Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

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

Parfit(e, -fyt(e, a. [ME. and e.m.E. parfit (Cursor M.), -fite (Rolle), -fitt, also parfijt (c 1290), superl. parfytest (1542); appar. obs. after c 1550 except in Eng. dial.; OF. parfit, -fite (11th c. in Littré). Cf. Parfait a., Perfite a.]

a. = Perfite a. 1. b. = Perfite a. 2. c. = Perfite a. 3.a. (1) 1531 Bell. Boece I. 33.
The crown … to be gevin to thaim at thair parfite age 1596 James VI Facs. Nat. MSS. III. lxxiv.
Madame … ye are cum to parfite aage(2) a1400 Leg. S. l. 705.
Na for to part fra dedlik mane For hyme nan end has na begane Jhesu Crist that is king parfyt c1450-2 Howlat 991 (A).
And boith war thai dowis In the forest forsaid frely parfyte(3) a1400 Leg. S. i. 256.
For thefis amang thame pece parfyte [: profyte] Viil have Ib. x. 85, etc.
Sancte Mathew gaf the heile parfyte [: meryte] a1500 Henr. Orph. 449 (A). c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyt. iii (B).
I tak on me ane pair of Lowthiane hippis Sall fairar Inglis mak & mair parfyte Than thow can blabbar with thy Carrik lippis a1568 Bann. MS. 41 a/8.
A parfyt luve good Lord grant vnto meb. (1) a1400 Leg. S. xxvii. 474.
Til thu … is parfyt man in Cryst Ib. 848.
That thaim parfit in Godis lare He mad Ib. xxxii. 631.
In science he wox parfyt Ib. xl. 96.
He thocht he wald … be parfite in to sic lare a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 498 (M).
Nother parfyte in poesie nor prose(2) a1400 Leg. S. xix. 456.
& thai hycht to do that tyt Fore thai ware bordalouris parfytc. a1400 Leg. S. xviii. 58.
Sa parfyt is nane that [etc.] a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 317 (Asl.).
Spirituale fude quhilk is werray parfyte