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

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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XI).
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Trubill, Troubil(l, Tribill, v. Also: trubbill, trubile, -ul, trub(b)le, trwbl, troubel(l, trouble, tr(o)wbill, trobill, trobbil, troble, tribile, -le, -ul(l, -ule, tribbil, trybill, (triffil). P.p. also tribulat, treiblit. [ME and e.m.E. truble(n (Ancr. R.), turble (Manning), trobel (Rolle), trowble (Gower), trobbyl (c1400), trouble (1526), OF trobler, trubler, F. troubler, late L. turbulare.] tr. To agitate, cause to be disturbed; to affect (with something); to make turbid or cloudy. ?1438 Alex. ii 4305.
The dust that rais troubled the air c1420 Wynt. v 5382 (W).
Quhare thai bestis dede were left With stynk the aire wes trublit [R. movyd, C. mowit] eft 1460 Hay Alex. 128, 134.
Ȝe ar harbreit oure hie [sc. in the loft], The elementis are trublit, as ȝe may se; The coniunctioun salbe this day als sone, And meit sall in ane sign baith sonn and mone … Quhairfore descend and lawar mak ȝour laire The hear place the mair trublit the air c1500 Interl. Droich 28.
The skyis raind quhen he wald ȝowll He trublit all the air 1528 Lynd. Dreme 474.
Saturnus, quhilk trublis all the hewin With heuy cheir, and cullour paill as leid 1549 Compl. 57/29.
The caniculair dais … inflammis the soune vitht ane onnatural vehement heyt, the quhilk oft tymis trublis and altris the vyne in ane pipe in the depe caue 1568 Skeyne Descr. Pest 9.
As quhan the air apperis trubillit and thik in the autumne and winter

2. To disturb, hinder, interfere with or interrupt (a person or thing).pres. 1457 Acts c. 83 (Jam. s.v. Law-borrois).
The schiref sall furthwith of baith tak lawborrois and forbid thame in the kingis name to trubill [Acts II 51/1, distruble; Acts (1597) i 44, trouble] the kingis peax 1480 Newbattle Coll. (Somerville) (Reg. H.).
Quat tym it sal happyn me or myn ayris to vex trubul injur … or mak impediment to hym … in brukyn … of the landis of Grenalton 1490 Lennox Mun. 141.
That the comunte … of Renfrew … makis interruptioun and impediment to the said toun of Paslay and wald … truble thaim in the broiking of the fredome … grantit to thaim 1513 Doug. ix vii 89.
Thoil me to trubbill [Sm. trubble, Ruddim. truble; L. turbare] this gret rowt of men 1543 Corr. M. Lorraine 46.
Thomas Makcalȝen your graces man of law hes arreistit our schip and guddis … I haif bein under greit seiknes … the quhilk I traist and your grace had bein … informyt your grace wald nocht haif gart trubill our geir in the maner as it was 1561 Digest Justiciary Proc. D 16.
Haueing na thing to do at that tyme in the said kirk bot to trubill the said examinacioune(b) c1475 Wall. viii 1462.
Your fredom we sall trowbill na ma c1575 Balfour Pract. 626.
Na man havand landis pertenand to him, lyand adjacent to the sea, may mak stop troubill or molest the king … to win stanes, quarrel [etc.] … within the flude mark 1655 Boharm Kirk S. 15 April.
John Clerk … is found to trouble the kirk in tyme of divine service and being 3 tymes admonished be the minister to take rest he wold not obey(c) 1531 Lamont P. 40.
Nevir … to call persew wex nor trobill the said Johne nor nayn of his … airis … in law nor by the law(d) 1493 Maxwell Mem. II 204.
Tribile 1506 Glasgow Dioc. Reg. II 162.
Tribule 1521 Maxwell Mem. 248.
I, na myn ayris … sal … wex no tribule, … the said George, … in the peceabil browken, … and manwryng of the said landis 1526 Red Bk. Grandtully I 64.
Trible 1534–5 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 146.
Tribill 1537 Hunter Fam. P. 22.
We … sall newyr trybill molest ask nor requyir ony proffet nor wtylitie of the … landis of Estir Arneyllp.t. 1518 Peebles Chart. 46.
Johne Gledstanis of Coklaw trubillit thame in thair possessioune of thair saidis landis 1533 Dunferm. Reg. Ct. 96.
Gif Andro Woid of Largow troblit thaim wrangusly in ane part of thair said takp.p. 1485 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III 32.
Gife it sall happin me … to be … trubulit … sa that I … may nocht bruik and joyis the said landis 1497 Acta Conc. II 90.
[It] is contrar the actis … of … Parliament that ony man suld be troublit in his benefice that has bene of lang tyme in possessione 1512 Treas. Acc. IV 398.
For the furnesing and vittaling of the said schip … attoure the furnesing forsaid in aventur, gif scho wer trublit in hir viage 1531 Boyd Fam. P. No. 8 (1 Oct.).
Tribulyt 1568 Anderson Collect. Mary IV ii 80.
Gif hir grace had nocht been trwblit in her aucthoritie, the same wald haiff tane effect er now 1558-66 Knox II 279.
Wisdome should persuade your grace, never to raise truble for that, whiche to this day hath not trubled your majestie neather in persone nor yit in authoritie

3. To make (a person, their mood, etc.) anxious or apprehensive; to cause worry or distress to. Also reflex. c1475 Wall. ix 62.
Sowthest he saw, that trublyt his entent, Saxten salis arayit all on raw c1490 Porteous Noblenes 175/7 (A).
Thar is na thing that may truble ane gud and waliant hert that lufis honour c1540 Lynd. Kitteis Conf. 126.
Than till ane preichour trew thow pas … Thow nedis nocht to schaw hym all … Bot schaw the vice that troubillis thé a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 216 (W).
My febillit eyis grewe dim, Throw stairing on the starnes … Some reid, some yeallowe, blew, and greine, Quhilk trubillit all my harnes a1605 Montg. Misc. P. v 27.
All day … I loth to sie the licht; At evin then I am trublit, to; So noysum is the nicht 1674 Haigs of Bemersyde 302.
My dear, thow haw fied a bad hind—trwbls me mikelreflex. 1600 Misc. Bann. C. I 174.
Trubill yow nocht with that, my lord

4. To harm, hurt, injure; to oppress, persecute. 1375 Barb. i 479.
Swa trowblyt the folk saw he That he tharoff had gret pitte 1375 Barb. iv 58.
It wes gret pite for till her The folk be troublyt [C. tribulit] on this maner a1470 Liber Aberbr. II 105.
Ewyl myndit personis wythout the dredor of God … wrangis and tribulis ws 1490 Irland Mir. II 5/3.
The auld innemy of mankind eftir the fallin and syn of Adam troublit his ofspring and our natur fyrst induceand cecite and myrknes [etc.] 1490 Irland Mir. II 56/36.
The sey sall rys and gif hyduus sound and trouble ba(i)th man best fisch and foule c1515 Asl. MS I 266/20.
He lost & tynt the feldis and was chasit & drevyne abak & his frendis tane & trublit ?a1500 Dewoit Exerc. 28.
The quhilk heid of our blissit Lord wes full sairlie pvnist and trubillit c1500-50 Brevis Cronica 329.
He was troublet als be incantatioun of wytches, quhilk roistit him in walx, and hade greit infirmite thairthrow 1600 Conv. Burghs II 81.
The brugh of Kinghorne and ferre thairof … is now laitle hewele trublit and hurt be the skaffis, skeldrykis [etc.] … of vnfre touns 1623 Perth Kirk S. MS 22 May.
Being lying in chyldbedlair, scho wes drawin furth of hir bed to ane dub neir hir hous doore in Doning quhair scho wes pudillit and troubillit

b. passive. Afflicted, tormented (also, with a disease, infirmity or pain). c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 178/2.
I that in heill wes and glaidnes, Am trublit now with gret seiknes 1530–1 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 111.
Becaus this preif sulde haif ben producit befor Yoill and the man vas trubulyit, this forsaid inquest desirit to heir the rut of the plee 1542–3 Corr. M. Lorraine 8.
I am tryblit with seiknes and may nocht trawell c1550 Exch. R. XVIII 502.
I hav beyn hewyle trobillit with ane sair leg 1555–6 Corr. M. Lorraine 406.
As for the ladeis that ar treiblit and wantis thar hyd of thar helis, hanchis and uther partis [etc.] 1582 Crim. Trials I ii 101.
Our aduocate is trublit with infirmitie and euill at eis 1595 Edinb. Test. XXVIII 256.
Dauid Thomsoun … being … havelie trublit & diseassit with the cancer in his nether lip 1607 Crim. Trials II 525.
Anes in ilk xxiiij houris, her hed and breist was sa vehementlie trublit, that scho was, for the space of ane hour, mad

c. To damage (a thing). a1597-1617 Hist. Jas. VI (1825) 6.
Thay … kendlit thair trayne of gun poulder whilk inflammit the haill timber of the hous and trublit the wallis therof, in sik sort that great staynis … war fundin blawin … a far way

5. To afflict, harass, inconvenience, pester (a person, community, etc.). Also const. with or by (be) something disagreeable, or for something. Also absol. c1420 Wynt. iv 370 (C).
Qwhen that he [sc. the Devil] is swa Tribulit [R. Trawalyd, W. Travalit, E. Troublit] that he mon anssware ma The anssware that he to thaim mayis Oft dowbil wndyrstandynge has a1500 Rauf C. 136.
Sa troublit with stormis was I neuer stad 1531 Bell. Boece II 469.
The north of Scotland was hevely trublit be two clannis of Irsmen 1533 Bell. Livy I 49/25.
Thai thocht nathing mare vnlesum than to troubil sa haly & religious pepill 1539 Chart. Coupar A. II 147.
The said abbot sall neuer tribull pley nor inquiet the said Den Alexander forder for the saidis jowellis c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus iii 32.
[Q]uhen he on sey be storme was tribulat [: depilat, violat] 1562-3 Winȝet II 28/29.
Men of corruptit mynd … tribuland thair wit about quæstions and stryfe of wordis 1564 Cal. Sc. P. II 129.
The commen affaires do never so moche trouble me but that at least I have one meary hour off the four and twenty 1569 Lanark B. Rec. 46.
The said Jhone drew ane quhinger to the offecer and trublet the brught 1574 Dunferm. B. Rec. II 5.
Turbulis 1579 Bk. Old Edinb. C. VI 70.
That the … brether of the said craft sall nawayis be trwbillit, bwrdenit, nor endamnageit be my admissioun 1580 Waus Corr. 229.
Sie geif ye can mak ony myd way amangis thame amecablye; for geif it cum to jugement of freindis, I dreid it will triffil [? erron. for tribbil] ws owrmekle 1587 Edinb. B. Rec. IV 489.
That nane of thame [sc. servants] be fund disordoring or trubling the streits 1596 Dalr. I 135/21.
He rangne in Scotlande ȝeiris xxix, nevir trublet with nychtbour feade, bot lyuet in gret peice and rest 1597 James VI Dæmonol. (STS) 32/27.
They can rayse stormes … either vpon sea or land, … in such a particular place and prescribed boundes, as God will permitte them so to trouble 1609 Douglas Corr. 194.
Becaus it war langsum to trobill your princlie earies with so prolix ane frivolous purpois 1626 Justiciary Cases I 41.
Trubble 1627 Aberd. Council Lett. I 263.
Anent our nichtbours quha ar trobled for thair extraordinar taxatioun to try … if any thing will be done aganes thame in this sessioun 1640 Aberd. B. Rec. III 218.
Trubile 1652 Lamont Diary 50.
Troubellabsol. 1682 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. MS (16 Sept.).
And shall not troble or molest otherwayse then be ordor of lau and justice

b. In weakened sense: To take up (someone's) time and attention (with a letter, request for a favour, etc.). 1574 Cal. Sc. P. V 44.
Leving to trubill [your lordship with any longer repetition] 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 71/7.
I neid not in that cace trouble you uith thame 1609 Crim. Trials II 582.
And heir I leif to truble your worship 1614 Laing MSS 132.
I am bold again to troubill yow with these few lynis c1637 Innes Sketches 520.
My soune … hes wilit me to plant a greit manay meie [sc. trees], quhich meid me trobbil you for this year; and … I must requist you to gar prouayd soum of the seid for me 1676 Dumfr. & Galloway Soc. XXXVIII 161.
And this is all I have to troubel you further withall

c. reflex. To exert oneself to do, to be at pains to deal with (something). c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 204/6.
Trubill nevir thy self … Uthiris to reiwll, that will not rewlit be 1666 Jurid. Rev. XXIV 24.
I would not trouble myself ne moir therewith at this tyme, but would wait upon my God