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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1971 (DOST Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Met(e, Meit, v.¹ Also: mett; meite, meitt, meyt; meet(e, meett(e; miet, mit; meat. P.t. and p.p. met(t, mette, mete, meit, meyt, mate. [ME. and e.m.E. mete(n, meete(n, meet, p.t. and p.p. mett(e, met (p.p. also ymet(te etc.), OE. métan (Northumb. moeta), p.t. métte.]

1. tr. To come or light upon, to come across, encounter, find. (With personal or non-personal object.) c1420 Wynt. iii. 118.
That he sulde, but let, Off his hous quhat evyr he mete … Devotly to God sacryfy Ib. viii. 4143.
A lytill kobill thare thai mete And had thame owre but langere lete c1590 J. Stewart 210 § 41.
The bowllin beists quhilk I did meit [: feit] Sprong from the former serpent 1611 J. Melvill in Fugitive Poetry II. ii. 15.
These wordes ay doubling ran I throw the streit Out of the towne, and there me thinks I meit Twa coatches

Also b. with cognate object. — 1456 Hay I. 41/24.
The first enconter that he met, he met vij grete foulis … callit voultouris

2. To come face to face with or in the presence of (a person approaching, also an animal), by chance or by intention or arrangement.As: to encounter, come upon, run across; to meet in order to welcome or to communicate with.(a) 1375 Barb. xvi. 40 (E).
Schir Eduuard of his come wes blyth And went doun to mete [C. meit] him swyth Ib. v. 59, vi. 203. a1400 Leg. S. iii. 814.
Rycht in the myddis of the strete The fend, his master, can he met Ib. xxiv. 516. c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 831 (D). c1420 Wynt. vii. 3314.
Thai suld mete hym thare belywe On thare best wys to gyve cownsale 1456 Hay I. 220/20. Ib. 154/33.
And be the way metis him a Franche knycht that all his gudis takis fra him(b) c1475 Wall. ix. 304.
To meyt [Wallace] … he waytit apon cace In a gardyng 1489 Treas. Acc. I. 117.
Gevin to Snawdon harrolde to pas to Berwic to meyt the imbassatouris of Spanȝe c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxxvii. 47. 1513 Doug. xiii. vii. 24. 1525 Douglas Corr. 98.
Certyfeinge ȝow that he suld meit ȝow at Caldstreme 1525 Wigtown B. Ct. 179 a. 1533 Gau 52/3.
Thay sal thane meit our Lord in the air 1570 Leslie 151.
The King send the Dolphine to meitt him sevin liggis fra the toun 1596–7 Misc. Spald. C. I. 93.
Lait in the gloming his hewkis meitts thé passand our the Thewis Briggis 1614 Melvill lxii.
In readiness to meitt the brydgrome(b) 1375 Barb. vii. 116. Ib. xix. 235. a1400 Leg. S. xxx. 810.
& quhat man he met [: but let] Ib. xxix. 658, xlix. 8. c1400 Troy-bk. i. 325.
And with a ryall companye … He mete thame c1475 Wall. iv. 295.
Quham euir thai mett was at the Inglis fay Thai slew all doun a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 179. c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxxvii. 9. a1538 Abell 51 a.
He met on cais ane lipper man 1544 Corr. M. Lorraine 94.
Donalsonne that mette the sade Sanders rayden towart the Inglis men 1596 Dalr. II. 341/13. 1654 Caithness Ch. Rec. in Old-lore Misc. II. ii. 110.
She … mett Graycoat in the way(c) a1400 Leg. S. xxi. 454.
Thane as scho thus … gret, Hyre sudanly has he met c1460 Alex. (Taym.) 1267.
He sall be met with mekill reuerence a1500 Rauf C. 440.

b. With cognate object. — ?a1500 Obsecro 65.
And the meitting that He thé met In hevin, Lady

3. To come into company with (another) by mutual arrangement, to have a meeting or tryst with. 1375 Barb. iii. 395.
Certane tyme till him he sete Quhen he suld meite him at the se Ib. viii. 135 (E).
Meyt ?1438 Alex. ii. 7592. c1420 Wynt. viii. 4454.
Qwhen the Kyng his brothyr he mete [: but lete] c1475 Wall. i. 62.
The consell than of Scotland meit hym thar a1500 Rauf C. 564.
Thairto I mak ane band That I sall meit thé heir vpon this mure to morne 1488 Treas. Acc. I. 93.
For the lordis to meyt the King at the ayre of Lanark 1527 Douglas Corr. 116.
Quhen evir ȝour lordschip ma be lasarit, I salbe reddy to meit ȝow 1531 Bell. Boece I. x.
As quhen ane luffar dois his lady meit 1543–4 Corr. M. Lorraine 56.
Meyt tham Erllis of Lennox [etc.] … and Georg Dowglas and commonyt lang 1547–8 Ib. 221.
My Lord Gray com to Berwick … in pwrpos to haiff maitt George off Dowglas a1568 Scott v. 29. 1565 St. A. Kirk S. 242.
And the sayd James requirit hyr father to caus the deponar cum and meit hym the nixt Sunday 1568 Anderson Collect. Mary IV. ii. 168.
That a gentleman of the Earl of Lennox mett the party that wrote the lettre 1575–6 Inverness Rec. I. 247.
And thairbe meitting the said Kennocht in all mercattis adjacent to this burcht a1585 Maitl. Q. xxxix. 72.
Let luif meit luif 1612–13 Misc. Spald. C. V. 89.
Gaue to ane calcimaker to meit my Lord Merschell in Monthe Cowie to mend the calcies, 6s. 8d. 1640 Haddington Corr. 178.
Meit a 1714 Cromarty Corr. II. 487.
Desyred them in most indescerned pathes to meitt him

4. With non-personal subject: To arrive or chance to be in the path of (a person or thing).(1) a1400 Leg. S. vi. 96.
As he vent in-to the strete A fel hund can hym mete c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyt. 92.
But Eolus full woid, and Neptunus … ws met with wind and waw Id. xxxv. 27.
Him meit sall in the air ane scho dragoun a1538 Abell 6 a.
To offir the first lewant creature that met him eftir this wictorye 1650 Brechin Presb. 33.
James Da … saw a branded dog meett Jonat Couper(2) 1531 Bell. Boece I. liii.
The see tangle … is sone involvit with any thing that it metis

b. To come to the notice of. — 1622-6 Bisset I. 221/14.
That gif any of there voittis meittis thame be the reporte of the pairties or uthirwyse … that aucht to have bene keiped secreit

5. To encounter or engage in battle; to advance against or to withstand, in battle.(a) 1375 Barb. xii. 226 (E).
Mete thaim with speris hardely ?1438 Alex. i. 2388.
He had great inuy To mete him that him fellit hade 1456 Hay I. 50/30.
He semblit his folk and maid him to mete him in faire felde c1475 Wall. ix. 940.
That euyr so few mycht byd in battail place Agaynys thaim metyng face for face 1533 Bell. Livy I. 209/9.(b) 1375 Barb. iii. 412.
Thai war in to dout … To meyt thair fayis that spred war wyd Ib. xv. 172. c1460 Alex. (Taym.) 1080.
That corps for corps he wald ȝow meit but mare 15.. Christis Kirk 172 (M).
The millar wes of manly mak, To meit him wes na mowis 1531 Bell. Boece (M) I. 171. c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 318. c1552 Id. Mon. 2034.
Thay … pat thameselfis in gude order To meit King Ninus on the border 1596 Dalr. I. 193/12. Ib. 159/11.
That he was nocht able to meite the Scottis in sett battell Ib. 286/4, II. 173/33.(b) 1375 Barb. vii. 207.
He … drew his suerd out and thame met [: set] And as he ȝeid [etc.] Ib. x. 676.
The constabill and his cumpany Met hym and his richt hardely Ib. vi. 147, xii. 576. ?1438 Alex. i. 2674. c1420 Wynt. viii. 4690.
But mare let Thai strawcht thare speris and thai thaim mete In to the fwrd c1460 Alex. (Taym.) 3186.
Emenedus to Ladinis him sett, And Ladinis agane him stoutlie mett Ib. 3608. 1531 Bell. Boece (M) II. 128/23.(c) 1375 Barb. viii. 245 (E).
For gyff the formast egrely Be met, … The henmaist sall abaysit be 1533 Boece i. iii. 37.
Gif in haisty maner thai war nocht mett

b. With cognate object. — ?1438 Alex. ii. 6245.
Ȝit saw I neuer iusting sa met And sa graithly thare strakes set

6. In various transf. senses.

a. To respond to; to offer a rejoinder to.a. c1420 Ratis R. 405.
Do thow rycht sa, than ar ȝhe meit Ewynlik as athir part of det Full weill in concord and bounte 1599 Rollock Wks. I. 404.
Surelie gif ye will considder thair deserving at the handis of the apostle, they suld haue been met mair hardlie … : ȝit the apostle meitis them gentlie 1645 Misc. Hist. Soc. I. 132.
[Ask her] to wryte that hir self and bill Charles is weill and I sall not faill to meit hir with the lyk for billie James

b. To combat, counter, oppose (something nonmaterial.) 1533 Boece viii. xii. 276 b.
Vtheris … deuisit to mete the gluthering of Hengist be sic like adulacioun and polecie 1599 Rollock Wks. I. 387.
The apostle heir he meitis the verie pride of the hart of man Ib. 391.
The apostle meitis this in the first words quhilk we have red

c. Of facts or pleas advanced in pleadings at law: To provide an adequate or relevant answer to, to ‘dispose of’ (contrary allegations). 1564 Perth B. Ct. 81 (9 May).
Allegit that thair is na sufficient anser to satefie the desyre of the terme … And metis na wayis the defencis … nochtwithstanding the productioun of ony pretendit euidentis quhilkis metis nocht the desyre of the terme 1608 Crim. Trials II. 550.
Quhilk nawayis meittis the said exceptioun 1631 Justiciary Cases I. 159.
That the former allegeance meittis nocht the rest of the heidis of the dittay

7. Of two or more persons, also of animals: To meet, in senses 2, 3, and 5 above.a. In passive or quasi-passive construction, to be (also have) met. Chiefly or only in verse.b. intr. Also to mete togidder. Also said of a person's body and soul.a. 1375 Barb. xvii. 82 (C).
A richt fair cumpany thai war Quhen thai war met to-giddir thar Ib. iii. 546. ?1438 Alex. ii. 552.
And shentworth I, bot gif I set Sic strakes fra we and thay be met c1420 Wynt. vii. 2973.
Thare he thowcht for till hawe mete As tryst mycht thare-off hawe bene sete a1500 Henr. Fab. 191 (Asl.).
The hartlie cheir … [that] Was kythit quhen thir sisteris twa war met a1500 Sir Eger 2204.
In company sen we are met [: reset] 1513 Doug. viii. viii. 27. 15.. Wyf Awcht. 57.
The calvis and ky being met in the loneb. (1) c1420 Wynt. viii. 6205.
At the ferry off the hill thai mete (sc. in battle) [: war sete] c1460 Alex. (Taym.) 772.
Thai set day of battell Quhair thai suld meit in feild c1475 Wall. v. 914. a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 552. c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyt. 67.
Quhair evir we meit 1535 Stewart 27774.
That da to meit in to that mad mellie c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 327. a1578 Pitsc. II. 139/31. 1593 Acts IV. 29/2.
Sindre parteis meitand in armes 1596 Dalr. I. 215/10.
The day of battel is sett, baith pairties meites, baith sydes ȝokis(2) c1460 Alex. (Taym.) 641.
Off the kyndnes of Busefall and quhow Alexander and he met a1500 Henr. III. 93/120.
Adew, for thus we mett c1475 Wall. iii. 336.
Thai tuk … Sanct Jhone to borch thai suld meyt haille agayne a1500 Rauf. C. 250.
Baith the king and the quene meitis in Paris, For to haid thair Ȝule togidder a1500 Seven S. 2356.
Thai kist lyk lufaris quhen thai met c1515 Asl. MS. I. 220/5.
The Erll of Huntlie … and the Erll of Craufurd … met at the ȝettis of Arbroth 1535 Stewart 53179.
Of aduenture tha mett Quhair lang befoir ane carne of stane wes sett 1540 Lynd. Sat. 2341.
And we tway meit agane this nicht a1568 Scott iii. 41. Ib. xxxiv. 66.
To meit in secreit place a 1568 Sempill Sat. P. xlvii. 23. a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. clxxv. 40.
[He] wald nocht ken him quhen thai mett Off quhome he gat sa gryt kindnes a1578 Pitsc. II. 99/21.
Tuo kingis airmeis meitand so neir hand and everie ane of thame fleand frome ane wther 1616 Sutherland Corr. 125.
Till his lordschip and I meitt 1649 St. A. Presb. 149.
Jonet Miller … saw Elspet Seith and Helen Young meitt, the one going one way, and the other another … Questioning Helen Young on hir deadbed, what she was doing then when they mate 1672 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. III. 490.
Meit 1686 Dunlop P. III. 29.
If it most be that ye and I shal not mit agen, or to met wher we shal nefer partproverbs a1568 Bann. MS. 82 a/52.
Mony man meitis at vnset stevin a1570-86 Maitl. F. lxxii. 24. a1605 Montg. Misc. P. v. 47.
For men may meit at vnset stevin Thoght montanis nevir meitis — 1540 Lynd. Sat. 1744.
Quhen friendis meitis hairtis warmes(3) c1420 Wynt. i. 1034.
Bot it ma fall be na kyn way That togyddyr met ma thai(4) c1420 Wynt. v. 4358.
In were as thai togyddyr mete [: sete p.p.] Ib. viii. 2917.
Thaire togyddyr as thai mete [: but … lete] … In the Freris at the hey awtere c1450 Cr. Deyng (S.T.S.) 248.
The sam body and saull as now is sal met to-gyddyr 1639 Baillie I. 210.
Both of them that night meets together at Dunce

c. Said of a pursuer and the pursued, when the former overtakes the latter. — a1500 Peblis to Play 24.
Quod he, ‘Thy bak sall beir ane bend’. ‘In fayth’, quod scho, ‘we meit nocht’ 15.. Sym & Bruder 94.
Ȝe meit nocht bot ȝe myr him

8. intr. Of a group of persons meeting by arrangement in a more or less organised way: To assemble, convene, come together.Also b. in the passive or quasi-passive.(a) 1386 Rot. Sc. II. 85/2.]
[That the commissairs of bathe partys sall mete aboute the xiiij day of Marz 1468 Smit Bronnen I. ii. 1019.
To wryt tyll all the comysaris of the boroys off Scoteland to met at Edynburch 1496–7 Acta Conc. II. 56.
The saidis jugis to mete thareapone [etc.](b) 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. ii. 63.
Ȝone lustie court will stop or meit To justifie this bysning 1544 Maxwell Mem. I. 288.
To meit and conueyne agane on Sonday cum viij dayis 1545 Corr. M. Lorraine 135.
Baythe thir armys, as thai purpos, sall june togyddyr and meit at Sterlyng a1568 Scott v. 42.
In May frank archeris will affix In place to meit 1570 Waus Corr. I. 66. 1583 Sempill Sat. P. xlv. 105. 1600 Facs. Nat. MSS. III. lxxvi.
That ve meit all at my hows of Fastcastell 1614 Reg. Privy C. X. 720. 1626 Old Ross-shire I. 33. 1628 Laing MSS. I. 183.
The commissioun meitis for ressaving off the takkis 1653 Lamont Diary 57.
Meite 1657 Balfour Ann. IV. 59.
To brackfast befor they meitt 1659 Edinb. B. Rec. IX. 174. 1662 Crim. Trials III. 617.(c) 1563 Reg. Privy C. I. 244.
To meat at the accustumat place 1654 Conv. Burghs III. 375.(d) 1649 Elgin Rec. II. 435.
At one afternoone all meett 1696 Aberd. Chart. 382.
Meeting all in the links 1697 Glasgow B. Rec. IV. 257.
Meett 1701 Caithness Ch. Rec. in Old-lore Misc. II. ii. 113.
Meett(e) 1647 J. Hope Diary 142.
That they would appoint some of there numbre to meette(b, c) 1626 Aberd. Council Lett. I. 241.
The burrowes proceedings that meit at Edinburgh the 14 of Julii last 1638-54 Rec. Kirk Scotl. 145.
When the commissioners … mett and sett downe [etc.] 1665 Rothesay B. Rec. 105.
Haveing maitt theranent 1667 Laing MSS. I. 355.
Metteb. a1500 Colk. Sow i. 412.
All the samyn ar thay met trew

Also c. of one person: To attend a meeting or assembly of this sort. — 1541–2 State P. (Reg. H.) No. 27.
Ane writing fra the said … wardane … that he culd nocht meit because the cuntree wes afloucht

9. Of inanimate objects. a. To come into contact, be placed together; to fit together; to join, come together. b. To fit close to.a. 14.. Reg. Episc. Aberd. I. 247.
To the burne of Tuledesk quhar it and the lechis of Pittolly metis togidder c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxxv. 47.
Quhone that our mowthis dois meit at ane 1561 Misc. Bann. C. I. 13.
Stretchide up with a stronge thwange of the same meit and aboue our saide ancklers 1590–1 Crim. Trials I. ii. 237.
Twa of thame held ane fingar … , the twa nebbis of the fingaris meting togidder a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 1545.
Twa round things will never meitb. a 1568 Sempill Sat. P. xlviii. 30.
It meites lyk stemmyne to your theis

c. In pleadings at law, of precedents etc.: To fit, correspond, be precisely relevant (in the case under discussion).Cf. 6 c above. 1628 Justiciary Cases I. 84.
The practique alledgit meittis nocht in this caice 1628 Brown Suppl. Dict. Decis. I. 248.
And as to the practique, it metts not, for that translation … was to a stranger 1631 Ib. 324.
Meits 1665 Ib. II. 386. 1683 Ib. III. 485.
And find the general discharge produced does not meet, not being granted for debts and cautionries due

10. Of non-material things or events: To unite, coincide, occur or exist simultaneously. c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxxv. 61.
And thai twa to ane play began … Quhill that thair myrthis met baythe in ane a1568 Scott xv. 33.
Meittand our lustis, spreitles we twa depairtis a1585 Maitl. Q. lxxxi. 19.
That wordes and thochtis and all in one may meit 1611-57 Mure Dido & Æneas 629.
All beautyes in this object meit

11. To mete with. a. To meet (another or others), in senses 1, 2, 3 or 5 above. Also b. To meet (one's match).a. (1) 1375 Barb. ii. 31.
Thiddir he raid, but langir let, And with Schyr Jhone the Cumyn met In the Freris Ib. xiv. 469.
Apon the morn thai [send] to spy, … Bot thai war met with all and tane a1400 Leg. S. v. 638.
A pilgram … that I … mete vith of case in to fere land Ib. xxvii. 1220; etc. a1500 Rauf C. 139. a1500 Seven S. 1296. 1535 Stewart 47235. 1540 Lynd. Sat. 42; etc. 1545 Corr. M. Lorraine 145.
He … mettis with the Erll of Angus and George this nyxt Vedinsday 1560 Rolland Seven S. 4098.
With hir mother scho hapnit for to meit Ib. 6462.
[He] Tuik greit langour quhill he culd with hir meit 1578 Bk. Univ. Kirk II. 411.
They had not commoditie to meit with them, and now are both off the toun a1578 Pitsc. II. 167/34.
Meat 1590 Reg. Morton I. 169. 1597 Edinb. B. Rec. V. 203.
To meitt and confer with twa ministers 1600 Acts IV. 208/1.
He … meittis with Mr Alexander Ruthven bludit in tua pairtis of his bodie 1603 Moysie 137.
His majestie heasted to Edinburgh to meit with the said duik 1629 Justiciary Cases I. 132. 1645 Aberd. B. Rec. IV. 43.
Meit 1650 Brechin Presb. 48.
Shee … mett with a beast that feared her Ib. 40. 1654 Conv. Burghs III. 370.
The saidis sex commissioneris of burrowis that ver appointed to meit with the heritouris … of East Louthiane 1680 Inverness Rec. II. 286.
Meitt 1681 Ib. 292.
Meett 1685 Dunlop P. III. 16.
[To] send it to the place wher they will miet with follk to carie it to ther frinds(2) c1475 Wall. iv. 250.
Thus Wallace sone can with the capteyn meite [: feit] c1552 Lynd. Mon. 3156.
The King of Inde, with curage kene, Met with Semiramis, the queneb. a1500 Henr. Fab. 2555 (H).
For all ȝour mowis ȝe met anis with ȝour mache

c. To mete sickerly with, ? to deal thoroughly or severely with, ? to tackle resolutely. — 1596 Dalr. I. 304/15.
He first … mett sickerly with [L. exquisitissimo supplicio affecit] the induellaris of Lochquhaber

d. To come across, encounter (a state of affairs, problem, task, etc.). — 1666 Laing MSS. I. 349.
In things of this kynd which it may chanc you may somtyms mit with 1669 Aberd. Council Lett. IV. 397.
Be reason of … the threatininges hee hath mett with 1681 Old Ross-shire 174.
Which is indeed a thing I meit with very seldome

e. To encounter, or experience (good or bad fortune). — c1420 Ratis R. 110.
And gyf thow ȝarnys to se the way To met with grace Ib. 764.
Sa lang sall he neuir do weill Na neuir have hap to met with seill 1686 Dunlop P. III. 19.
We have meet with many sad strocks since thow and I parted

f. Of adversity: To overtake (a person). — a1500 Seven S. 842.
This large knycht fell so in det That dedly mister with him met

g. In reciprocal use. = senses 9 a and 10. — 1513 Doug. viii. xii. 43.
Huge hie hillys, concurrand all atanys Togiddir rusch and meyt with other montanys a1585 Maitl. Q. lxxxv. 3.
If trustie talk with taillis so trew do meit Amids the gods dois duell that dame devyne