A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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About this entry:
First published 1986 (DOST Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1549-1590, 1680
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Puls(e, Pulce, Pouls(e, v. [e.m.E. pulse to pulsate, beat, throb (1559), p.p. pulst driven forth (rendering L. pulsus p.p. of pellere to drive, strike, 1573), to impel (1666), MF polser, poulser (15th c. in Littré) (F. pousser), L. pulsāre to push, strike, beat, impel etc., in med. L. also to urge, entreat, to ring (a bell) and intr. (of a bell) to be rung. Cf. Poss v. and Pouse v.] a. tr. ? To strike violently, to hit, fig.; absol. to strike, buffet, pummel: cf. Poss v. b. tr. To drive or induce, to incite or impel, to urge or press, or egg on (a person, to do something). Also with up. = Pouse v. 3. c. tr. To ring or toll (a bell).a. c1590 J. Stewart 69/148.
Thay suak and poulsis to and fro full blast c1590 Ib. 74/38.
Sic pinching paine did poulse hir percit hartb. (1) 1549 Complaynte of Scotland 125/25.
Therfor … necessite pulsis and constrenȝes me to cry on God and to desire vengeance [etc.] 1549 Ib. 139/18.
For as sune as ȝe that ar comont pepil ar … furtht of subiectione, ȝour … inciuilite pulcis ȝou to perpetrat intollerabil exactions(2) 1584 Colville Lett. 48.
This I spek nocht that hir mate wald ony way puls thame to interpryis 1584 Ib. 50.
This I spek nocht to puls the nobill to commit thame selfe to danger(3) 1586 Reg. Privy C. IV 111.
The Douglassis wes pulsit up to this be thame quha advanceit thameselffs to be farrest in his hienes secreitisc. 1680 Glasg. Univ. Mun. II 489.
And that at six a clock in the morning the bell be pulsit, and that all the schollars be callit to the common hall
