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.
Quotation dates: 1399-1632
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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 1513 Ib. x. ii. 63.
Thy son Ene, mysknawyng this deray 1513 Ib. i. v. 125. 1513 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 a1538 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 Court of Venus i. 452.
Thow allegis the thing that thou misknawis 1562-3 Winȝet I. 67/32. 1562-3 Ib. 74/19.
Ȝe will geif compt to Him quha misknawis nane of al our thochtis 1562-3 Ib. 105/6. 1562-3 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 Maitland Folio MS xxix. 132. 1567 Gude and Godlie Ballatis 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 1513 Ib. xi. 48. 1513 Ib. vi. xi. 61.
Mysknawyng quhat this ment 1513 Ib. ix. xii. 93.
Keyn Prytanyus Quhilkis mysknew Turnus was within the wall 1513 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. 1533 Ib. vii. 50. c 1535 Lennox Mun. 351.
He mysknawis that he hes … ony caus of miscontentatioun 1562-3 Winȝet I. 66/29. 1562-3 Ib. 6/30.
Ony science that is in ws quhi!k we misknaw not to be werray smal 1562-3 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 Legends of the Saints 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 Criminal 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 Legends of the Saints iii. 902.
The bischope than as innocent That misknew al hyr entent c1420 Ratis Raving 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] 1513 Ib. v. xiv. 41.
Byddis thou me be sa nyce I suld mysknaw This calm salt watir or stabil fludis haw? 1513 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 Peder Coffeis 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 Satirical Poems 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 Legends of the Saints 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 1513 Id. Æn. xii. ix. 84. 1560 Rolland Seven Sages 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 Gude and Godlie Ballatis 73.
For be I ryche I may perchance Say, quha is God? and Him misknaw 1570 Satirical Poems 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 Complaynte of Scotland 19/18.
He [God] … hes tane [sc. riches] fra them that hes arrogantly misknauen Hym a1568 Scott xxxiii. 30. 1572 Satirical Poems xxxiii. 255. a1570-86 Maitland Maitland Folio MS cxii. 27.
Than he did rew That he unkyndlie me misknewa1570-86 Maitland Maitland Folio MS 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 Edinburgh Testaments XXIX. 466.
Hir freindis … haue misknawin hir in hir lyftyme 1598 Moysie 7.c. c1550-60 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 Gude and Godlie Ballatis 118.
Cast furth Thy … cruelnes On … realmes quhilk misknaw Thy godlynes 1567 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 Maitland Folio MS 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 Criminal Trials II. 115.
And the said Robert Auchmowtie, quhais presens could nocht be misknawin in respect of the fact intervenient 1600 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 Asloan 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 Gude and Godlie Ballatis 190.
Preistis and clerkis … Quhilk dois thair God misknaw a1568 Bannatyne MS 52 b/134. a1578 Pitsc. I. 392/8. a1578 Ib. II. 304/6.
Men misknawand thair God
