A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1399-1667
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Caus(e, Caws, v. Also: cais. [ME. cawse, cause (14th c.), F. causer, L. causāre.]
1. tr. To cause (to do or be done).Followed by active or passive infinitive, with or without expressed object.(1) a1400 Legends of the Saints xxi. 226.
Thane the cause cane Petir spere That hyre caw[s]it to ma sic bere a1400 Ib. xl. 128.
That lare That causit hyme to cume thare 1473 Treasurer's Accounts I. 46.
To ane vthir [currour] passande … to Rosling to caus thai ladis to cum to the ȝule 1482 Fam. Rose 147.
Giff … the saide Lauchlane cavs or gerrys the saide Donalde … deliuer the saide castell 1493 Acts Lords of Council 319/2.
The lard of Amisfelde sall cause his officiare … to pynd apoun the commoune 1513 Doug. iii. vi. 102.
Thow caws thi feris keip the samyn gys 1535 Stewart 3423.
To caus thair lawis keip the strenth 1557 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 263.
To caus ȝour officiaris pvnde … all thair brethir of craft for non payment 1571 Peebles B. Rec. 328.
He … causit the childrene … to hald thame a1578 Pitsc. I. 225/22.
They caussit the saidis lordis … to find cawtioun 1621 Acts IV. 599/1.
[To] caus … everie pairtie subscryve his awin inventar 1661 Aberdeen B. Rec. IV. 121.
That this burgh haid causit John Gormak … come from Edinburgh(2) 1493 Acts Lords of Council 310/1.
He haid causit … Adam to be akkit in the officialis buk for … jc merkis 1506 Edinb. Chart. 190.
That ye … caus the mair diligence to be done thairin 1559 Lamont P. 72.
[We] hes cawsit our sceill to be affixit thairto 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 51.
Thay causit new articles to be devysit in Ingland(3) 1554 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 202.
The prouest and baillies … causit proclame ane wappinschawin 1555 Ib. 208.
To caus mak twa saittis in the … tolbuyth 1568 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 366.
The sacrister … sall caus jow the greit bell … at four hours in the morning 1590 Reg. Privy C. IV. 516.
He causis persew thame for blude and convictis thame 1596 Rec. Convention of Royal Burghs I. 497.
The commissioners present … cawset pen and form the ansueris vnderwrittin 1600-1610 Melvill 185.
He causit wryt a copie in guid wrait 1646 Peebles Gleanings 266.
The thesaurer to caws expede the same instantlie 1650 Ib. 283.
The deane of guyld … to caws helpe the stones 1667 St. A. Baxter Bks. 134.
Alexander Pryd hath … causit imprisone James Kay
2. To be the cause of; to originate. c1420 Wynt. vii. 904.
Apon this … Betwene thame cawsyd wes contraversys c1460 Thewis Gud Wemen 74.
Metis and drinkis delycyus Causis lichory a1500 Buke of the Sevyne Sagis 2669.
This causis all thare argument a1500 Bk. Chess 7.
Causit thare was an richt gret influens a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 269.
The battall syne of Spottismuir he gart cause 1513 Doug. iii. viii. 151.
Quhat causyt syk noys na thing we saw c1552 Lynd. Mon. 4923.
In senownis it causis arthetica
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"Caus v.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 22 Apr 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/cause_v>
