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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.

Conditioun, Condicioun, n. Also: condytyown(e, -dytyoun, -dition(e; condicyoun, -dictioun, -dyc(i)on, -dicione, -dic(i)on; condisc(i)oun, -discion(e; condysyoun, -dyssoun, -dyssion, -dissioun(e, -dis(s)ion; condetioun, -decioun, -dessioun. [ME. condicioun (c 1315), -ditioun, etc., OF. condicion, -dition, L. condicio, -ditio.]

1. A point in a compact or agreement; a stipulation or requirement; a bargain.Very common in legal documents of the 15–16th c.(a) 1385 Rotuli Sc. II. 73/2.
It is accordit that this condition of speciall trewe and assurance sall … be kepit … be see als vell as … be lande c1420 Wynt. vii. 917.
That land … Wes gyvyn on that condytyowne Ib. 2045.
He … qwyt-clemyd all homagis, And alkyn strayt condytyownys 1456 Hay I. 147/8.
Gif a knycht had maid conditioun with the King of Fraunce to serue him for a ȝere in his weris a1500 Rauf C. 844.
Thow hes brokin conditioun, thow hes not done richt c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxii. 12.
I wald gif all that ever I haue To that conditioun … That ȝe had vowit [etc.] 1531 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 53.
Till put the saidys prentissis in thair prentis buk, and mak the indenturis of thair conditiouns amangys thame 1531 Bell. Boece II. 198.
Thay war … brocht agane to amite and allia, under thir conditionis 1577 Rec. Aboyne 130.
To use our said gift sicklyke as gif the said conditioun had nocht bene adjectit 1596 Dalr. I. 167/1.
Galdie … is sa humane, … that vpon conditiounis he grantis thame, quhat thay craue 1622-6 Bisset II. 253/5.
Conforme to the appoyntment, the parties ar obleist to keip there conditioun(b) a1400 Leg. S. xxxvi. 815.
On condicione, gif the dekine Eschapit … , That gud man for hym ded suld be 1397 Douglas Chart. 38.
Al thir condiciounis … and artikillis befornemnyde 1423 Edinb. Chart. 56.
For the condicionis fermeli to be kepit the seelis of the saide Dene Johne … ar to-hungin 1427 Melville Chart. 21.
Gyffe it hapnys the said Mergret to disseis, … ony of thir conandis or condicyonys ownfulfillit 1442 Reg. Great S. 64/1.
Giff we had broken the condiciouns contenit in the said indenture 1456 Hay I. 146/25.
Sen he was feit and condicioun maid with him for the hale ȝere at a tyme a1500 Henr. Orph. 273.
Orpheus … Pensif apon his … lady suete, Remembrit noucht his hard condicion c1490 Irland Asl. MS. I. 24/23.
That ony werk … be sufficiently satisfactour ar fyve condiconis requyrit Ib. 246/15.
The Scottis gaf thaim wyfis … under this condicioun, that the king [etc.] 1563 St. A. Kirk S. I. 181.
As sche that had mayd promys of mariage … , wythowtyn ony condicione adjecked tharto 1596 Dalr. II. 289/22.
That the place quhilk naturalie was wnwinnable, to the Gouernour was delyuerit and gyuen ouer on condiciounis 1618 Haddington Corr. 135.
My lordis … knauis the condictiounse quhilk was condisendit wpone(c) 1397 Douglas Chart. 38.
The kyng sall conferme … all giftys, taliȝeis, settyngys and condysyovnys mad … be dame Izabell 1405 Lennox Mun. 57.
Efftir the condiscioun made betwein the said partis 1456 Peebles B. Rec. 113.
That day was mayd burges Rob Bruys be the sem condyssion 1457 Ib. 120.
John Smayl has mayd the samen condission that he sal kyp the samyng ordenans … be the samyng cwndission 1487 Buccleuch Mun. II. 89.
That thir condissionis ande pwntmentis abwne expremyt sall be … trewlly kepit 1506 Lennox Mun. 180.
For the … kepyn of all and sindry the … condisionis in thir present endentouris(d) 1462 Peebles B. Rec. 145.
I … haf rassawyt … ij. lib. with … the samyn condecioun and poyntment … as is befor wrytin 1593 Fam. Innes 160.
Be payment … off the fewe maillis … witht dywers uthairis condessionis and prowessionis

2. Nature, character, or disposition of persons (or animals).(a) c1420 Wynt. v. 953.
He wes off condytyowne Mare lyke tyll Nero Ib. 5567; etc.
A … man … lycht off all condytyowne a1500 Henr. Fab. 49.
How mony men … Ar lyke to beistis in conditioun Ib. 1103.
Men of gude conditioun c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 409.
Thir wisemen, thai wait that all wiffes euill Ar kend with ther conditionis c1536 Lynd. Compl. Bagsche 212.
Lat no dog now serue our Souerane, Without he be of gude conditioun! c1552 Id. Mon. 2580.
Thocht sum of ȝow be gude of conditione 1556 Lauder Off. Kings 341.
Geue thay haue thir properteis, Thir gude conditionis and qualyteis a1578 Pitsc. I. 80/7.
Johnne Douglas … ane man maist lyke to his awin conditiounis of ony creature a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. xcvi. 11.
For thift and reiff nor men of ill conditioun Is na pvnitioun(b) 1456 Hay I. 78/14.
The quhilk condicioun cummys to thame of naturall inclinacioun Ib. 117/34; etc.
Ane understanding of mesure of mannis condiciounis c1420 Ratis R. 403.
Gif thai or scho has condiscione Of nobilnes, or gret renown 1490 Irland Mir. I. 26/30.
Folowand the natur, properteis and condicioune of the fadere of heven c1515 Asl. MS. I. 174/22.
Of mair vyle condicioun than … dronkart or ruffien c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxxxvii. 22.
Quhow gud, quhow noble of all condicioun, Quhow womanly in ewry mannis sicht

3. State in respect of circumstances; position, place, or rank. 1375 Barb. i. 274.
Is nane can tell The halle condicioun off a threll a1400 Leg. S. xi. 163.
Anent oure condicione, We grant ws seruandis ay bown Of Ihesu Criste c1420 Wynt. vi. 1077.
Sparand na condytyown, Seculare na off religyown Ib. viii. 1873.
All othir Inglis men … Off all condytyown, or off age 1456 Hay I. 251/28.
A thing that is of lawar condicioun may nocht be juge till ane thing that is of hyar condicioun a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 1010.
This is a sentens of singuler comforting For euery stait, condicioun, & degre c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 43.
Quhat mirth ȝe fand in maryage, … Reueill gif ȝe rewit that rakles conditioun 1542 Acts II. 419/2.
The said James [to be] restorit … to his gude fame … in the samin state and condetioun as he was [etc.] a1578 Pitsc. I. 24/31.
The maist vnhappie … pest that evir man of quhatsumevir estait and conditioun he be of may be infectit with

4. Constitution or nature; quality or kind. 1456 Hay I. 78/7.
As we se that the fyre has a conditioun naturale Ib. II. 57/11.
He has nocht all the … poyntis, properteis na condiciouns of knychthede c1420 Ratis R. 1694.
Ȝit is it [sc. age] wer of condiscioune Than ȝouthed c1460 Thewis Gud Wemen 189.
Thai are condisciounes of barnis c1490 Irland Asl. MS. I. 1/21.
The vj chapitur tretis of satisfactioun sacramentale, … the nature, condicionis, and gret proffittis thairof c1500-c1512 Dunb. xlvi. 39.
[Age and youth] Quhome natur of conditionis maid dyvers Ib. xlviii. 79.
Scho send the swyft ro To bring in beistis of all conditioun