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

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First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Los, Lose, Lois, n.¹ Also: loys. [ME. (1297– ) and e.m.E. (–1596) los(e, loos(e, looz, loze, OF. los, loz, loos.] Praise; honour, glory, renown.Only in early works. Common in Leg. S. and, espec., Hay.(a) a1400 Leg. S. i. 230; Ib. xxxvi. 634.
Als writtis sanct Ambros Of hymself as he mad sic lose Ib. v. 612.
A knycht … that … had bene in landis syndry For til haf lose of chevalry Ib. xxxiii. 20.
He borne wes of Capadoce That is a realme of gret lose Ib. xliv. 9.
[It] hapnyt hire a tyme til here The gret lose of sanct Agatha c1450-2 Howlat 528.
The douchty Dowglas is deid … With los and with lyking that lestis evir mor 1456 Hay I. 116/35.
As oft dois hautane proud-hartit men to wyn los in armes Ib. 141/4.
He did nocht his dedis of honour at hir request na for hir sake bot for his awin los Ib. 161/8.
Efter the honour of armes and warldly los Ib. 176/12.
Syndry folk gevis blame and lak to thame that tynis a bataill and honour and los to thame that wynnis it Ib. 215/23, 222/23, 233/19, etc. Ib. II. 26/5, 95/6.
Lose c1460 Alex. (Taym.) 1974.
Bot lord, quhat los quhat honour quhat renoun Was spokin of him Ib. 1206. c1460 Thewis Wysmen 428 [see Lak n.¹ 4 (1)]. a1500 Colk. Sow Proh. 33. a1500 Lanc. 1775. c1490 Porteous Noblenes 1/23 (Ch. & M.).
That mycht mynise his awne lose and honour(b) a1400 Leg. S. i. 236.
‘I am Goddis saule,’ he sade: Sic lois on hym-self he laide c1450-2 Howlat 425.
Thar lois [B. los] and thar lordschipe of sa lang dait Ib. 456. Ib. 568.
The lyoun he bure with loving & lois [: purpos] Ib. 385. c1460 Alex. (Taym.) 3436.
Here is baith lois and lordschipe for to wyn Ib. 496. a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 1078.
The schent might hym schend, That mare luffis his life than lois vpone erd 1513 Doug. xiii. iii. 51.
O glory and renoun of loys, in vayn Conquest with sa feill perrellis Ib. vi. 180.