A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 1971 (DOST Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1375-1512
[1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0]
Mensk, n. [ME. mensca (Layamon), ME. (a 1240) and north. e.m.E. (1509) mensk(e, ON. mennska humanity (Sw. menniska, Da. menneske). In the 16th c. superseded by Mense.] Honour, credit. 1375 Barb. iv. 549 (E).
And schaip alwayis to that ending That beris in it mensk and lowing 1375 Ib. xiii. 264 (E).
The best … Wald with thair mensk haf bene away 1375 Ib. xvi. 621 (E).
Now dois weill; for men sall se, Quha luffis the Kingis mensk to day a1400 Legends of the Saints xliii. 394.
A kyd houlloure That racht nothire of mensk na honoure ?1438 Alex. ii. 6068. c1420 Wynt. v. 410 (W).
Efter that byrth That maid all our mensk [v.rr. joy(e] and myrth c1420 Ib. viii. 6571 (R).
In fycht is mensk and schame in flycht 1461 Peebles B. Rec. I. 140.
The laf [of a building] … to mak suffyciand at may be tyl hym mensk and onour to the ton profit a1500 Prestis of Peblis 309.
Thar manhed & thar mensk [Ch. mense] thusgat thai murle c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 352.
I maid that wif carll to werk all womenis werkis And laid all manly materis and mensk [M. mens] in this eird
You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Mensk n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 15 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/mensk_n>
