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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.

Plicht, n.¹ Also: plycht, plight, plyght; plycth; pleicht. [ME. and e.m.E. plihht (Ormulum), plyght, plyȝt peril, offence, guilt, undertaking, pledge, OE. pliht danger, risk, OFris. plicht danger, concern, care, MDu. plicht, plecht responsibility, duty, obligation, MLG. plicht duty, obligation; f. pleh-, pleg-, stem of OE. pléon to risk loss, expose to danger, or WGerm. plegan to take the risk or responsibility of (an act), to be responsible for.]

1. Responsibility for ensuing consequences; risk, danger, peril. b. An instance of danger or peril; a dangerous moment or situation. c1460 Regim. Princ. 49 (Marchmont).
Al the plicht [D. pleicht] and perel lyis on thé a1487 Gud Wyf & D. 297.
Bath plicht and perell on thaim lyis That tynis thar barnys on this wis a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 1104.
Ane wounder peralous poynt partenyng grete plight [: sight, knight, fight] To soner in thi gentrice Ib. 1305.
To leif in sic perell and in sa grete plight 1572 Sat. P. xxxii. 104.
Blaming thy tressoun the caus of all our plicht [: wicht, richt, micht] 1586 St. A. Kirk S. 569.
Quha commandit this? Bot Jhone Downy ansuerit, I sall tak all the plicht and perrell in my awin handb. (a) ?1438 Alex. ii. 6167.
[They] vndertuke to hald thair hecht Or leif thare bodeis in the plicht 1513 Doug. iii. ix. 77.
Vlixes … hym self nor his Myghtyn forȝet into sa gret a plyght [L. tanto discrimine; rh. wight](b) 1535 Stewart 14273.
He did him than to vnderstand The pleicht of all sould fall on his awin hand

2. To haif plycht, ? to bear blame; ? to suffer the consequences.(Cf. ME. haf … plight (Manning).). a1500 Henr. Fab. 2669 (Bann.).
For my trespas quhy suld my sone haif plycht [: rycht]? Quha did the mis, lat thame sustene the pane

3. Wrong-doing, sin, crime.(a) a1400 Leg. S. ii. 516.
For thar gret wikitnese and plycht [: lycht] Ib. xxx. 355.
My saule … Has distroyt thru my plicht Of my gret beute the sicht Ib. 799. c1420 Wynt. vi. 2137.
Gyve he had conscyence off that plycht [etc.] 1461 Liber Plusc. 387.
Scho … Dyd neuir of plycth the pointyr of a preyn a1500 K. Hart 245.
Will ȝe saye me now for quhat plycht, For that I wait I did ȝow never offence c1500 Makc. MS. xv. 12.
Behald my body … al to schent Man for thi plycht

4. (One's) office. c1420 Wynt. v. 3794 (W).
At Ambros Sall neuer discerne bot it is rycht That I be put furth of my plycht a1500 Sir Eger 268.
Therein [are] … leeches that are true of plight