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.

Perfect, a. and p.p. Also: -fyct; -fyke; -faict. [e.m.E. perfect (1526), also -faicte, L. perfectus, p.p. of perficere to accomplish: cf. Perfit(e a., Perfet a.]

1. Perfect, in various senses of Perfit(e a.(1) 1549 Compl. 30/28.
Sanct Paul vritis to the Corinthiens that var pepil in perfect aige 1565 Reg. Privy C. I. 365.
To the perfect aige … of xiiij yeris 1622 Scot Course of Conformity 35.
After the king's perfect age of 21 yeares 1637 Sc. Prayer Bk., Confirmation (Rubric).
That confirmation should be ministred to them that were of perfect age(2) c1550-c1580 Art of Music 5 b.
Of the quhilk the sign is ane circill perfect 1590-1 R. Bruce Serm. 265.
Whereby we … go asclent from that perfect duty quhilk we owe to God and to our neighbour 1599 Lennox Mun. 340.
Specialie all summonitionis lauchfull the dittayis in perfect forme quhilkis ar langsum 1638 Nat. Covenant in Facs. Nat. MSS. III. xcvii.
A perfect religion which … all … are bound to professe c1650 Spalding II. 454.
With ane perfect roll of the haill fewaris [etc.] 1665 Lauder Jrnl. 32.
On of the perfectest men of the world subject to no imperfection(b) 1525 Douglas Corr. 99.
At I may have perfyct knawlaige thaire in quhat I ma lyppine to do(c) 1600 Haddington Corr. 209.
Promectand ane mair perfyke anssuer 1631 J. Loch Sutherland Dates & Documents (1859) 17.
Ane perfyke and formale resignatioun of the saidis … richtis(d) 1600 Hamilton Facile Tr. 430.
To mak his euangelical law mair perfaict in this point nor was the Mosaical law(3) c1550-c1580 Art of Music 10 b.
Quhat is the circle of the mair perfect?(4) ? 1531 Grant Burgh Schools 53.
Of the preterit perfect tyme and preterit plusque perfect tyme 16.. Rudiments fol. 12 a.
The perfect time is it quhairby a perfect and absolute actione is signified, as, I haue dispatched ȝour effaries [sic in transcr.]

2. p.p. Completed, finished. 1568 Hosack Mary Q. of Scots I. 531.
The vnperfected work … wes left of be ressoun … that thay departed furth of Streuiling before it culd be perfect