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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.

Passio(u)n, n. Also: -io(u)ne, -yown(e, -iounn; pascio(u)ne; passo(u)n. [ME. and e.m.E. passiun (c 1175), -ioun, -ion (13th c.), OF. passiun, -ion, L. passio.]

1. Pain suffered, suffering; esp., the passion of Christ or of a saint or martyr. Also plur. in the same sense.Also, ellipt., the passioun, the Passion of Christ.(1) a1400 Leg. S. xxxvii. 8.
& he oure-come the fyre alsa Thru passione he can thare ta c1420 Wynt. v. 1530.
Bot mony tholyde the passyown Off martyry for Crystyne fay Wndyr hym 1456 Hay I. 31/26.
Quhen He had tholit here pyne and passioun for oure redempcioun a1538 Abell 23 a.
Christ … the 18 ȝere of Tibeire He sufferit passioun(2) a1400 Leg. S. i. 699.
Na for to lat His passione That to resawe He wes than bown c1420 Wynt. v. 5319.
Men ar … Throwch Crystys passyowne precyows boucht a1450 Fifteen Ois 314. 1456 Hay I. 19/25.
The day of His passioun c1460 Vert. Mess. 72.
Pascioune 1494 Loutfut MS. 3 a.
Suere … be takin of the passioun of God [etc.] c1490 Irland Asl. MS. 3/7.
His glorius passioun Ib. 17/2.
Thow art oblist to vs & trast in the passoun of Jhesu ?a1500 Remembr. Passion 641. c1500-c1512 Dunb. ix. 154 (Arund.).
I ask thy passioun in me so to abound Id. lxxiv. 29.
Behald my deidlie passioun dolorous c1520-c1535 Nisbet I. 4.
Passiounn 1567 G. Ball. 63.
Remember, Lord, Thy sonnis passioun 1658 Aberd. B. Rec. IV. 177.
The Lord's super … ane necessarie … duetie to be done in remembrance of the Lord's passioun(3) 1450 Misc. Maitl. C. III. 205.
With four angelis with takynnys of the passioun 1456 Hay I. 19/35.
And He had trowit the carnall will Of humanitee He had nocht tholit the passioun ?a1500 Remembr. Passion .
Meditacion of the passion excedis vthir gud werkis Ib. 19.(4) c1400 Troy-bk. i. 542.
Quhen that He … Leit put Hys sonne to passioune(b) c1515 Asl. MS. I. 312/20.
[God] offerit His son … to passon for our saluacoun(5) 1456 Hay II. 39/17.
And schamefulnes suld mare chastise a worthy knycht and geve him a hardar passioun … na suld outhir hunger or thrist c1460 Alex. (Taym.) 17987.
And he had sa hard his passioun That he mycht mak na lamentatioun c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxxii. 109 (M).
Than pane with passioun me opprest 1546 Lynd. Trag. Card. 26.
Reid againe Geue thow can fynde … Off ony paine lyke to my [sc. Cardinal Beaton's] passioun 1567 G. Ball. 102.
My dullit spreit was in greit passioune(6) c1450 Cr. Deyng 56.
How wychtly thai sustenyt al tormentis and passionys done to thaim for the faith of haly kyrke 1490 Irland Mir. I. 104/28.
Becaus God luffit … this lady oure all vthir he wauld … that sche sufferit thire passiounis Arundel MS. 249/305.
For all the orisonis intercessionis passionis meritis and sufferingis of all the … marteris 1528 Lynd. Dreme 329.
Thare feillyng is importabyll passionis

b. In asseverations. 1540 Lynd. Sat. Proclam. 206.
Be woundis and passionis had he spokkin mair … I sowld haif hackit his heid af Ib. 1438.
That sall we do … be Goddis passioun Ib. 349 (see Cok n.⁴).

c. A commemoration or representation of the passion of Christ. a 1500 Coll. St. Salvator 162.
Ane clappir of tre for the passioun 1507 Mill Mediæv. Plays 261.
In gold fulye to Cristis pascione

d. comb. in Passioun-Sonday and Passio(u)n-Wo(u)lk.

2. Passioun(is) of dede: ? Death accompanied by suffering, pain of death; or ? the fact of suffering or undergoing death. c1420 Wynt. v. 2600.
[He] tuk the passyowne Off dede Ib. viii. 1848.
He gert thare thole the passyown Off dede mony a creature c1460 Wisd. Sol. 399.
Na than tholis nocht the passions of ded hyme to tak rest 1490 Irland Mir. II. 33/12.
He tholit that passioun of deid be inestimable luf and cherite c1520-c1535 Nisbet Heb. ii. 9.

3. a. Pain caused by disease, a painful affection of the body (also, the mind). b. A sudden access of disease, an attack, a fit.a. 1456 Hay II. 59/36.
The quhilk puttis thame in ire and in passioun dolorous contynualy bathe in body and saule Ib. 119/35.
Felloun passioun in thair wame … as gryndingis, brynnyng of herte and ventositeis a1500 Bk. Chess 10.
The grevous passioun malancoly Ib. 14.
This dedlie passioun malancoly a1538 Abell 99 b.
Erll Thomas hes the passion of the stane 1572 Buch. Detect. (1727) 124.
Gif ȝe sufferit for hir lufe passiounb. 1530 Lynd. Test. Pap. 183.
With that word scho tuke one passioun Syne flatlyngis fell and swappit in to swoun 1560 Rolland Seven S. 157.
Scho tuke ane fell passioun And ane lang space scho lay in deidly swoun

4. Any strong feeling or emotion of the mind; an instance of vehemence or ardour; a passion. 1490 Irland Mir. in Sc. Ant. XV. 8.
Lat nocht crabitnes cuvatis … na sic passiounis have dominacioun in thi mynd 1513 Doug. iv. Prol. 86.
Lo quhou hir [Venus's] passionys onbridillis al thar wyt! Ib. 114.
Lufe is a kyndly passioun 1562-3 Winȝet II. 30/2.
Paraduentuir he hes spokin … raschelie … out erar of a manlie passioun than decretit be heuinlie ressoun 1568 Hosack Q. Mary I. 527.
He nowther fand hir passioun and cholear mitigat nor [etc.] 1581-1623 James VI Poems I. 185/681.