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

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

Ȝisternicht, Ȝesternicht, adv. (n.). Also: ȝistir-, yister-, yester- and -nycht, -nihtt, -night, -nyght, -neight. [ME and e.m.E. yister-, ȝister-, ȝusternight (all Cursor M.), ȝistyr nyȝt (Chaucer), yesternight (1546), OE ᵹystran and niht.]

A. adv. Last night. Also proverb.(a) a1400 Leg. S. xxix 179.
Ȝistir-nycht but were The sammyne to me can apere 1513 Doug. viii viii 22.
Hys Troiane gest, ramembring al at rycht Hys help and promys grantit ȝister nyght 1535 Stewart 23602.
Ȝisternycht loud tha cryit all on hie 1560 Rolland Seven S. 3336.
Sa greit ane storme as thair was ȝisternicht Baid I neuer 1579 Edinb. B. Rec. IV 107.
The kingis letteris quhilk war proclamit yister nicht 1592 Edinb. B. Rec. V 69.
Havand considderatioun of the seditioun and tumult rayset within this burgh yisternicht be certane crafts childer 1630 Haddington Corr. 169.
I had a letter yisternihtt from Sir William 1644 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 14.
Forsameikill as Thomas Collisone … wes yisternicht attatched … as a malignant 16.. Rudiments 28a (see Ȝisterday adv. b).(b) c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 72/1.
My heid did ȝak ȝester nicht 1568 Q. Mary in Ellis Orig. Lett. 1 Ser. II (1824) 253.
Conforme to that y spak ȝesternicht vnto ȝou 1571 Bann. Trans. 299.
Returning yesternyght [Knox VI 606, yisternycht] to Leyth 1617 3rd Rep. Hist. MSS App. 413/1.
I did aduyss the person … to goe to Brechin yesternight ?c1675 J. Gordon Hist. II 30.
The Kinge's Commissioner wold, by opne proclamatione, command the Assembly to dissolve, as yesternight he had done by worde of mouthe 1661 Laing MSS 322.
Yesterneight the sentance off death was pronounced contra Archibald Cambell 1689 Leven & Melv. P. 75.
I writt to your lordship fully yesternight by the ordinar packetproverb. a1598 Ferg. Prov. MS No. 1358.
Tak ane hair of the dog quhilk bait yow yisternight

B. noun. The previous night, the night before. 1513 Doug. ix v 107.
Quhou prowd armour weil gilt and burnyst bryght That Turnus bair this ȝister nycht? 1513 Doug. x iii 54.
Mnestheus … Quham the renowne of this ȝister nycht … Full prowd maid 1655 Johnston Diary III 5.
M. G[eorge] H[utcheso]n jeared and jested al yesternight and this daye at desner