Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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.

Publis, v. Also: publise, publys, publice, publes, publeis, puplis. P.t. and p.p. publist, -leist, -liest, etc., publis(s)it, -lissed, -licit, etc. [ME publice (Piers Plowman), publese (Trevisa), p.p. publissed (c1400), ME and e.m.E. puplise(n (Manning), puplice (1509), p.t. and p.p. pup(p)list (c1400), poplist (c1400), f. the stem of OF puplier, later also publier. Cf. also Publisch.]

1. tr. To make publicly or generally known, to publish abroad.Also const. furth of (a source of information).(1) 1456 Hay II 75/18.
That it was nocht spedefull that this buke war till all men publist Ib. 89/7.
That thair gude renoune be wyde sawin and publist our all realmes and quhare they are knawin c1460 Alex. (Taym.) (ed.) 385.
Thus sen all hale the case knawis he and ȝe Suppois he will nocht ȝit it publist be 1490 Irland Mir. II 112/7.
Na ȝit that na vthir herresie suld be publist to all the pepil 1515 Douglas Corr. 69.
And brocht with hymm the bullys of Sanctandros, and publyst the sammyne one his maner in Edynburgh this last ȝeyre c1520-c1535 Nisbet I 2.
[Pu]blissit Id. Luke iv 37.
Puplisit [P. pupplischid] 1572 Buch. Detect. (1727) 142.
Publeist 1573 Tyrie in Cath. Tr. 20/28.
His kirk nocht onlie wes nocht obscured, … but be the contrar mair declarit and publised to the warld, in safar that [etc.] 1582 Reg. Privy C. III 494.
His hienes … hes thocht expedient to publeis to all his faithfull subjectis the malitious falsett of the calumpnies laid and publisched aganis his majesties said cousing [etc.] 1584 Laing MSS I 42.
And siclike have caussit publis be proclamatioun the mutuall consentis of us baith to manteane peax(2) c1510 Glasg. Univ. Mun. I 46.
This is the varraye copye of the prenspall … legatione mayd be wmquhill Schir Archibald Cawdirwod … publisit furtht of ane mes bwik of Cadder

b. P.p. Widely or generally known. c1490 Irland Asl. MS 65/15.
And mony vther kyndis of the syn of lichery and thai be manificit and publicit 1512 Glasgow Dioc. Reg. II 438.
That the said Schir James … has withaldin the samyn [woman] in adulteri publist thir thre ȝeris 1573 Riddell Tracts 191.
Ande reputation of the saidis personis as mereit folkis was than and be the space of tua or three yeiris preceding notourlie knawin, divulgeit, and publiest a1595 Descr. Isles 428.
Small ilands and inches … quhairof the names are not publist 1596 Dalr. I 38/1.
Bot the truth of the mater is nocht publised

2. To make known by proclamation or official or formal pronouncement; to proclaim or announce; to promulgate (laws and the like).(a) 1425 Acts II 11/2.
Quhilkis statutis & ordinancis ilk schiref sall ger be publist and proclamyt in the chefe place of his schirefdome a1500 Adv. MS 25. 4. 15 fol. 95, 96.
Quha that ever by fundyn dissessour with strynth or armes efter that statut was publist thai salbe adiugit [etc.] 1533 Bell. Livy I 291/22, 23.
Sett thame with vter diligence to publis the said lawis; and … thai publist thir x tabillis … in public concioun Ib. 289/27. 1536–7 Elgin Rec. I 27.
And publis and mak proclamatioun thairof at the mercet croce of our said burgh 1565–6 Canongate Kirk S. (ed.) 38.
For the quhilk the kirk ordannis to be publiset as ane promis braker to the eternall God 1571 Bann. Trans. 216.
Mattheu Erle of Lennox … hes laitlie caused publis sindrie letteris at dyvers borrowis … full of calumneis … against me 1574 Edinb. Kirk S. 1 July.
The samin to be publisit to the haill kirk vpone Sonday 1596 Dalr. II 104/25.
Tha … visitis the hail south of Scotland, publising throuch al, and be edictes makeng publick and plane to al man, that nathing les tha desyre than the skaith of the realme 1639 Kirkcaldy B. Rec. 161.
And ordanis this present taks to be publissed by touke of drum throw the said burgh 1648 Sc. N. & Q. 1 Ser. XII 74.
Thrie thinges to be rememberet to be publiseit from pulpit(b) 1575 Elgin Rec. I 150.
To publice and proclame the said George legittimatioun 1586 St. A. Kirk S. 576.
Publicit 1609 Inverurie B. Ct. 11 Aug.(c) 1561 St. A. Kirk S. 80.
This to be publest this nixt Sundaye 1573 Ib. 382.
The actis … this day red publesed and apprevit(d) 1562–3 Inverness Rec. I 98.
Ane publict proclamatioun to be maid … , publeissand and makand knawin that [etc.] 1577 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. I 42. 1603 Aberd. Council Lett. I 94.
Full power … to mak prescryve and publeis actis and constitutiouns 1611 Crim. Trials III 165.
That intimation sould publictlie be maid in Aire [etc.] … that suche ane corps … wes to be sene at the Churche of Girvan. Whilk being accordinglie publeissed, [etc.]

3. To promulgate (written works) by reproduction for public issue or sale. 1596–7 Crim. Trials II 14.
Mr. Johnne Howiesoune … intysit the said Robert to imprent the samin [act of parliament] and publeis itt 1600-1610 Melvill 135.
For penning of sklanderus and wicked proclamation, publissed against the kirk

4. a. To open and make known to the court witnesses' depositions which had been ‘closed’ or sealed up with the judge's seal at a previous diet.See espec. Fife Sheriff Ct. 318–9. 1516 Fife Sheriff Ct. 51.
The partiis warnit … to compere … to here & see the deposicionis of the said witnes publist & the decret of court gewin … in the said actioune 1535 Aberd. B. Rec. MS fol. 32.
In the terme assignit to publeis the depositionis … the bailȝeis publeist the same reservand George Quhitis deposition quhilk is sorne and vnexeminit

b. To make known to a court (parties' depositions, previous decisions or other relevant matter) by having these read out in court. 1517 Fife Sheriff Ct. 68.
The quhilk day the deposicione of Johnne Broune … takin … of command of the schiref in the actione & cause [etc.] … wes publist in presens of the said Johne Spens 1537–8 Dunferm. Reg. Ct. 150.
Efter tenor of divers act maid thairvpone quhilkis the said balles causit be opinly red in jugment. Vpone the publicatione of the quhilkis [acts] and vtheris in likwis publist than, he tuk act and documenttis

5. a. To reveal or disclose (a private feeling). 1513 Doug. x ii 6.
Prouokis to publys and schaw myne hyd ennoy

b. To display publicly, expose to public view (books). 1533 Bell. Livy I 73/25.
He commandit the grete bischop to publice and schaw furth the bukis of Numa his gudeschir

6. To expose to public disgrace, to denounce. 1494 Loutfut MS fol. 7b.
Bot thai suld be publist befor all men and callit traitouris fals reportouris and wnlele murdreris c1520-c1535 Nisbet Matth. i 19.
Josephe … wald not publice [W. pupliche; L. traducere] hir

7. In Bell. Livy, rendering L. pūblicāre, to make public property of, to confiscate and make over to the public use. 1533 Bell. Livy I 287/31.
Than was ane law made that Mont Aventyne sall be publist and dividit amang the pepill Ib. II 27/28.
The gudis … war confiscate and publist be the tribunis [L. Bona … tribuni publicavere] Ib. 81/20.