Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1983 (DOST Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Office, n. Also: offyc(e, -is(e, -ys(e, -iece, -ece, -eice, ofice, -is. [ME. offiz (c 1250), offis (1297), offys, office (Cursor M.), -yce, e.m.E. office etc., F. office (12th c.), L. officium.]

1. a. One's regular duty or function in society, one's job. b. A business that one is about, a task or duty falling or assigned to one.Also with defining terms as the office (= function) of (ane) angell, kingis office, and const. to do something.(1) c1420 Ratis R. 387.
Quantice … can … Til wnknawin ken thar office c1420 Wynt. v. 1633.
He wes noucht put off his offyce Bot bade and dyde furth his service Ib. vi. 1046.
Swa off hys menbrys he mad dewyce That serwyd the dewill off thaire office Ib. i. 50, v. 2448.
Offys 1456 Hay I. 239/15.
All labouraris … be the propre nature of thair office and labour suld [etc.] a1500 Bk. Chess 699.
Thar [judges'] office is to counsall wele the king [etc.] Ib. 1425. 1490 Irland Mir. I. 127/18. 1513 Doug. vii. Prol. 34. Ib. i. i. 51. 1529 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 98.
All that ar outlandis burges … usand fremen ofices vithin the toun a1538 Abell 38 b.
Wexit … in will office hes [= as] bering of stanis in quarrell or siklik 15.. Wyf Awcht. 105. 1573 Davidson Sat. P. xlii. 250. 1580 Facs. Nat. MSS. III. lxx.
His erroneous doctrine agaynst … the office of Christ 1588 King Cat. 177.
Of thame [sc. virtues] proceid … al kynd of offices and dewties and of thame al the offices of commune lyf 1590-1 R. Bruce Serm. 31. 1596 Dalr. II. 21/12.
Ane ordour of a hundir Scotis archiers, quhais office suld be to keip the Kingis bodieproverb. 1600-1610 Melvill 481.
‘A office for a man is aneuche’, and ‘Manie yrons in the fyre, sum will cull’(2) 1456 Hay I. 10/32.
For that is ane office of ane angel Ib. 11/2.
And alsa he had office of pape quhen [etc.] Ib. 237/22.
It is naine office of prelate to counsale were c1460 Alex. (Taym.) 3520.
And tak ane knaiffis office apoun hand 1551 Hamilton Cat. 140. 1562-3 Winȝet I. 23/23.
Be the help of it … the office of all potestatis is lycht to thaim and plesand to the subiectis 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 16.
That … na man be providit to susteine office of preachour or techour in the Kyrk 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 7/2.
For youre training up in all the pointis of a kings office 1596 Dalr. I. 109/13.
Forgetting planelie your office and seruice ecclesiastical 1665 Rec. Old Aberd. I. 107.
George Murray pypper having givine in ane supplicatioune … for going throche the toune … withe the pype and drum … they [the baillies] gaive him the office

c. To use or exerce one's, or an, office, to perform one's regular or daily task, to perform a certain function: cf. sense 2 f.See also, for examples, Exerce 4 b (b) and (c). 14.. Burgh Laws c. 98 (B).
Bot gyf thai [craftsmen] oyse nocht thair offycys [A. craft] wyth thair awyn handis bot wyth servandis vndyr thaim 1492 Myll Spect. 292/19.
To the place quhar I may maist secretlye excers the office of luf a1605 Montg. Son. v. 12.
The attircops Minervas office vsis

2. A publicly recognised position of service and delegated authority; the position occupied by an officer of an authority (Officiar n. 2, Officer(e n. 2); also, a post of duty, more generally.For further examples see, e.g., Deprivatioun n., Deprive v. 1, Forfalt p.p. b, Malversatioune n., Malverse v., Ministratio(u)n n. 8 a.Also common in the formula the office of (admiralitie, agentrie, bailliery, bellmanschip, capitanry, chancellarie, etc., or commissar, javellour, justice clerk, lawman, lieutenant general, lioun, etc.) or (mair of fey) office: see the designations of particular offices or officers.(1) 1397 Acts I. 208/2.
Gif thai do deuly thair det to thair office 1400 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 45.
In al ȝeris that I gouernyt the saide offyse [the sheriffdom of Perth] 1418–9 Liber Melros II. 503.
The seale of hys [the abbot's] office 1431 Ib. 522.
As off myne office c1420 Wynt. vii. 1603.
The Pape Alysawndyr … thame suspendyt fra benyfyis And fra all othir kyn offys 1460 Newburgh B. Ct. 3 b.
Accusit be the balȝeis throw reson of thair offices of dyssabeyng [etc.] 1474 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 32. 1497–8 Acta Conc. II. .
That thai hald na alderman langyr in his office maire than ane yeire 1518 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 183.
To beir ony common office of the toun for that yeir 1529 Reg. Privy S. II. 49/2.
The barony of Wester Ferny with certane uther landis and officis annexit and unit thairto 1533 Bell. Livy II. 71/20.
The grete officis and digniteis of the ciete 1552 Conv. Burghs I. 3.
[The] new counsale and auld counsale to … cheis the litis to the offices 1562-3 Winȝet I. 103/31. 1567 Reg. Privy C. I. 582.
And swa haldis the publict offices and counsale 1569 Ib. II. 4.
The offices of the realme to be committit to speciall personis a1578 Pitsc. I. 60 marg.
Offieces Ib. 85/7.
Offeices 1581 Bk. Univ. Kirk II. 492.
That na persoun be intrusit in ony of the offices of the Kirk 1581 Lanark B. Rec. 84.
Offece 1596 Dalr. I. 127/25.
To appne vpe euerie smal office wil be laborious 1621 Glasgow Weavers 67.
That the said William … hes injurit his deikin in his office, speiking to him contemptibilly 1633 Lithgow Poet. Rem. .
Now eu'ry office beares the name of lord 1673 Laing MSS. I. 387.
The offises of stait they have concluded upon and all other plases alredie(2) 1423 Buccleuch MSS. 33.
Quat thyng so euer the saydis Adam [etc.] … in thaire ofis of procurature ledis to be doun 1456 Hay II. 22/4.
And suppos, of all officis of honourabilitee, the knychtis office be the lawast of office of dignitee under imperiale or ryale magestee Ib. 33/18.
All thingis that ar contrarious to virtu and justice ar contrarious to the order and office of knychthede 1492 Aberd. B. Rec. in Mill Mediæv. Plays 133.
The first ȝere that he enterit in the office of Abbat of Bonacorde c 1523 Chart. Coupar A. II. 135.
All … thingis … that to the office of lauchtfull bailȝe … is as knawin … to perteine 1563 Reg. Privy S. V. i. 353/1.
And of youre offices in that parte 1584 Misc. Bann. C. I. 112.
He was … admonissit … to desist from that office off a bischop 1587 Dundee B. Laws 479 (see Officiarie n.¹).
Oficis 1608 Kinghorn Kirk S. 13.
Sic as ar electit … to beir the office of elderschip 1672 Acts VIII. 87/2.
That the office of deputes in the justice-court be suppressed

b. In sing. without article, demonstr. or possess.: Official position or status; authority or jurisdiction.Man of office, an officer. Wordis of office, official, formal or ceremonial words.(1) a1400 Leg. S. xxxi. 757.
For he office & signory Gerris men mysdo commonly c1460 Consail Vys Man 80.
Fra pruf and wytnes baith vnabile And fra al office honorabile c1475 Wall. vii. 1028.
He … In heretage gaiff him office to fee Off all Straithern Ib. xi. 72.
A keyn capdane than clemyt in heretage Office off it and gret landis in wage a1500 Bk. Chess 1811.
All commoun offis suld the masur ȝou schaw a1538 Abell 87 a.
To keip thé fra office in religioun … & sa thow sall eschew office claustral a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. xiv. 42.
Thocht thow in court be with the hieast placeit In honour office or in dignitie(2) 1456 Hay II. 90/29.
To do worschip … to thame that beris office of him and namely office of execucioun of lawe 1469 Acts II. 95/1. 1525 Aberd. B. Rec. I. xli.
Quhene thair hapins ane man of guid that hes borne office within the towne to deceis 1630 Linlithgow B. Rec. 1 Oct.
Nane that bruikis office sall be frie off contrabuting(3) a1500 Rauf C. 230.
With my lady the Quene In office maist haue I bene 1525 (1527) Reg. Great S. 97/2.
The dekin that passis furth of his office … shall mak compt … to the dekin that enteris in office 1546 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 232. 1555 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 217.
And als that he is now instantlie nother in office nor on the counsale(4) 1498–9 Reg. Privy S. I. 42/2.
Ane letter of office and power to Schir Patrik Howm 1565 Instit. Ct. Sess. 26 a.
The sumondis to be vnder the signet of office of the commissaris 1686 Jurid. Rev. IV. 119.
My signet of office thereto affixt(5) 1521 Douglas Corr. 80.
Al his [sc. the King's] servandis … sik as cukis and al othir menn of office(6) c1475 Wall. ix. 362.
Thir ar no-thing bot wordis off office 1584 Gowrie P. 25.
They had used diuers wordes of office unto him at the first entrie, with protestacons [sic] that they both tendreth his standinge, & the wellfarre of his person(7) 1668-9 Fraser Lawfulness Separ. 38.
Conformists have really submitted to the prelate and are teaching under him and all their office-acts proceed really from the prelatical authority

c. In the boundis of one's office, with reference to the area over which an officer exercised authority or jurisdiction or to the permitted limits of conduct imposed on one as an officer.(1) 1454 7th Rep. Hist. MSS. 720/1 [see Bound n.¹ 1 (1)]. 1465 Acts XII. 31/2.
To inquer gif any personis be within the boundis of thare office vntaxt 1497 Acta Conc. II. 89.
That and the sade … schiref … wald send his officiaris within the boundis of thare officis for the distrinȝeing [etc.] 1500–1 (c 1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I. 88. 1527 Douglas Corr. 117.
And couthe get na knawlege of thare … repare within the bondis of my office(2) 1596 Dalr. I. 111/22.
Gif the king leiuet intemperantlie and by the boundes of his office

d. transf. to the area over which an officer's authority was exercised. — 1526 Dumfries & Gall. Soc. XXXIX. 62.
Failȝeing he [the officer] sers not [sic in pr.] his office dayly he to tyn his office thereof

e. With specific reference to the period during which an office is held. 1553–4 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 285.
For the towis furnist the haill yeir of the compteris office 1564–5 Soc. Ant. VII. 548.
The compte of the heding aix maid the tyme of the comptaris office

f. To do, execut, exerce, use etc. one's, or an, office, to perform the duties attaching to an office; to bruke or use an office, to occupy it. (Cf. sense 1 c.)See also Bruke v.¹ 1 b, Execut v. 1, Exerce v. 2, for further examples. 1398 Acts I. 211/1.
That he doys nocht his office 1412 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 389.
To suppouale … the officeris of the tovne in thair office doand 1546 Lynd. Trag. Card. 355.
Most abyll men sic officis [sc. of baker, brewer, etc., in a prince's household] tyll bruke Ib. 401.
On ȝow, prencis, for vndescreit geuyng Tyll ignorantis sic officis tyll vse 1548 Orkney & Shetl. Rec. 118.
The said officieris … requirit be the said Katrine Dunbrek … to execut thair office 1569 Lanark B. Rec. 44.
Offece 1576 Orkney Oppress. 27.
Bot in the lairdis tyme he gat na place to use his office 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. ii. 142.
And the schiref doe not his office thereanent 1627 Fraserburgh Kirk S. II. 25 Mar.
He doing his office in collecting the alms at the kirkdore 1629 Dundonald Par. Rec. 268.
Sworne to exerce the office of ane elder faithfullie and karefullie

g. Office of armes, noble office: the business of heralds, the science of heraldry; the corporate body of Scottish heralds or their headquarters, the Lyon Office. 1494 Loutfut MS. 5 b.
Thai … suld knaw all the ordinans & office of armes Ib. 8 b.
For caus thai haue … denȝit nocht to lere at auld kingis of armes and thairby is the noble office dymynit 1567 Acts III. 44/1.
The reformatioun of the office of armes, the abuse quhairof standis in the imperfectioun of Lyon herauld 1587 Ib. 449/2, etc.

3. a. A function or use of an implement, etc. b. A natural function.a. 1456 Hay II. 47/27.
As office of schelde is to be the targe betuix the knycht and the strakis 1549 Compl. 10/32.
Smythis … the quhilkis culd mak ane instrament of yrn conuenient for mony officisb. 1456 Hay II. 96/27.
It efferis wele till a prince to be servit with lele servandis till his privee and hamely officis of his secretis 1567 G. Ball. 40.
The doggis did thair office naturall … Lickand the fylth furth of his laithlie flesche a1585 Polwart Flyt. 608 (T).
In Argyle, with the gate, he ȝeid amange glennis Ay vsing the office thair of a beist

4. a. A place for the transaction of business and the body of persons conducting it.Also letter-office, letter-post-office, Letter n. 9 a, Lyons office [1672 in Lio(u)n n. 3 (9)] and see also Lio(u)n n. 3 (12) (and see also 2 f above). 1606 Reg. Privy C. VII. 169.
Pryces set doun to the director of the chancellarie to be tane heirafter of all sic letters and writes as pasis that office Ib. 170.

b. Hous of office, ? a privy, ? = Office-hous n. 2.Late ME. (north.) (Towneley Plays) and e.m.E. house of offyce, office, (1) = Office-hous n. 1, (2) (1613, 1652) a privy.1629 M. Works Acc. XXI. 41 (see Hous n.¹ 2).

5. A religious office or service.a. The celebration of divine service. b. A special form of service appointed for a particular occasion. Also c. transf. a1400 Leg. S. xvi. 905.
In sammyne tyme that wont war thay In matyne offyce for to ryse Ib. xxvii. 1190.
Ȝeld we till hyme for-out delay That office that ws acht to say For worthi men quhen thai ded are a1538 Abell 8* b.
Office of owr Lady common wes institut Ib. 113 b.
In principall festis he did the office in the queire and oft tyme come to matenis 1556 Carte Northberwic 72 (see Ministrat v. 3).transf. c1420 Wynt. viii. 1853.
Hys [Edward I's] offyce wes that Gud Fryday Till here innocentis de a1568 Bannatyne Bann. MS. 290 b.
Heir endis the haill four pairtis offis of this ballat buke