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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.

Misken, v. Also: miskenn(e, -kene, -keane, -keen, -kend, mysken, -kene. [e.m.E. (once) misken (1652), otherwise chiefly or only Sc.: cf. ON. miskenna not to recognize (a person). In the mod. dial. misken.] = Misknaw v.

1. tr. To be ignorant or unaware (of), not to know (of).Const. noun or clause object: cf. Ken v. 19 and 21. a1400 Leg. S. vii. 209.
Lord, remyt this gilt tham to, For thai myskene quhat thai do Ib. xi. 187.
Quhene thai say that thai myskene Thu sal wel wit thai dissawe men Ib. xviii. 60.
Thinge to cum we myskene al Ib. xxvii. 828.
I … will now To thame of Catnes … gang That cristine treutht is myskennand lang Ib. ix. 178. c1420 Wynt. ii. Prol. 12.
The qwhilkis … Neyr forȝet war reklesly, Or than myskende all wttrely Witht thayme that [etc.] 1513 Doug. i. viii. 126 (Sm.).
Quha miskennis Troye, that ryall cietie? 1517 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 42.
Quhidder he come to him ane owk or ane other befor he miskennes, bot he trowes he come ane owk befor 1520 Ib. 57; etc.
Quhat tyme of yer it was he miskennis a1568 Wedderburn Bann. MS. 239 b/3.
The veritie and trewth thay do misken Thruch thair obdurat obstinatioun a1585 Maitl. Q. lxviii. 17. 1584-9 Maxwall Commonpl. Bk. 25 a.
The abote miskendis that the ministeris intendis

2. To misunderstand, mistake, have a wrong idea of (a person or thing). Also absol. a1400 Leg. S. iii. 355.
Thu miskennis and saweris nocht The thinge he God will haf in thocht c1475 Wall. x. 459.
Throuch thi falsheid thin awn wyt has myskend 1529 Lynd. Complaynt 459.
I wat thy grace wyll nocht misken me 1535 Stewart 27614.
The warld, thame self and God for to misken 1551 Hamilton Cat. 24.
And mairowyr the Jewis nocht onlie miskend thame self, bot alswa thai miskend thair Lord God and His godlie lawis and commandis gevin to thame 1567 G. Ball. 97. 1571 Calderwood III. 161.
The servants of God … are called proud that miskenne their owne place and know not with whom they deale 1630 Rutherford Christ & Doves 22.
The devil hath made these enemies of the grace of God to misken all our communion with Christabsol. a1400 Leg. S. vii. 174.
For nerhand all the puple now Myskennand trowis in Jhesu

b. reflex. To misesteem, to have a false or exaggerated opinion of, oneself or one's position; ‘to get above oneself’. a1400 Leg. S. xxxi. 760.
& als men seis there master-men For hey estate thaim-self mysken 1456 Hay I. 6/18.
Quhen he sawe him self sa faire sa noble and sa relusand … he miskend himself 1551 Hamilton Cat. 23.
Baith thai miskend thame self and thair Lord God Ib.
The peple of the Jewis miskend thame self, in sa mekil that thai … thocht thame self innocentis 1573 Davidson Sat. P. xlii. 424. c1610 Jok Uplandis Newis 2 b.
They begane in pryd, invy and follie … to misken themselffes 1685-8 Renwick Serm. 332.
O! this life would make you all misken yourselves

3. tr. To fail to recognize or identify. 1549 Compl. 70/8.
Gyf they had bene present that vrocht ande maid it [a lady's mantle] … thai vald haue clair myskend it be rasone that it vas sa mekil altrit 1560 Rolland Seven S. 10433.
Seiknes, eild and laubour Causit thame to misken his fassoun and fauour 1600-1610 Melvill 228.
In all the quhilk way we saw nocht thrie persones, sa that I miskend Edinbruche 1608 Crim. Trials II. 549.
The pannell, to mak hir maiestie to misken hir awin grit perle, causit bring the samyn to a dyamont 1665 Lauder Jrnl. 82.
Its beaux esprits … hath reformed it [sc. the French language] in such a faschion that it miskeens the garbe it had 50 or 60 years ago

4. a. To refuse to acknowledge, to disown, to repudiate (a person). Passing into: b. To pass over, ignore, disregard, neglect, not to take notice of or concern oneself with (a person). 1494 Loutfut MS. 25 b.
And for na barrat wald mysken his fader na moder quhilkis norist him c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 380.
Quhen he … payntit me as pako, proudest of fedderis, I him miskennyt … & cukkald him maid 1540 Lynd. Sat. 3737 (Ch.).
Sir Covetice, will ȝe, also, misken me? c1552 Id. Mon. 5901. 1551 Hamilton Cat. 25.
Quhasumever miskennis thai thingis wylfullie … salbe miskennit of God a1568 Bann. MS. 64 b/28.
For hichtines the culroun dois misken His awin maister als weill as vthir men a1568 Scott xxxiv. 15. 1593 Edinb. B. Rec. V. 87.
The tennents … at the commoun milnis … miskennis the toun and disappoyntes the commoun myllers servands 1595 Cal. Sc. P. XI. 632.
[They] ar advysit to misken thair awin naturall king 1598–9 Haddington B. Rec. (Robb) 12 Jan.
Accusit of vilepending Alexr Seytoun baillie … saying to the said Alex., gif he usit the lyke, viz. in wairding the said William & retening him tharin. saying he wald be miskend 1615 Highland P. III. 199. 1622 Durie Decis. 36. 1623 James VI in Ellis Orig. Lett. i Ser. III. 139. 1624 Dunkeld Presb. I. 349.
Miskennt 1630 Maxwell Mem. II. 212.
He greaves muche that ȝe haive miskent him in the offer of ȝour estait 1635 Dickson Hebrews 30. 1636 Brown Suppl. Dict. Decis. I. 362.
The Earl of Galloway pursues the tenants to pay their duties to him and to misken Harie Gordon for the crop 1635 1639 Baillie I. 157.
Since that tyme, he hes lived verie privatlie, miskent by all 1640 Red Bk. Grandtully II. 139.
I would haue ȝow to miskeane him and haue nothing adoe with him 1642 Thanes of Cawdor 290.
Bot quhen George came home he miskenis the memberis of the hous and thair cours of goverment 1645 Baillie II. 297. Ib. 315.
In all these things misken me, and all information from this a1650 Row 350.
And though he discharged him to preach againe, yit shortlie after, he was content to oversee and misken him 1650 Brechin Presb. 50.
Shee said to Jonet, goe your wayes and misken me, for ye cannot doe me good c1650 Spalding II. 303. 1654 Johnston Diary II. 306.
I found the enseigne reel as a mad body at my chalmer doore and I miskend him Ib. 245. 1661 Nicoll Diary 349.
The craftismen wer altogidder miskenit and neglectit 1686 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. XIII. 91.
The donators right being intimat long before the useing of the order, he could not be miskenned but ought to have been called therto 1685 Lauder Notices Affairs II. 628. 1695 Fountainhall Decis. I. 671. 1697-1707 D. Hume Accompt of Estate 32.
Seeing he could not misken his father who had been served [heir] to John

c. To ignore, disregard, overlook, pass over; to take no notice of; not to concern oneself with (something). d. To disavow, disclaim, repudiate, deny (something).Also const. noun clause.(1) 1535 Stewart 13830.
Vice growis quent and vertu is miskend Ib. 52727.
This gouernour that counsall did misken 1551 Hamilton Cat. 25.
Quhasumever miskennis thai thingis wylfullie quhilk God requiris of thame to ken and keip for thair salvacioun Ib. 247.
As thocht God miskend our misters Ib. 48. Ib. 125. 1588 King Cat. 231 b. a1597-1617 Hist. Jas. VI 297.
Maxwell escapit that daynger and semit a lang tyme to misken the same 1606 Lett. & St. P. Jas. VI 79.
Seing thair is sua mekle talke off this all whair as we can naa langer miskenne it a1634 Forbes Rec. 355.
Purposlie miskening the trew authors of that trouble Ib. 433. 1637 Rutherford Lett. (1891) 189.
My Lord miskent all and did bear with my foolish jealousies 1638 Protestation Noblemen Borrowes Ministers and Commons Subscribers Covenant 4 July.
His present declaration … doth misken, passe over, and so in effect deny all our supplications … and desires 1633-45 T. Hope Diary 102. 1639 Baillie I. 196.
Carlaverock we did misken: it could not be taken without cannon Ib. 218.
Miskennit 1641 Ib. 362. 1642 Ib. II. 27. 1642 Argyll Synod I. 30. 1643 Baillie II. 86.
He caused elect me … miskenning the prior election of the presbytrie as null Ib. 123.
As for the minister's bowing in the pulpit, we did misken it 1644 Ib. 131. 1644 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. II. 527. c1650 Spalding I. 69. Ib. II. 161.
Bot he miskenit all and neuer querellit the samen Ib. 405. a1652 Dickson Psalms I. 53.
As a crafty hunter spreadeth his net for a prey and miskenneth it till the prey be intangled Ib. 259. a1658 Durham Scandal (1740) 225. 1669 Jus Populi 443.
To keep in memory such a book which, if he had miskend, would have dyed out of minde(2) 1611 Lett. Eccl. Affairs I. 275.
But quhils I passed to my Lord Chancellour to enquyre of your Majesties pleasour thairanent, he denyes and miskenis the samen a1651 Calderwood VII. 266.
That is not, nor can not be done in this court; therefore, I misken your sentence 1671 Sel. Biog. I. 249.(3) 1649 Aberd. Council Lett. III. 146.
Give Leslie wreatt not to them, ye may misken ye have hard of it 1686 G. Stuart Joco-Ser. Disc. 14.
I ken this county weel eneugh, Miskenn I tell'd ye

e. ? To refrain from mentioning. 1652 Baillie III. 178.
I hope yow will misken to Mr Blair and all others … all this my freedome

f. absol. 1551 Hamilton Cat. 126.
Qui ignorat, ignorabitur, He that miskens sall be miskennet a1651 Calderwood VII. 38.
Yitt they thought it wisdom to misken, and to dryve the conference to thispoint

5. With God or Christ as object, in various prec. senses, esp. 4 a and b. c1420 Wynt. v. 4865.
Thai myskend thaire Creature [= Creator] And lowyd ma goddys than nature … mycht comprys Ib. i. 97. a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 892.
Thair fleschely lust garris thaim Crist mysken c1552 Lynd. Mon. 3866.
And als because that thay myskend Jesu … Quhen He amang thame did remane a1568 Bann. MS. 86 a/20. 1567 G. Ball. 126.
And thay that did Thé lang misken, Sall knaw Thé God of mycht Ib. 129. a1570-86 Maitl. F. clxxix. 43.
Thocht thai that do the Lord misken In to the erthe beir now the bell 1600-1610 Melvill 82.
Vanitie … maid him misken his God, Wha wald nocht be miskenned, namlie, be the hichest 1638 Henderson Serm. 354. Ib. 367. 1646 Rutherford Lett. (1664) 536.
Ye shall misken him, & he shall appear a new Christ 1654-6 Gray Gospel Call 8.
The Kirkmiskent Christ because He was cloathed with red garments 1638 Cant Serm. (1741) 23.
Thou hast offended Him and run away from Him and miskent Him