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

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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Slid(e, v. Also: slyd(e, slyide, sled(e. P.t. sla(i)d(e, slayd, sled. P.p. sliddin, -en, slyd(d)in, slydyn, sclyddyn, (slidd), sledyn. [ME and e.m.E. slide(n (c1250), slid (Cursor M.), slyde(n (Manning), sclyde (1435). P.t. north. ME slad(e (Cursor M.), midl. and south. slode (14th c.), slydde (c1450), slided (Caxton), slid (1623). P.p. islide (c1250), slyden (Wyclif), slyded (1535), slidden (1622), OE slídan.]

I. intr. 1. To move easily and, usu., swiftly, with a (continuous) gliding motion, esp. through water or air, to slip, fly; also, const. doun, to descend in such a fashion. Also fig. Also transf., of sound.To slide one, ? to attach or apply by a sliding motion.(1) 1375 Barb. iii 627.
And scho … Raykyt slidand throw the se 1375 Barb. iii 707.
Sum [sc. ships] wald slyd fra heycht to law a1500 Henr. Fab. 908.
The slewthound furth can slyde With doggis all diuers and different; The rattoun ran [etc.] a1500 Sir Eger 1606.
A girth … quite thorow the throat soon did slide And made a wound 1513 Doug. iii ii 117.
We slyde throu fludis endlang feil costis fayr 1513 Doug. iii viii 1.
Throu owt the sey we slyde, … out our the fludis forto saill 1513 Doug. iv v 93.
Pas, son, inhaist, graith the wyndis in effek; Slyde with thi feddyrame to ȝon Troiane prynce 1513 Doug. v i 59.
Fast our the wallys slydis the navy 1513 Doug. vi v 32.
In the first frost … Levis of treys in the wod doys slyde 1513 Doug. viii ii 55, etc. 1533 Bell. Livy I 42/2.
Romulus … sliding haistelie from the hevin met me arely on this morowfig. a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 380 (Asl.).
Princis … suld … wnderstand … Quhen opyn syn slydis but correctioun Thai sall for this suffer sair pvniciounp.t. 1375 Barb. iii 701.
The schippys our the wawys slayd 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 2086.
I fell ouir and baith my feit slaid by Out ouir the heid into the stank 1513 Doug. xiii xi 64.
Than Venus slaid discendand throw the ayr 1531 Bell. Boece II 298.
The king kest abak his handis … to haif savit him … and the haly croce slaid, incontinent, in his handis(2) 1375 Barb. x 705.
Ilk man to sauff his lyff Fled furth … And sum slaid doune out-our the wall c1420 Wynt. viii 5526 (W).
Sum he tuke and sum he slew And sum slaid doune oure crag and hew 1513 Doug. vii ix 64.
A ryft or swelch … At quhais bysme the fury can down slyde 1513 Doug. xi xi 138.
Opys lyghty of the hevynnys glad, Throw owt the skyis sowchand fast doun slaid [Ruddim. slade] a1568 Scott ii 72.
Doun fra the hors he slaidtransf. c1520-c1535 Nisbet 2 Peter i 17.
He tuke of God the fader honour and glorie be sic manir voce sliddin [P. slidun] doun to him fra the gret glorie, This is my luvit sonn(3) a1400 Leg. S. xxxix 364.
The cancryt flesche thai [sc. Cosmas & Damian] sclure away & fllyt thar-of … & it enoyntit … with slicht, & slad one … With that the sek mane … fand hyme hale

b. Of a river or stream: To glide, flow. 1513 Doug. v xiii 71 (Sm.).
The flude Tibir, throw Lawrent feildis slidis a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 295 (L).
And to the sie it [sc. a river] softlie slid a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 299 (W).
As to the sey it swiftlie slaid 1611-57 Mure Early Misc. P. xxi 99.
Heir silver brooks doe slyd

c. Of a serpent: To move, glide. a1400 Leg. S. xxxix 242.
A serpent … in his mouth enteryt … & sa in-[to] his wame done slaid a1400 Leg. S. xxxix 261.
As the serpent had entre In at his mouth … One the sammyne wise it slad oute 1513 Doug. v ii 86.
Of the holl … A gret eddir slydand gan furth thraw 1533 Bell. Livy I 120/3.
Ane serpent slaid … out of ane pillare 1587-99 Hume 171/120.
How narow a rift that awld lubrik serpent hathe slydin in

2. To move quietly, without attracting attention, surreptitiously. b. To escape. c. transf. or fig. Of sleep.Some examples may belong in 1. 1375 Barb. x 558.
For I but suspicioun Mycht repayr till hyr preuely Off rapys a leddre to me mad I, And thar-with our the wall I slaid 1375 Barb. xvii 126.
Sum ar slydyn our the wall. And sum war … tane c1420 Wynt. ii 466 (W).
Dewcalioun … ressauit All thai that fled and slaid him till c1420 Wynt. iv 411.
And … he had gret pryde That [he] ethchapyt swa … Bot scho that saw his hawtane fere Apon this wys maid hym awnsuere ‘Wyth slycht [swa], suppos yhe slyde Yhoure lattyre day yhit mon yhe byde’ a1500 Henr. Fab. 2511 (H).
Happynnit thair ane hungrie wolf to slide Out throw his scheip c1475 Wall. viii 1333.
Slely he slayd throuch strenthis off Scotland a1500 K. Hart 463.
Schir King ȝe latt me slyde For and I byde in fayth he will me sla a1500 Seven S. 1125.
Alsa sone as he furth fure, In scho slaid 1513 Doug. v xi 19.
Sone slaid sche doun onseyn of ony wy 1560 Rolland Seven S. 2444.
In at the ȝet scho slaid a1568 Scott ii 125.
Will saw his fais on bath the syddis … Will schortly to his hors he slydis 1596 Dalr. II 309/25.
A certane Italian, quha out of the toune quyetlie slaid 1603 Philotus 1199.
Cled lyke a boy … Fra ȝow dissaitfullie scho slaid, And come myne hous vntill 1648 Baillie III 63.
Many … superexpended slaid awayc. c1475 Wall. vii 348.
In thair brawnys sone slaid the sleuthfull sleip 1513 Doug. iii viii 12.
On our irkyt lymmys, lethis and banys The naturale rest of sleip slaid al atanys

II. transf. or fig. 3. Of a person: To pass fra (frome, out of), in, to (a, chiefly mental or moral, state, etc.), on, apon (sleep, etc.).(1) 1456 Hay II 114/30.
Quhen he is slyddin out of his propre temperaunce of equalitee of complexioun a1500 Prestis of Peblis 240 (Asl.).
Thus wist he neuer of wo … Quhill he had slely sliddin [Ch. slidden] fra all seile a1500 Colk. Sow ii 241.
Set nevir thy harte To mak an hurd … For littill watt thow how sone that thow may slid Frome it slely or it fra thé to glid 1533 Bell. Livy I 9/19.
The more thai slaid fra gude maneris and doctryne, they ran the more feirslie vnto euery vice a1538 Abell 78b.
And sa hes thai grow to carnalite thai slaid fra audacite and manlynes c1600 Montg. Suppl. xxix 54.
Sell I dispair And frome my saweoure slyd?(2) a1500 Henr. III 103/33.
Hir schone suld be of sickernes, In syne that scho nocht slyd a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 528 (Harl.).
To baith the parteis in grete perdicioun Throw sleuth ar sufferit slyde to spirituale dede 1531 Bell. Boece I 129.
He left all thingis pertenand to justice, and slaid in every kind of vice a1538 Abell 79b.
Skantlie wald he absolve him & gaif to him agane the impire bot eftirwert he slaid agane to imperfectioun 1562-3 Winȝet I 58/17.
In quhat proud arrogance … is he specialie … Slidden(3) c1475 Wall. vii 68.
Apon a sleip he slaid full sodandly 1513 Doug. viii Prol. 3.
I slaid on a swevynnyng, slummyrrand a lite 1513 Doug. xiii Prol. 75.
Thar as I was lenyt doun … On sleip I slaid

b. To pass over (by) (a topic, subject matter). a1538 Abell 99a.
In this kingis life mony documentis ma be inducit bot becaus mony of thame are twechit before … I man slide by mony

c. Of words: To slip (fra, from a person, his mouth), to be uttered. a1400 Leg. S. xxxviii 212.
Hou … thu fra hym [sc. Christ] this slad! Allace! allace! harmys ay Quhat sal I wretch[it] woman say 1513 Doug. vi xi 15.
The teris trynglyng our his chekis ran, And fra his mouth slydis thir wordis myld

4. To pass (away) (in time); to pass (out) of memory, the mind, to disappear. b. Of an occasion, season, etc.: To pass by (away). a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 1307 (Asl.).
Weile & wa … riches and purete But ony tary baith slydis as a slombere 1513 Doug. ix vii 172.
Nevir day … sal betyde That ȝour renown sal owt of memor slyde 1533 Boece 59b.
Thay suld remember the meritis of thare fader and neuer lat his vertewis slide of thare mynde c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus i 324.
That lufe thow speikis hes na continuance Bot slydis away as dois the snaw or slime 1556 Lauder Off. Kings 36.
Thay [sc. kings] haue no surenes heir to byde Bot euer sure that thay mon slyde a1568 Bann. MS 15a/24.
Thy sweit promeis and tendir luve Na tyme nor tyde Owt of my mynd sall nocht remve Nor ȝit lat slydb. a1570-86 Dunb. Maitl. F. 417/2.
Ȝour men sad thai wald ryd And latt this fasterennis ewin ower slyd Bott than thair wyffis … baid tham … abyd Att haem a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 824 (Wr.).
The season With slouthing slydes away 1609 Garden Garden 34.
Thy name … shall liue, Though seasons slide

5. Of a faculty, etc.: To diminish. c1490 Porteous Noblenes 175/13 (A).
He that has na honour … his … gud name levis him, wrang garris his powere slyde, and gentilnes tynis his name in him 1533 Bell. Livy II 170/12.
The strenth of my body is consumyt … my memorie slidis

III. 6. To slip, to lose one's foothold; also, specif., to slide our (schip)burd, to fall overboard. b. Of the feet. In fig. context. 1375 Barb. x 596.
For hapynt ony to slyde or fall, He suld be soyne to-fruschit all 1513 Doug. Comm. i i 51.
Hebe … seruyit Jupiter of his covp; quhilk at a fest … makand hir seruice, slaid 1513 Doug. v iv 34.
Meneyt our schipburd slyde 1513 Doug. v vi 80.
He slaid and stumryt on the slydry grond And fell 1513 Doug. vi v 112.
As I slaid our burd 1513 Doug. xi xv 138.
Sche … slayd to grond, nocht of fre volunte 1531 Bell. Boece I xliv.
Ilk ane of thaim hes ane staffe in thair hand, that thay sall nocht slide 1533 Bell. Livy II 177/13.
He slaid and fell gruflingis to the erde 15.. Lichtoun Dreme 54.
I slaid and fell upoun my hipsb. 1581-1623 James VI Poems I 249/446.
By his pouer oure ennemies feete thay slaide 1643 Lorimer St. Cuthbert's 145.
Our lord forth raide, His foal's foot slade, Our lord down lighted 1655 Charm in Old-lore Misc. V iii 130.
The Lord God road, His foals foot slaide

7. fig. To fall from good fortune; to fall from grace, lapse, err.(a) a1500 Colk. Sow ii 209.
Quho that surest dois keip him sonest dois slyd c1520-c1535 Nisbet Heb. vi 6.
Thai that … has … the virtues of the warld to cummand and ar sliddin fer away that thai be renewit eftsone to pennance 1531 Bell. Boece II 212.
King Culine … throw his surfet … fel in ane … infirmite; his nature sliding [etc.] c1552 Lynd. Mon. 5362.
No maruell thocht the peple slyde, Quhen thay haue blynd men to thare gyde 1562-3 Winȝet I 133/6.
Ony ane of thame adherand to his awin iugement micht hef sliddin in sum pointis 1567 G. Ball. 116.
The Lord is help to thame that slyde & stummer 1567 G. Ball. 239.
Graip or thow slyde, and keip furth the hie way a1568 Maitland Bann. MS 12b/80.
[Adam and Eve] Eit of the fruct … swa thay baith did slyd a1570-86 Maitl. F. 344/8.
Bettir is … fortoun to abyd Than haistalie to clym and suddenlie to slyd 1570 Sat. P. xxii 46.
Quha heichest clymmis the soner may thay slyde a1578 Pitsc. I 60/21.
Quhene they slyd they gett the grettest fall 1662 J. Livingstone in Sel. Biog. I 208.
Few of Christ's witnesses but sometime or other they have slidden(b) c1600 Montg. Suppl. xxx 41.
Suppois I sled [Bann. slede], lat me nocht sleip in sleuth

b. As part of a formula, in documents, asserting the signator's freedom from error in signing. 1392 Lennox Mun. 48.
Nouther throw dowte na forse led, na throw errour sclyddyn, bot of owr cler and fre wyll 1406 Rep. Hist. MSS Var. Coll. V 78.
Grantand hir nouther to be enducit na led thrw awe na strenith na yhete thrw errour sliddin 1422 Stirlings of Keir 208.
Wyt ȝe me, nocht throw na strencht na throw dred led, na error down sledyn 1434 Buccleuch Mun. II 418. 1472 (1476) Reg. Great S. 257/2.
The said Archibald, nocht throw strenth or drede led nor throw errour slidd 1507 Charter (Reg. H.) No. 709.
Sliddin

c. To slip (in terms of the state of upkeep of buildings, etc.); to become less well off. a1538 Abell 78b.
Four bischippis slidin be negligence he reperalit

d. Of a person, his mind: To alter, change. a1585 Maitl. Q. 118/127.
Quhidder ȝe me accept or nocht My myinde sall neuer slyide a1605 Montg. Misc. P. 41.
Sho bydis, and slydis No more then does a rok

8. lit. and fig. Of a building: To subside. a1570-86 Maitl. F. 423/147.
Ȝour hous is build on Him … For nocht awales warldlie welthis or wit Gif sic had serwid for suithe it had nocht sliddin 1676 Lanark Presb. 111.
The west gavel of the church … is slidden, and ane rift in it

IV. 9. tr. To place (a thing) in or take it out of a hiding place, receptacle, etc. surreptitiously or secretly. a1500 Seven S. 1710.
At ilk port a hole thai maide And tharin a gold barell slaide c1530-40 Stewart Bann. MS 95b/3.
The king … come als quiet as a theif And in my hand sled schillingis tway c1590 J. Stewart 38/293.
Ane beuget … Out of the quhilk he did ane phiole slyd vith liquor plinist