Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Cers(e, Ceirs, v. Also: cearse, cersh. [OF. cercer, dialect variant of cerch(i)er. See also Sers v.] tr. To search.(a) 1503 Treas. Acc. II. 372/3.
To Johne Coupar, messingeir, to cers and seik eschet gudis 1503 Acts II. 242/2.
Power to cers the salaris and passaris furth of the roum a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 464.
Sorrow thy hert and all thi bowellis cerssis 1520 Fife Sheriff Ct. 179.
The said schireff maid the said Iames to be cersyt & soucht to hef fundine souerte tharupone 1528 Douglas Corr. 128.
To se, cerse, and be sickir that nane of the saidis malefactouris … escaip 1549 Soc. Ant. XI. 89.
To cers and seik him our all quhare within the boundis … of Cathenes 1560–1 Edinb. Old Acc. II. 121.
To the wrichtis officiar that cersit the towne … quhen the tymmer was stowne 1561 Q. Kennedy Oratioune 20.
Cersande thair pray like the deuillis rachis 1567 Dundee B. Laws 368.
The saidis decane … sall deligentlie cersh, weseit, and exem … the said maister maid of new 1582 Conv. Burghs I. 137.
That the saidis magistratis of Edinburgh cers furth all the vnfrie tovnes … and persew thame be the law 1600-1610 Melvill 167.
The Magistrats haid bein cersing the College and my hous for me(b) 1533 Boece ii. v. 64.
Mein to ceirs and chais the dere Ib. iv. xvi. 151 b.
The Romainis … ceirs baith erde and sey c 1580 (1487) Edinb. B. Rec. I. 53.
That the baillies pas incontinent to ceirs the regratouris of meill(c) 1558 Q. Kennedy Tractive 100.
Cearse the Scriptures 1558 Misc. Wodrow Soc. 131.
To cearse ovte his awin salvatiouin 1596 Dalr. I. 287/15.
That thay … cearse out this kynd of peple