Dictionaries of the Scots Language
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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.

Los, Lois, v.² Also: lose, loise, loys(e. P.t. and p.p. losit, -ed, etc., lost. P.p. also losin(e. [Var. of Lows v.¹ (but ? cf. MDu. lossen (see Losv.³) and MDu. and MLG. losen).Cf. ME. and e.m.E. (1387–1567) lose which perh. chiefly stands for the type with close (as Loose v.¹); cf., however, e.m.E. loast p.p. (Spenser).]

1. tr. To let loose, set free, release. lit. and fig. = Lows v.¹ 1, 2 and 5.(1) a1400 Leg. S. i. 522.
[He] syne the hound losit of bande Ib. ii. 319.
Mony othire losit he Out of presone Ib. iii. 726.
That he Suld loyse Andro and mak hym fre Ib. 515, xx. 310. a1603 Anc. Prophecies 6.
Then is losed a lyon the bouldest and the best 1600 Hamilton Facile Tr. 207.
This Caluinian text refers this losing of thir prisoners to ane vther nor to Christ, sayand, I haue losed thy prisoners(2) fig. a1400 Leg. S. Prol. 136.
He thame [the apostles] gafe Playne poware our the laffe To bynd and lois Ib. ii. 462.
Thu art digne callit to be Now haly folk and pepill chosyn, As gud that fra ill ar losine Ib. 766.
He sad he suld thame sla, Bot thai hym losyt of syk wa c1475 Wall. x. 727.
Schyr, loss me off my band [sc. a promise] c1590 Fowler I. 43/181.
My hart from these words was not vnbound nor losed [: disclosed]

b. ? To discharge, let fly, or ? to let go one's hold of; drop (a weapon); to let out, drop (a fishing-line). (Cf. Lows v.¹ 9). a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 677.
Thair lufly lancis thai loissit. and lichtit on the land Ib. 755, 847. Ib. 874.
Thair lancis war loissit, and left on the land c1590 J. Stewart II. 72/67.
The gouldin lyn, helas, quhy dois thow lois [:lois = lose, disclois, rois] To catche ane frog and tyns the perle but peir?

2. To undo, unfasten (anything which fastens, a garment). = Lows v.¹ 3. c1590 Fowler I. 70/104.
Cæsar … Wes neuer … bouldar on his foes Than was my dame … who dois all armour lose Ib. 241/31.
O Atropos, … my lyflye threid with speid in sunder los 1662 Soc. Ant. XXII. 222.
Ye … losit his coat and gropit his breast and back

3. intr. Of a ship: To cast off and set sail. = Lows v.¹ 8 c. c1590 Fowler II. 195/31.
They perceaued the ships to lose, and to hoyse vp sayle

4. To redeem, recover by payment (lands, goods). = Lows v.¹ 12. Also with cognate obj. 1473 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III. 10.
That quhare the sayde myn lord has losit the redemtion at my desyr of the landis of Ranatston [etc.] … tyl his tenand Alane of Kynnard … in favour of his cousing Wyllyem the Hay … redemyt in the handis of my lord his fader 1504 Maxwell Mem. I. 224.
[That] the said Jhonne Maxwell sall hayff na power to loys the saide landis quhill a ȝer begane eftir the dait off thir presentis 1543 Lanark B. Rec. 19.
Quhat nychtbour has geir [plegit] … for det … , and tha lois it nocht within yer and day, tha sall nevir haif plas to lois the said geir

b. In Orkney: To buy out (one enjoying part of an inheritance). Cf. Lows v.¹ 15. 1507–8 Rec. Earld. Orkney 80.
The qhuilk gyfft [of the tenth and fourth penny, by Helene Ness] Schir Jhone sall bruk quhil the thyme the forsaidis Thom and Wilȝam [Ness] … will lose owt the handis of the said Schir Jhone

5. To obtain, procure, get, chiefly by payment. = Lows v.¹ 14. 1493 Halyb. 101.
Gyffyn hym quhen he past to Handwarp to by his haryng 60 crounis … Item, gyffyn hym quhen he past to Handwarp to loys his haryng 66 new crounis 1496 Ib. 13.
In Handwarp lossyt a mas out of the bank that com fra T. Hawkarston, cost pro porturis 3s. Ib. 114.
Lossit a candyllstek in Brugis and send it in Scotland, … 23 li. 18 s. 4 g. 1497 Ib. 125.
Lossyt hym fra Loys 2 stekis ryssillis, cost 17 li. 15 s.

b. To obtain the release of or get (another) out of prison, by payment. 1494 Halyb. 7.
At that samyn tym lost master James Vatsone out of presson in Handwarp of 40 crounis and 4 to his costis

6. ? To divide (butter or cheese) into small parcels for sale, to retail.Cf. Lows a. 7 b. 1567 Old Dundee I. 139.
That na merchants lose meilt butter or cheese in their buiths or buy meilt butter in greit but that the bringer of the said butter shall … sell openly … to all neighbours and theirefter quha buys the same in greit sall sell it at the same price, pund or twa pund, as effeirs