The] towne serjand … denyed to doe the samen, no not altho he should losse his coat

4. To lose (a relative, friend etc.) by separation or death. Of a military commander: To lose (men) in battle, by death or wounds.Cf. also sense 2. ?1438 Alex. ii. 482.
We haue had greif Sen that we lossit our lord and cheif c1475 Wall. iii. 237.
Bot los our men it helpis ws rycht nocht Ib. vi. 648.
The King ner worthis mad For his der kyn that he thar lossyt had Ib. x. 469.
Bruce said, Fer ma on this day we haiff losyt. Wallace ansuerd, Allace, thai war ewill cosyt Throuch thi tresson Ib. v. 47.
Lost 1533 Bell. Livy II. 196/36.
Loist 1533 Boece iii. iv. 94 b.
Cadallane with the armye of Scottis lossing of thame bot fewe … returnyng to Scotland 1535 Stewart 59485.
Loissit a1585 Maitl. Q. xxxviii. 21.
The turtill trew … having loist hir feir a1586 Kamington in a1586 Maitland Geneal. Setoun 47.
Scotland … may sair rew that discord, They loist thair King, thair buckler and thair sheild 1600-1610 Melvill 28.
My deirest sistar … died … in whom I lossit my naturall mother the second tyme 1616 Sutherland Corr. 128.
We hawe loissit tua guid fellowes in that siknes

b. To lose the friendship or support of, by estrangement. 1584-9 Maxwall Commonpl. Bk. fol. 3 b.
Quhen thow dois lois a freinde Do diligence ane wther to obteine 1586 Cal. Sc. P. VIII. 569.
You ar lyk to losse the Master of Glammis for lack of wrytting onto him c1590 Fowler I. 192. lv. 14.
O ioyles, ielous man, That feares to los the las I never wan Ib. II. 82/34.
Nor yet did he see how that … he weakened his auen conquests, lossing therby his best frends and confederats 1637 Baillie I. 22.
To losse needlessly the hearts of all his subjects c1650 Spalding II. 448.
Vtheris said he wes liklie to loiss his father for following the countrie causs

5. To suffer the loss of (animals, by disease or death, perishable goods, etc.). 1558-66 Knox I. 86.
Some not knowing the ground lared and lost thair horse 1614 Highland P. III. 149.
The cuntrie people be whoes assistance he might … haue straited the rebels … will rather … disobey the proclamation nor losse the cornes whairvpon thay … must leive 1629 Black Orkn. & Shetl. Folklore 77.
Be your witchcraft and devilrie he losit ane great number of his sheip, sume by running on the sea and otheris deing upoun shore 1640 Dumbarton B. Rec. 63.
The horss to be re-deliurit bak to the burgh, gif it pleiss God it be not lost in the service 1672 Aberd. Council Lett. V. 176.
The petitioners wer forced either to losse their fishes or to buy salt at ane great rate

6. To fail to obtain or take advantage of (something one might have had), to miss one's chance of, to forgo. 1513 Selkirk B. Ct. MS. fol. 28 a.
[They are] to enter to the wach at x houris … and geiff he lois his wagis within viii dayis to be disposit in the woll of the balȝeis 1533 Boece ii. xi. 80 b.
God defend (my hartlie freyndis) that be domestic division ȝe suld lois the victorie 1554 Knox III. 213.
Why will ye jeoparde to loise eternall life? 1622-6 Bisset II. 257/20.
Gif [the master of a ship] … loisseth the wedderring and tyme be default of the merchand 1628 Aberd. Council Lett. I. 281.
I have sent this in haist that the streame be not lossed 1640 Anal. Scot. I. 386.
That we lois not that through our negligence … which it pleissit God to give us 1640 Dumbarton B. Rec. 61.
The money for the sojouris being borrowed and gottin, sik of the poore anes as lost thair work in attending on the comoun service to be helpit 1677 Dunbar Social Life II. 122.
He had two lapister-kists in the harbour-muth, and the boatmen towed close on them; and they aleadge that they did losse two hunder lapisters

7. To use or spend (time, effort or resources) unprofitably or in vain, to get no return for (one's labour or resources), to waste or misuse (time). c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxi. 9.
For lang seruice rewarde is none … And lossit is my tyme bygone Id. xlvi. 16.
All luve is lost bot vpone God allone Id. lxvi. 13.
The leill labour lost, and leill seruice 1513 Doug. 1. Prol. 144.
Haue he na thank tharfor bot loys hys pyne c1552 Lynd. Mon. 202.
I lose my tyme, allace, for to rehers Sick vnfrutful and vaine discriptioun 1560 Rolland Seven S. 9337.
Of my wedding the day is tynt and loist 1576 Haddington B. Rec. (Robb) 15 Nov.
Leist in the mein tyme thair ȝouth suld wauer and lois thair tyme without instructioun [etc.] a1605 Montg. Misc. P. viii. 27.
[We] lost our tyme in love, I will not lane c1600 Montg. Suppl. xi. 34.
To do to muche for auld men is bott lost 1593 4th Rep. Hist. MSS. App. 527/1.
Counterfaitt pasimentis of gold … quhilk shortly becummis sa vncumly and vnhonest that the coist is loissit 1639 Johnston Diary (1896) 47.
Will ye be perjured against God, losse all your former labours, and by your defection … now losse your country, religion, liberties, and lyves c1650 Spalding I. 241.
The memberis of this college thocht this geir wairit vpone him wes loist and meiter to haue bene bestowit vpone thame c 1651 Scotland & the Commonwealth 23.
The tyme which was spent and lossed in recrooting these few regiments did so retard and forsloe the cuntries rysing in armes, that the Castle of Sterling … was lossed and taken in by the enemie

8. a. intr. To suffer defeat in a contest, to be unsuccessful in one's efforts. 1375 Barb. xi. 644.
Quhethir him happin to vin or los I will nocht for him brek purpos c1475 Wall. iv. 336.
Now want, now has, now loss [1570, lois], now can wyn 1568 Buch. Indict. 34.
Na thing thouchtfull quha suld prevail bot quhasaeuer lost thinkeng to gayn and the mair suddanelie to atteine to the perfectioun of hir intentit purpois 1570 Sat. P. xvii. 75.
His mercy wan, bot mair his mercy tint: … His mercy loist, we wan the swordis dint

b. tr. To be defeated in (a battle, a lawsuit). c1515 Asl. MS. I. 266/18.
The first twa ȝeris he lost & tynt the feldis and was chasit & drevyne abak c1650 Spalding I. 229.
The lordis of parliament thocht his ansuer ressonable, and the perseuaris loist the causs

9. intr. or absol. To incur a loss.Also b. p.p., (of persons) having incurred a loss. a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xxxii. 39.
Quhen ȝe haif lost, it is too lait to leir c1590 Fowler I. 178/12.
Gif I die, we bothe sal los heirbye 1629 Boyd Last B. 264.
It would seeme that Christ our Lord shall losse by this meanesb. 1666-74 Fraser Polichron. 324.
There was 10 thousandmarks … to be distributed amongst the … tennants that suffered the loss of cattell and goods … . Sir James … agreed with the persones loased

10. tr. With indirect object or dative: To cause (someone etc.) to lose (something). 1572 Sat. P. xxxi. 183.
Allace! that euer thay wer borne That dwelt in Scotland vs beforne And loist vs sic ane land 1609 Crim. Trials II. 595.
It was said that the said letter might have lossed him the crown of England 1609 Gardyne Garden 80.
If that the soule her heavenlie life thow losse, Curst is with those, corruptible thy cosse 1680 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. MS. 18 June.
Decernes Johne McJoire merchand to pay to William Richardsone merchand … four punds for ane roll of tobocco quhilk he keiped till it rotted and so losed it to the said William

11. To part with or be parted from through mischance or negligence; to allow to go missing or be mislaid. a1500 Colk. Sow i. 39.
The penny lost in the lak Wes fundin and vptak a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 377.
To stanch the storm wyth haly muldis thou loste 1513 Doug. xii. xiii. 17.
Was it … ganand, the swerd lost and adew, To rendir Turnus, lo, hys brand of new? 1561 Invent. Q. Mary 38.
Cordeleir knottis of claith of gold … quhilkis knottis hes fassis of threid of gold quhairof thair is sum loissit 1562-3 Winȝet II. 73. h. of ch.
The secund memorial is losit, and na thing thairof mair vnperisit bot a litle of the last parte a1570-86 Maitl. F. clxxix. 35.
No warldlie thing sould thé affray … Thouht it be lost or teint the day Quhilk thow haid haill & sound ȝeistrein c1590 J. Stewart 63/237.
Departing thair scho loist the armet brycht 1619 Rec. Univ. Aberd. 276.
Gif any thing perische or be losit throgh negligence or prevaricatioun of the principall … he sall be holdin to mak it gude of his propper geir 1622-6 Bisset I. 6/28.
He wes than stayed, and loissit sum of his skrollis 1632–3 Misc. Spald. C. V. 103.
Ane drink cloth, that day losset and put away c1650 Spalding I. 269.
Quhair thair goodis war loissit and inuentarit that none suld be loist

b. To be parted from (a person) by mischance. c. In the passive, To be lost in this way, to go missing, to go astray. 1513 Doug. ii. xi. h. of ch.
Quhou Eneas hys fader bayr away, And how he lost Crevsa by the way Ib. 100.
For nevir syne with eyn saw I hyr eft Nor neuer abak, fra scho was lost or reft, Blent I agane 1567 G. Ball. 37.
My sone was loste and now is found Ib. 199.
We salbe loste fra our gude man 1633 Drummond II. 133/13.
Many a Typhis in adventures lost By new found skill shall many mayden coast … find out

d. ? To fail to keep in mind, to forget.But cf. sense 2. 1562-3 Winȝet I. 28/28.
Bot note, honorable schirs (that the veritie be not losit be altercation) the historie of Judith