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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.

Misdo, v. Also: mys(e)do. (For the p.t. and p.p. forms see Do v.) [ME. and e.m.E. mis-, mysdo, OE. misdón.]

1. intr. To do wrong, sin, err. 1375 Barb. ii. 43.
He mysdyd thair gretly but wer That gave na gyrth to the awter a1400 Leg. S. vi. 264.
I tel thé thu has mysdone Ib. vii. 191.
To here hym mare we myse-do now Ib. xix. 622.
That quha mysded … sulde … to the dede be done Ib. xxxi. 758, xxxvi. 536; etc. c1420 Wynt. v. 5618 (W).
Quhen ony cuntre had mysdone Or wald agane the Romanis rys 14.. Acts I. 84*/2.
Ony misdoar … that has mysdone by rubry wythin … Ingland 1456 Hay I. 175/4. Ib. II. 81/25.
Trewly me think that he mysdois nocht in nathing 1494 Loutfut MS. 6 a.
Nan suld disobey til his said marschall … bot gif he will mysdo

b. To do harm or injury to or till another.Also, quasi-tr., to misdo ocht, to do any wrong (to).(1) a1400 Leg. S. xxvii. 712.
Ay to do il Til hyme that neuir mysdid ȝu til Ib. xxxiii. 650.
That mysdone thaim has Ib. xxxiv. 254. Ib. xl. 1305. 14.. Burgh Laws c. 35 (A).
Gif ony man of the castell misdois till a burges 1494 Loutfut MS. 6 b.
Al thai that had done offence or mysdon in ony maner to the said madenys(2) 14.. Acts I. 29/2.
Gif ony man of the castell has ocht misdone til ony man of the burgh [etc.]

c. To misdo to kynd, to do wrong to nature, to commit unnatural sin. — a1400 Leg. S. xviii. 470
For that wes maste than myn mynd Quhare-in I mysded maste to kynd

2. tr. To do (something) wrongly or badly, to do amiss. a1400 Leg. S. xxxii. 606.
He … mad schryfte of al that he Had mysdone in ony degre c1420 Wynt. vii. 2175.
Quhat that is mysdwne be me I ask excusyd for to be Ib. i. 1413. c1475 Wall. iv. 754.
Der hart, quha has mysdoyn ocht, I? 1535 Stewart 14142.
Sayand he wald … Amend all thing befoir that wes misdone

3. reflex. a. To do harm to, to degrade, oneself. b. To injure or destroy oneself. ?1438 Alex. ii. 10722.
For quha menskis vther in ony thing, Himselfe na misdois he nocht 1572 Buch. Detect. (1727) 46.
Nouther to dispair, nor utherwyse mair cruelly to misdo himself