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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.

Misknaw, v. Also: misknaw(e, -knau, mysknaw. P.t. mis-, mysknew, mysknow. P.p. misknawin, -knauen, mysknawin, mis-, mysknaw. [North. ME. (? once only) misknawen p.p. (Cursor M.) ? felt regret, and cf. ME. and e.m.E. mis-, mysknowe (see Misknow v.). Appar. chiefly Sc.] = Misken v.

1. tr. To be ignorant or unaware (of). Also absol.Const. noun or clause object: cf. Knaw v.1 13 and 15.(1) 14.. Acts I. 328/2.
Gif the lord of the forest … disimilis him sic transgressioun to misknaw [etc.]
a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 1512.
Merwall is that thou misknawis allane Thir cruell dedis … wes To Jhesus done
1513 Doug. ix. Prol. 82.
Quhar I mysknaw myne errour, quha it fyndis For cheryte amendis it
Ib. x. ii. 63.
Thy son Ene, mysknawyng this deray
Ib. i. v. 125. Ib. iii. v. 110. 1533 Bell. Livy II. 215/35. 1535 Stewart 37444.
Thow trowis God thi cruell cryme misknawis
a1538 Abell 64 b.
Sche mysknew the tyme of hir deliuering
Ib. 76 b.
Malcolme misknew nocht the hoip of wichcraft in Machabeid
1542 Hamilton P. I. 181.
We can nocht understand that ye mysknaw the caus of thare takyne, considering it is sa manifest
1540 Lynd. Sat. 1102. c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus i. 452.
Thow allegis the thing that thou misknawis
1562-3 Winȝet I. 67/32. Ib. 74/19.
Ȝe will geif compt to Him quha misknawis nane of al our thochtis
Ib. 105/6. Ib. II. 35/12. 1558-66 Knox II. 453.
The treuthe ceisses nocht to be the treuthe, howsoevir it be that men misknaw it, or yit ganestand it
1572–3 Canongate Ct. Bk. 430. a1570-86 Arbuthnot Maitl. F. xxix. 132. 1567 G. Ball. 55.
Our bairnis now weill knawis how To wirschip God … Quhilk mony ȝeir our fatheris deir … full far misknew
1581 Burne Disput. in Cath. Tr. 121/9.
God forekneu the same quha can misknau na thing to cum
a1597-1617 Hist. Jas. VI 298.
To knaw of him whither sik a band was or not wha semit to misknaw the same
(2) 1513 Doug. i. ix. 91.
Nocht mysknawand quhat payn is ennoy to dre
Ib. xi. 48. Ib. vi. xi. 61.
Mysknawyng quhat this ment
Ib. ix. xii. 93.
Keyn Prytanyus Quhilkis mysknew Turnus was within the wall
Ib. xii. xii. 187. 1513–14 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.)26.
Quhat boll it wald extend to sekarlie he misknawis
1531 Bell. Boece I. 31.
Nane is that misknawis amang you, how odious and detestabill it is
1533 Boece i. ii. 34 b. Ib. vii. 50. c 1535 Lennox Mun. 351.
He mysknawis that he hes … ony caus of miscontentatioun
1562-3 Winȝet I. 66/29. Ib. 6/30.
Ony science that is in ws quhi!k we misknaw not to be werray smal
Ib. 28/11. 1564 Inverness Rec. I. 117.
Confessit he borrowit certane laidis muk bot misknew how monye
1566 St. A. Kirk S. 272.
Becaws … sche mysknew that the said Robert wes jonit in mariaige wyth … Cristen Awerye
1568 Skeyne Descr. Pest 22. 1574 Glasgow B. Rec. (M.C.) 13.
Certain turvis castin … be quhom we misknau
(3) c1420 Wynt. ii. Prol. 12.
Mysknawin
1513 Doug. iii. vi. 118.
Behald quhat change … May be mysknaw, throw tymys lang bipast
1558 Q. Kennedy Tractive in Misc. Wodrow Society 159.
Because it wes evir misknawin to the kirk of God
1562–3 Reg. Privy C. I. 230.
Quhilk article … suld not haif bene misknawin to the said Thomas
1571 Bann. Memor. 93.
Some wrytingis are cassin in … against Johne Knox, and the ingevaris thairof are misknawin
(4) a1500 Henr. Fab. 1432 (Bann.).
absol. ‘Ȝis’, quod the mous, ‘I knaw, Bot I misknew becaus ȝe lay so law’

b. To be unfamiliar with; to be unversed in.Also absol. a1400 Leg. S. xviii. 534.
Of syk syne … That thai mysknew, I cuth tham lere
1513 Doug. iii. Prol. 18. 1535 Stewart 10722.
The Romanes … Misknew the ground and also had no gyde
1562-3 Winȝet II. 6/9.
Your grace's faythful subiectis, quha ar of smal leirning or quha misknawis the Latin toung
1600 Crim. Trials II. 255.
For nane thair is sa ignorant, misknawing materis of estait, quha may not knaw, that [etc.]
absol. 1562-3 Winȝet II. 72/7.
Quha other leris it nocht quhen he mysknawis or contemnis it quhen he knawis he sal be mysknawin

2. To misunderstand, mistake, misjudge, take a wrong view of. a1400 Leg. S. iii. 902.
The bischope than as innocent That misknew al hyr entent
c1420 Ratis R. 49.
That pwre men … Worthis tyll erlys … Quhill thai misknaw thar gouernyngis
1513 Doug. ii. vii. 87.
The portratour of armys was mysknaw [R. misknaw]
Ib. v. xiv. 41.
Byddis thou me be sa nyce I suld mysknaw This calm salt watir or stabil fludis haw?
Ib. vii. iv. 23. 1533 Boece iv. viii. 137.
Cornan … throw oure grete insolence mysknawing his awne estate attemptit to rais power in defence of the king
1535 Stewart 20309.
Than tha misknaw God and fortoun so far, Na wounder is suppois tha get the war
1581 Burne Disput. in Cath. Tr. 145/5.
S. Paul … could not misknau the vordis of Christ

b. reflex. To misjudge one's own nature or position; chiefly, to have an exaggerated opinion of oneself. 1535 Stewart 51053.
Quhilk maid him than the perter of sic thing And als him self and other men misknaw
a1568 Pedder C. 33.
Knaifatica coff misknawis him sell Quhen he gettis in a furrit goun
1565 Facs. Nat. MSS. III. xlix.
The greit honour we did vnto thame thai being thairof maist vnworthy maid thame to misknaw thame selffis
? 1570 Sat. P. xx. 68. 1584-9 Maxwall Commonpl. Bk. 17 b.
Lwiferis ar nocht wnlyk to woode men. quha misknawis thame self & knawis nocht quhat thay do

3. tr. To fail to recognize or identify. a1400 Leg. S. xxv. 317.
Twa lyand [he] has persawyt That he mysknew fore thai ware hyd
a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 175.
All innocentis thai slew, For he [Herod] the prince, quhilk king suld be, misknew
1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. i. 200.
Thai [Actæon's hounds] raif thair lord, misknew him at them batit
Id. Æn. xii. ix. 84. 1560 Rolland Seven S. 7180.
The king … misknew his quene
1568 Haddington Corr. 116.
Your wyff will be sa lene and ye abid lang fra hyr, that ye will misknaw hir at your haime cuming
1570 G. Ball. 73.
For be I ryche I may perchance Say, quha is God? and Him misknaw
1570 Sat. P. x. 19.

4. a. To refuse to acknowledge, disown, repudiate (a person, etc.). b. To ignore, disregard, neglect, not concern oneself with (a person). Also c. to overlook the fault of, to forgive.a., b. a1500 Henr. Fab. 1593 (Ch.).
For quhy thay stand nane aw, That garris thame thair soueranis misknaw
1513 Doug. viii. Prol. 87.
Clerkis for oncunnandnes mysknawis ilk wight
1549 Compl. 19/18.
He [God] … hes tane [sc. riches] fra them that hes arrogantly misknauen Hym
a1568 Scott xxxiii. 30. 1572 Sat. P. xxxiii. 255. a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. cxii. 27.
Than he did rew That he unkyndlie me misknew
Id. Ib. clxxv. 44. 1581-1623 James VI Poems I. 50/139. 1586 Warrender P. MS. 175.
We are heir … in effect misknawin of our haill acquentance
1596 Edinb. Test. XXIX. 466.
Hir freindis … haue misknawin hir in hir lyftyme
1598 Moysie 7.c. Arundel MS. 240/65.
As Thou said, ‘Fathir, misknaw my crucifyaris’

d. To ignore, disregard, overlook (something). e. To disavow, deny (something). = Misken v. 4 c, d.(1) a1538 Abell 3* b.
Carnal fraudys Paip Benidic virtiosly mysknow
1567 G. Ball. 118.
Cast furth Thy … cruelnes On … realmes quhilk misknaw Thy godlynes
Ib. 190.
Goddis word and lawis the peple misknawis
1562-3 Winȝet I. 5/23.
Hes not mony throw inlak of techement in mad ignorance mysknawin thair deuty quhilk [etc.]
1572 J. Maitland Maitl. F. lxxxviii. 9.
Misknaw thair crafte and kythe not as ȝe kend it
a1578 Pitsc. I. 93/2.
He maid him to misknaw all wther preceidingis
1600 Crim. Trials II. 115.
And the said Robert Auchmowtie, quhais presens could nocht be misknawin in respect of the fact intervenient
Ib. 126. 1600 Acts IV. 209/2. 1602 Reg. Privy C. VI. 541.
[Having obtained suspension of the said charge, he is still sued by the said persons] misknawing the suspension
1632 Lithgow Trav. v. 212.(2) 1566 Lennox Mun.
Be his answer … he mysknawis that he hes ony sic purpos in hede or ony caus of miscontentatioun

f. absol. — 1558 Q. Kennedy Tractive in Misc. Wodrow Soc. 126.
He that misknawis salbe misknawin

5. = Misken v. 5. c1515 Asl. MS. I. 300/19.
Jowis did sacrifice prayeris … bot peruerstly misknawin Crist and thair tyme of visitacoun
c1552 Lynd. Mon. 3873.
For all the myraklis that he schew, Maliciouslye thay hym mysknew
1567 G. Ball. 190.
Preistis and clerkis … Quhilk dois thair God misknaw
a1568 Bann. MS. 52 b/134. a1578 Pitsc. I. 392/8. Ib. II. 304/6.
Men misknawand thair God

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"Misknaw v.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 5 Nov 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/misknaw>

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