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

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First published 1986 (DOST Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Pres, Preis, Preas, v.¹ Also: prese, prece, press-; preise, preys, preishe; preas(e, preass(e; prac-, prais-; prise; p.t. and p.p. pres-, press-, preis(s)-, preas(s)it, -yt, -yd, -eit, -ed; pracit; also prest(e; preist, preyst; preast, preasde, praist; prysied. [ME and e.m.E. pres(e (14th c.), prais- (c 1330), prece (c 1460), prease (1401), preace (1526), var., with lengthening before -ss (cf. Ces(e v.¹, etc.), of ME pressen. Cf. Press v.¹Obs. after c 1650 except in the Sc. and north Eng. dials.]

1. tr. To attack (someone) violently or persistently; to beset; to harass. 1375 Barb. vi 162 (E).
With that thai pressyt [C. presit] hym sa fast That [etc.] Ib. x 321.
[Randolph] pressyt [C. presyt] the folk that thar-in was Ib. xii 573. (c 1580) Alex. i 3040.
Quhen he preissit is ony thing, He lettis nocht … His fallowis chaissit be to neir c1420 Wynt. viii 2037 (W).
Scho saw hir lemman pressit [R. chassyd] sa 1494 Loutfut MS 27 b.
Scho gettis a strak with his neb becaus scho pressis our mekle the agle a 1540 Misc. Bann. C. III 41.
We wer … ay pressit and persewit with thir nacionis foresaid

b. Of troubles or adverse circumstances: To assail or beset; to oppress. a1570-86 Maitl. F. lxxxv 30.
Innemeis … will be blyth … In payn to se thé pvnist and prest 1585 James VI Ess. 33.
Iob and Ieremie, preast with woes and wrongs

c. intr. To make an attack (on someone). 1375 Barb. xvii 157 (E).
Quhar he saw the thikkest thrang He pressyt [C. prikit] with sa mekill mycht … That [etc.] Ib. 782.
Thai … Pressyt on him with wapnys bar

2. intr. To move in, or gather into, a crowd; to crowd, to throng.Also refl., to crowd together; to move close to one another.The quots. from Hay may properly belong to 3 below. 1375 Barb. xii 159 (E).
Than all pressyt [C. ran] in-to gret daynte The erle off Murreff for to se Ib. xix 76.
Lordingis, quhar-to pres ȝe [etc.]? Ib. xvii 566. 1456 Hay I 303/2.
All the peple desyris & presis the mare to se him a1500 Henr. Fab. 2207 (C).
The cadgear [is like] deith quhome vnder all man preis [: ceis, leis] 15.. Clar. iv 2125.
The ȝoung knightis [then] preisit all about 1622-6 Bisset II 108/10.
The peopill preissed greitlie there to see him and heir his preicheingisrefl. 1375 Barb. vi 83 (E).
Twa men mycht nocht samyn thring Na … pres thaim swa That thai to gidder mycht lang ga

3. a. To strive to go (in a certain direction), freq. despite opposition or impediment.Also, fig., to strive towards (to, also at) a certain end or goal. 1375 Barb. xii 113 (E).
Dowglas … bad thaim … Stand still and pres na forthyrmar c1420 Wynt. viii 7018.
And away … This Lyndyssay pressyt all a nycht Furth on hors rycht fast rydand a1500 Henr. Fab. 2880 (C).
With all hir force the paddok preissit [Bann. dowkit] doun Ib. 2959 (Bann.).
The spreit vpwart, the body preisis doun Ib. 2891. a1500 Rauf C. 863. c1475 Wall. ix 942.
Sewart … Fast pressyt in with a gud suerd off steill a1500 Colk. Sow i 339. 1513 Doug. ii vi 76.
Amyd the flambis and armour in I preste 1604 Crim. Trials II 449.
Persaveing the said vmquhile Johnne to be walknit out of his sleip be thair dyn, and to preise ouer his bed stok 1615 Lithgow Poet. Remains 39.
High preasse thy flamesfig. c1460 Wisd. Sol. (S.T.S.) 367.
The mar that I presyt to wysdome [etc.] c1460 Consail Vys Man 407.
Pres neuir to batail na to feicht 1555 Corr. M. Lorraine 405.
Your heighnes maist gentill … clemencie … compellis me to seik and preas fordward to your grace service 1558-66 Knox I 35.
Prease not then to the inheritance of heavin 1570 Leslie 22.
That the saide Erle of Douglas wes preissand to the croun 1582 Calderwood III 662. a1585 Polwart Flyt. 615 (T).
To pestilent purpoisis planelie he preist a1586 Maitland Ho. Seytoun p. xii.
It wil gif siclyk occasioun to thair posterite … to preis thairat 1600-1610 Melvill 60.
Sa [the Regent] … pressed to his injunctiones and conformitie with Eingland

b. To advance (to a certain place); to make one's way; to hasten. c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxxiii 49 (A).
Vnto no mes presit the prelat 15.. Clar. v 466.
Princes and ladies to thair chalmers preisit a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. clxxix 99.
Prece to the place can newir dicay 1570-3 Bann. Trans. 159.
Finding your self able to drovne, ye wald preis agane to the boit 1580 Inverness Rec. I 282.
Theiffis or offendaris quha wald preis to his lugeing in the nycht 1600 Elgin Rec. II 77.
All strangeris admoneishit not to preishe to the kirk 1622-6 Bisset I 164/25.
Nane sall preis to the bar bot sic as ar propirlie advocattis in the mater

c. refl., in senses a and b above. 1375 Barb. xvii 723 (E).
Durst nane tak on hand With schippis to preys thaim to the wall c1420 Wynt. ii 1314.
Quha wytht-in walde pres hym owte, Than [etc.] Ib. v 3713.
Pres thé noucht To that fyrst syn Ib. vii 2570 (C).
He pressit hym to the cite richt c1420 Ratis R. 895.
Pres thé to nan vthir end 15.. Christis K. 113.
The tother for dreid he preissit him And fled out of the toun

4. To strive, attempt or endeavour ((to, also for to, (for) till) do something).Const. also for (something), noun cl. obj., and perf. infin.Also refl. with and without const.(1) (a) 1375 Barb. ix 746.
Ȝhe suld pres till derenȝe ȝour richt a1400 Leg. S. xxix 102.
Placydas … Presit fast to cum hym [the hart] til Ib. xxxii 349.
Precis c1420 Wynt. ii 79.
Scho pressyd to [pleysse] hym wytht all slycht c1420 Ratis R. 1093.
And pres to do as thai thé lere 1456 Hay II 164/8. c1475 Wall. ii 343.
He … can pres … thar myrthis till amend a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 1473.
Mary Magdalyn … pressit to brace his feit 1513 Doug. ii xii 60.
Thrys I presyt thar About the hals hir fortil haue belappit Ib. viii Prol. 55. a1538 Abell 39 b.
Presand to be impriour he wes tane a1585 Polwart Flyt. 142 (T). 1593 Misc. Spald. C. I 5.
For this is not the first gud seruis that he hes prest till do to me(b) a1500 Henr. Fab. 2888 (Bann.).
Scho … preisit on the taidis bak to clyme c1475 Wall. viii 842.
He preyst in the thikkest to be Ib. iv 623. 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 1767.
Quhair mony saw I preis to get ingres 15.. Dunb. App. ii 50 (B). 1513 Doug. ii viii 11. 1535 Stewart 20189.
Quhen thai war weill preissand to huif ouir hie c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 504.
Pertlie to preif thair pith thay preist 1566-70 Buch. Comm. on Virgil Eclogue i 15.
Conor (to preis) a1597-1617 Hist. Jas. VI (1825) 88.
He [James VI] preissit to attene to the hole with his fingar a1599 Rollock Wks. I 319.
Labour to plesour him day and nicht, and preis to keip him 1600 Elgin Rec. II 81.
Preishe 1608 Reg. Privy C. VIII 536.
Preissing by thair ansuer unto us to advyse us to the continewing of thair former provest 1615 Fraserburgh Kirk S. 54 b (6 June).
Techmurie haid nocht preisit to performe his word c1650 Spalding II 407.
Sum wemen thay preissit to defloir(c) 1546 Lynd. Trag. Card. 64.
Ȝit praist I tyll haue more auctoritie(d) 1556 Lauder Off. Kings 215.
Thocht, to defend ȝow, ȝe wald prease [: grace] [etc.] 1568 Hosack Mary Q. of Scots I 539.
Na man anes preasing to carey the same [sc. a body] away 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 284.
Preassit a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 1246 (Wr.).
They … preasde not to reply 1590-1 R. Bruce Serm. 14. 1597 Skene Verb. S. To Reader.
Gif I haue preased to do weill [etc.] 1597 James VI Dæmonol. (S.T.S.) xix.
But onely (mooued of conscience) to preasse thereby … to resolue the doubting harts of many Id. Basil. Doron 150/14.
But not preassing to be a passemaister in any of thaime a1650 Row 266.
Let us … preass to imitat their … courage(e) a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 116.
To prise hym forthir to pray It helpis na thing(2) a1500 Colk. Sow ii 157.
Than wald scho preis bett me in angry wys 1513 Doug. v v 61.
Sche [the snake] pressand fle … Lang wrynklys makis oft with hir body(3) 1570 Sat. P. xvii 42.
For pompe nor pryde can na man say he preist [: feist, leist, ceist](4) 1456 Hay I 79/34.
Thai movit bataill and weris, pressand quha mycht be lord a1568 Bann. MS 73 a/79.
Preis oure all thing that thow may Fra all exces to keip thé ay(5) 1599 Reg. Privy C. VI 64.
[He] preist violentlie to have reft fra him and his servandis certane lynning claith 1599 Crim. Trials II 92.
He … preissit to haif strykkin and slane the said Johne 1607 Reg. Privy C. VII 366.
[With his] neve preist to have strickin him upoun the face 1608 Crim. Trials III 45.
The deponer … preist to haif tane him be the brydle renȝeis 1612 Aberd. Eccl. Rec. 78.
For preasing to hawe struck hir husband(b) 1587–8 Burntisland B. Ct. 23 March.
W^m Cuningis … had pracit to hawe strukine himrefl. 1375 Barb. xvii 408 (E).
With bargis … thai … pressyt thaim rycht fast to tow Hyr a1400 Leg. S. xvi 229.
Scho … presyt hyre … Thame to refrenȝe fra sik seruice Of ydolis ?1438 Alex. i 2598.
To nureis gude men … Men sould thame preis ay idantly 1456 Hay II 87/4.
And thus suld princis pres thame first to wyn gude name 1513 Doug. ix Prol. 18.
And pres thé nevir to le(2) c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxxv 14.
Me thocht Deme Fortoun … said on this maneir … preis thé nocht to stryfe aganis my quheill 1535 Stewart 111.
And preis thé nocht my purpois till impung a1540 Freiris Berw. 523 (B). 1567–8 Q. Mary in Facs. Nat. MSS III lvii.
Pres you to vreit al neus to mi a1570-86 Maitl. F. cxix 11.
Thi honour … Preis thé not to iniwir For na warldis wyn 1577 Waus Corr. 153.
I sall preis my self to rewenge the sam — c1420 Ratis R. App. ii 24.
Pres thé al-ways with thi perys a1500 Henr. III 90/23.
Preis thé with pane at all poweir, Be patient and previe

5. To contend or strive agains(t (agane) a person or thing; to resist. a1400 Leg. S. ii 543.
Saule, is it nocht hard to thé Agane the brod thu for to prese? c1400 Troy-bk. ii 976 (C).
Heleyne, counseled the Troyiens Ageynes Gregeois notht for to pres a1585 Maitl. Q. lxxi 35. 1595 Duncan App. Etym.
Renitor, to preasse against

6. tr. a. To importune (someone) (to behave in a certain way); to try to persuade by argument; to urge or put pressure on (one's own, or another's, abilities).a. (1) a1500 K. Hart 24.
So prevelie thai preis him and him preicheid 1558-66 Knox I 227.
And when that otheris war compelled to kyss a paynted brod … thei war not preassed after ones; for this was the chance Ib. II 380.
That thei should not prease the quene with any other thing concernyng materis of religioun 1567 Anderson Collect. Mary I 97.
Evir preissing us with continewall and importune sute 1570 Cal. Sc. P. III 510.
[I was] werry hardle preiseit [by sundry of the noblemen] 1572 Buch. Detect. (1727) 48. 1573–4 Reg. Privy C. II 347.
Frome the begynning he had bene owerlukit and not preissit with payment thairof 1589 Waus Corr. 434.
For I am bald and hamelie to preis your lo. with panis in this and vthair my caussis 1594 Highland P. I 187.
And especially he prysied me by perswasions at the two tymes I met with him at Finlarg — 1634 Wedderburn Gramm. 49.
Vrgeo, to preasse(2) 1567 Hosack Mary Q. of Scots I 559.
Hir majestie … hes bene preissit … to ȝeild unto sum mariage 1568 Anderson Collect. Mary IV ii 116.
Preassit 1571–2 Reg. Privy C. II 110.
His grace … sall not requeir move nor preis thame to consent to ony infeftmentis [etc.] 1584 Ib. III 687.
Preissing his hienes to subscrive signatouris [etc.] 1601 Dalyell Darker Superst. 207.
He preissit her to tak ane drynk 1649 Brechin Presb. 8.
[The] minister of Lochlie … had pressed the inhabitants … to tak and subscribe … the League and Covenant(3) 1561 Q. Kennedy Compendious Ressonyng (ed.) 153/15.
Preissand ȝour wit and ingyne to circumveyn me with sophistrie, logik, or oratrie c1590 Fowler I 312/1.
Prepair and prease as papists dois, O poetts, ȝour ingyne

b. To constrain; to compel. Variously const., also absol.(1) 1560 Cal. Sc. P. I 358.
[No appointment can please our countrymen unless we be] preissed to it, for feare to be destituted of your support 1565 Reg. Privy C. I 372.
Thair majesteis heirtofoir hes na wayis preissit ony personis in the fre use of thair conscience 1567 Bann. Memor. xxiii.
And therafter the saide lorde preissit him therto and … wyth cumpany of folkis compellit him to seill the same 1580 Reg. Privy C. III 281.
They have nevir persuadit nor preissit his majestie to this hour 1585–6 J. Carmichael in Misc. Wodrow Soc. 444.
Turne cotes … if thei were preasit thei wald be readie to cap, and cope, surpleis 1586–7 Rait & Cameron King James's Secret 136.
Geve straytnes be wsit, her majeste wilbe pressit therto bye her awyne naturall 1592 Reg. Morton I 181.
For observing of the custumat order he is preissit to purchase the style of sum kirk leving c1600 Montg. Suppl. vii 8.
Pane doithe me preis … my langour to lament a1605 Montg. Son. li 9. 1615 Melrose P. I 208.
He, … preissed be circumstancis and confrontatioun with others, … professis a greate remorse 1637 Stirling B. Rec. I 178.
The ministeris ar begun to be pressed(2) 1513 Doug. ii vi 101.
Gif ȝour desyre be sa fermly prest [etc.]absol. 1658 R. Moray Lett. fol. 95.
Seing nothing presses, … it may possibly be some advantage to see if you can be served at home

7. To urge (a policy, course of action, etc.); to press for.Also, once, to make (a matter) more urgent or grave.(1) 1561 Reg. Privy C. I 266.
Gif ony suddane alteratioun or novatioun be preissit or attemptit 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 51.
[He] preissit at my lord regentis hand the cryme to be changeit 1572 Sat. P. xxxv 37.
Ȝow sould not preis disestimatioun To such as thairin no lak had 1584 James VI in Laing MSS I 42.
Ye sall with all instance preas the delywerie to us of the principallis Id. Ib. 46. 1635 Wodrow in Hay Geneal. 87.
Such argument … as he shall use for … pressing the probatione ?c1675 J. Gordon Hist. I 87.
The ministers who pressed the Covenant 1664 Rothesay B. Rec. 77.
The bygane checker coumpts is not satisfiet altho the same hes bein severall tymis prest 1687 Shields Hind Let Loose (1797) 788.
Many other wicked impositions have been pressed and prosecuted with great rigour(2) 1572–3 Cal. Sc. P. IV 517.
The lingering of the assege in sic sort as it is now preissit be famyn

b. To bring (a person's merits, etc.) to the attention of another. — 1665 Laing MSS I 345.
My lord, I shall bege the favor that this may prese my servic to me ladie

8. To squeeze; to rest heavily on. = Press v.¹ 2 b. 15.. Christis Kirk 51 (B).
Bot rysand he wes preist Quhill that he oistit at bath the endis 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 144/6.
Learning is a licht burdein the uecht quhairof uill neuer preasse youre schoulderis