A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1971 (DOST Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1399-1420, 1492-1651
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Murdris, -es, -eis, Murthrys, v. Also: murdrise, mordris. P.t. and p.p. murthrist, mwrth[r]yst, mur-, mwrthrysyd(e, murtherist; murd-, mwrdrist, -yst, -est, mourdrist, mordrest, murdreist; murdris(s)-, murdres(s)-, murdreissit; murderist, -est; murdyrist, murderst. [OF. murdriss-, mordriss-, lengthened stem of murdrir, mordrir (F. meurtrir to bruise): cf. e.m.E. (once) murtrish (Caxton); and, for the forms in -th-, Murther v.]
1. tr. To murder; also, without reprobation, to slay (a person).Also const. doun and to the deid.(1), (a) 1492 Myll Spectakle of Luf 287/19.
Quhilk efterwart scho cruelly maid to murdres hir lord the king 1533 Boece iii. xxi. 121 b.
Romanis … murdrissing agit men & women 1533 Ib. vi. ii. 186 b.
Murdrissing him self 1535 Stewart 23901.
This sempill king … In to his bed gart murdreis him on the nycht 1560 Rolland Seven Sages 6826.
Murdreis a1578 Pitsc. II. 54/27.
To let murdres thame for the preiching of Christis evangell 1600 Criminal Trials II. 181.
They ar murdressing me! 1651 Johnston Diary II. 49.
Teaching people to murdrise their people(b) c1420 Wynt. viii. 3200.
That till murthrys the kyngis men Byddand thai ware in that buschement(b, c) a1400 Legends of the Saints xxii. 92.
That he had as a wykyt mane Mwrth[r]yst his lord c1420 Wynt. vi. 1651.
He murthrysyd [v.rr. murthrist, murtherist] hym in Elgyne c1420 Ib. 1849(b) 1492 Misc. Bann. C. II. 135.
He was mvrdrist and slane 1497–8 Acts Lords of Council II. 152.
Had murdrist and slane him had nocht bene that ane chepman happinit til cum 1492 Myll Spectakle of Luf 282/13.
Mvrdryst 1522–3 Acta Conc. Publ. Aff. 163. 1531 Bell. Boece II. 133. 1533 Id. Livy I. 227/1.
Than to haue thame self murdrist in thare beddis 1533 Boece iii. vii. 101. 1533 Ib. iv. xii. 143 b. a1595 Cullen Chron. Aberd. 35.
Mwrdryst c1610 Melville Mem. 14.
The said Piere Louys being mourdrist for his detestable vyces(c) c1515 Asloan MS I. 210/23.
He was murdrest schamefully in this manere c1552 Lynd. Mon. 3692. 1572-5 Diurnal of Occurrents 42.
Mordrest a1578 Pitsc. I. 168/1. 1586 Criminal Trials I. ii. 145.
Maist wyildlie … slew and murdrest him 1596 Highland P. I. 154. 1610 Inverness Rec. II. 77.
Thow maist vnmercifullie maisterful murdrest the birth off thai avin bodie 1622-6 Bisset I. 33/35.(d) c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxxiii. 30.
He murdreist mony in medecyne 1525 St. A. Formulare I. 268.
Part murdreist part slane 1535 Stewart 44357. 1567 Reg. Privy S. VI. i. 1570 Satirical Poems xix. 46.
With schot of gunne thai murdreist him fra hand 1581 Burne Disput. in Cath. Tr. 143/5.
Eftir he had murdreist his vyf 1583 Reg. Privy C. III. 619. 1598 Ib. V. 443.
To have murdreist him be way of hamesuckin 1614 Criminal Trials III. 270. c1650 Spalding I. 75.
Johne Ross for ane licht caus mvrdreist ane chepman callit Dauid Leg c1650 Ib. II. 396.
Mischantlie murdreist(e) 1545 Tytler Hist. Scot. II. 349 n.
The Lord Maclanis fader was cruellie murdressit under traist in his bed a1586 Lindsay MS. 37.
And murdrisit thame that rebellit aganis him 1600 Criminal Trials II. 253.
Tressoun! I am murdreissit!(f) a1538 Abell 126 b.
& ondir trowys murdyrist the gentil lard of Meldrum a1578 Pitsc. I. 48/32.
Murderist a1578 Ib. 66/5.
Murderest a1578 Ib. 218/4.
To come aganis his father in battell quhairthrow he was murderst and slaine a1578 Ib. 303/28.
Murderst a1597-1617 Hist. Jas. VI 7.
And thair murderest him(2) 1533 Boece iv. vii. 135.
Thai suld feirslie mell with inemys sla & murdris thame downe with pikkis & swerdis 1567 Satirical Poems vii. 38.
To se the King … murdreist downe causeles and crewelly(3) a1578 Pitsc. II. 83/23.
They murdrest him to the deid
b. transf. To slay (game) unfairly or in an unsportsmanlike way.1531 Bell. Boece (M) I. 205.
That na haris be slayn quhen thai ar liand … becaus haris wer oft tymes murderist be sik maner 1531 Ib.
Throu quhilk the dere ar … oft tymes murdreist bot ony game
2. Hyperbolically, to torment, cause terrible suffering to.c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 212.
Apone sic materis I mus … And murnys so in my mynd I murdris my selfin
3. To beat down, to smash, to damage by beating.Cf. F. meurtrir to bruise.1494 Loutfut MS. 38 b.
Mayllets ar maid of stark & hard tre or ellis of hevy metall for to strik and foundre hard thingis ande mordrisis thingis that reffusis aganis thaim
