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

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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Vive, Viwe, adj. (adv.). Also: vyve, vif. [e.m.E. vyue (Caxton), vive (1638), OF vive, L. vīv-. Also in the later dial.]

A. adj. 1. Of a person: Lively, alert. 1533 Boece 61a.
Ferleig … is ane plesand, fare man, robust and strenthy of persoun, of vive and qwik ingyne

2. Of events, actions, states or emotions: Affecting or impressing the mind in a lively or vivid manner; remarkable.There may be some ambiguity with sense 4. 1588 King Cat. 81.
The kirk … hes institut all outward apparell and ornaments of this vnbloody sacrifice, as haly vestments, vessell, luminaris [etc.] … to this end, that sho may ingir to the sight and sensis of the peopl a maist vive repræsentation of our Lords death c1590 J. Stewart 84/173.
All his confort turnit in to teine Quhan that his vofull eine haid done disclois The viwe handwreting of his onlie chois, Ingrauit thair on monie growand graine 1595 Crim. Trials II 330.
That it hath pleasit ȝour majeste … to honour me with ȝour majesteis most louing letter, as with ane certane signe and viue testimonie of ȝour majesteis gude fauor and graciousnes touartis me 1611-57 Mure Dido & Æneas ii 521.
What woes so vive, charact'red in thy face, Thus overcloud the rayes of princely grace? 1634 Johnston Diary I 223.
That he wald opin thy eies to seie al thy sinnes in thos colours nou quherin they wil apeare unto thé in thy death bed … as also to seie al Gods curses nou in the vive delineaments quherby they wil then oppresse my conscience that I might mourne for them the mor heartily nou 1638 Henderson Serm. 112.
If so be that we could pass by the instrument that does anything, and look only to God as the doer of it, we would then meet with a vive and evident demonstration of the power of God 1652 Nullity of the Pretended Assembly 8.
Which things being put together make a vive difference betwixt that which was then done, and that which the Commission hath now done

3. Of colours, also, specif., the colour of the flesh: Bright, vivid, fresh.(1) a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xxxv 37.
Hir comelie cheeks of vive colour Of rid and vhyt ymixt 1581-1623 James VI Poems I 187/693.
The langouris that makis uith the boddie uarre … Giue to the patient many a signe of healthis attaining to, Quhyles by the brangling pulce and quhyles euen by thaire culloure uiue a1578 Pitsc. (1728) 24.
There was a body of a young child … as fresh … and of as vive colour [Pitsc. I 61/7, allis fresche wncurrupt and as of cullour] as the first hour it was buried(2) 1596 Dalr. I 267/19.
The croce, quhairvpon S. Andro diet, vnto al thair present suddanlie appeirit, in viue and bricht colouris 1581-1623 James VI Poems I 225/218.
The painteris mixis coulouris uiue, the prentairis lettiris settis 1671 McWard True Nonconf. 373.
It hath been my endeavour so to draw and design in vive collours, that naming would appeare superfluous

4. Of a visual or verbal representation, an argument, circumstance, etc.: True, true to life, lifelike; accurate. b. ? Clear, distinct or ? a further example of 2 above. 1581 Burne Disput. 135.
Sik as is this day in Scotland … quhair-in is ane viue image of the kingdome of the Antichrist c1590 Fowler I 365/12.
My ladyes picture sawe I ther As vyve as love hathe in my hart it pight, That who beholdes hir heavenly visage bright My tablet or hir image in my thought Would sooner saye they were all one … Then iudge which of the three were lyveler wrought 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 19/7.
The people … haue … longed to see any thing, that proceeded from that authour whome they so loued & honoured; since bookes are viue idees of the authours minde 1587-99 Hume 158/58.
To see the faire bords of divers sorts of viue and liuely portrators 1596–7 Melvill 407.
That it sall nocht be lawfull … to name anie particular mene's names in the pulpit or sa vivelie to descryve tham as may be æquivalent with thair naming … As to the vive descriptioun æquivalent to the naming, it is hard to sett a law thairto, seing a giltie persone will apply to him self, whowbeit the preatchour never thought on him 1605 Reg. Privy C. VII 475.
We … hes considderit … with no small contentment your majesteis most worthy labouris for the confutation of that pretendit assemblie … so when we perused these vive and trew groundis whereby your majestie so sensiblie and succinctlie layed oppin thair erroris [etc.] 1606 Birnie Kirk-b. xvii.
The which points (as being also the onely vndenyable and viue marks of a visible kirk) are but three: to wit, the word, sacraments and discipline 1609 Melrose P. 68.
To … manifeste the viue circumstances thairof to the worlde 1581-1623 James VI Poems I 9/12.
That so I may descryue the verie guyse … of yeares wherein we liue: As readers syne may say, heir surely lyes, Of seasons fowre, the glasse and picture viue 1581-1623 James VI Poems I 98/3.
Receaue heere beloued reader, a short poetique discourse … as a viue mirror of this last and most decreeped ageb. 1653 Binning Wks. 499.
The Lord did pursue us with indignation, and stamped that sin, as in vive characters, upon our judgment

5. Of a person, or part of the body: Alive, living. c1590 J. Stewart 23/309.
He did suddane sie The veirray viwe formosit figure frie Of Angelique c1590 J. Stewart 90/382.
His eine did serue bot for ane spout The vitale humeur from his lyf to draw. For sorrow suir not cled vith former dout Did all his arters viwe aschunder thraw c1590 J. Stewart 245 § 185.
Guid Elias … Quhom Eliseus vith his ies beheld Viwe reft till heawen 1604-31 Craig ii 9.
He cry'd out, I haue painted the clusters more liuely then the child … for had the child seemed as viue as the vine grapes, the fowles had bin affraied at his face 1635 Sc. Hist. Rev. XVIII 193.
Pray ye all to God to engrave it by the finger of his all-pearcing spirit in the vive depth of my heart

b. Of a person as an example or representation of something or someone: Living; actual. Cf. 4 above. Also applied to God. 1596 Dalr. I 169/11.
Mogallie, Galdies sister sone … the viue and perfyte image of king Galdie 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 2/1.
Loe heir my sone a mirrour viue and fair Quhilk schawis the schadow of a vorthie king 1638 Rec. Kirk Scotl. 171.
He is the vive example and perfyte pattern of a proud prelat 1638 Henderson Serm. 352.
Jacob and Esau, they are vive examples of this a1639 Spotsw. Hist. (1655) 410.
Since I made you a pattern of my constant favour during your life … I am much more bound of princely duty to make your wife and posteritie that bears your image a vive representation of my thankfull memory a1649 Drummond II 23/26.
O well-spring of this all Thy Fathers image viue 1654 Johnston Diary II 234.
In the prayer I recomended Zion's bleeding condition as it wer even to death wherof I thought this youth was a vive paterne and resemblance

c. One's vive voice, one's actual voice, one's power of speech. Chiefly, be vive voice, by word of mouth, orally.(1) 1600-1610 Melvill 279.
All the lerned in a maner lamented that he wald nocht set him selff to wryt … bot he said, that God haid callit him to use his toung and vive voice yit 1602 Colville Paraenese 14.
The celestiall commentares of Cryists auin viue voice 1602 Colville Paraenese 56.
His viue voyice had geuin thame much more matter of admiration then thai culd haue by reading of his vorkes(2) a1599 Rollock Wks. I 294.
We ar not able to expres and schaw furth that quhilk was maist singular in him, quhill he uttered thir thingis be vive voice 1600 Hamilton Facile Tr. 13.
Thame wha war taught be the viue voce of Christs Apostles 1600 Hamilton Facile Tr. 92.
Al that whilk this vniuersal kirk teachis be the viue voces of hir lauful pastors 1635 Dickson Hebrews 4.
Sometime by vive voyce, sometime by vision

B. adv. Accurately, exactly. 1581-1623 James VI Poems I 11/13.
Let then the harvest so viue to them appeare, As if they saw both cornes and clusters neare 1581-1623 James VI Poems I 27/155.
As into the wax the seals imprent Is lyke a seale, right so the poet gent, Doeth graue so viue in vs his passions strange, As maks the reader, halfe in author change 1581-1623 James VI Poems I 125/106.
This quhole [world] uas but a mirroure … quhich clear on euery syde The goodness represented uif uith great Godd that doth byde