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

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First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Deth(e, Deith(e, Death(e, n. Also: deyth, deitht, deaythe. [ME. deth(e, deeþ, deþ, OE. déaþ. See also Daith(e, and cf. Dede n.²] Death.(a) c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 1032 (the felloun deth of Achilles). Ib. 1428 (gylty to deth). a1500 Lanc. 958 (deth or other lat). c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 208 (woundit to the deth). Ib. vii. 39 (dethe or schame). 1513 Doug. ii. ii. 81 (quhy tary I my deth?). 1531 Bell. Boece I. 10 (herand the deth of his fader). 1562-3 Winȝet I. 95/2 (to condemne thame to the dethe). 1580 Prot. Bk. J. Robertsone 2 b (knawand the deth certane). 1596 Dalr. II. 292/16 (a dethe verie violent). 1614 Crim. Trials III. 294 (to the dethe).(b) a1500 Lanc. 1019 (of thi lyue and thi deith). 1513 Doug. ii. ix. 120 (quhat deith ȝe pleis). Ib. iv. i. 48 (the pyt of deith). 1531 Bell. Boece I. 242 (fechtand to the deith). Ib. II. 408 (prevenit be untimus deith). 1534 Rec. Earld. Orkney 218 (in the articall of deyth). c1552 Lynd. Mon. 1933 (deith, hounger, darth). Ib. 2838 (of deith the schowris). 1567 Sat. P. iii. 183 (feill deithis dartis). 1574 Edinb. Test. iii. 139 (na thing mair sicker nor the deith). a1570-86 Maitl. F. cxix. 17 (think deithe is at the dure). 1596 Dalr. I. 157/8 (eftir the deith of his bruther). 1626 Garden Worthies 24 (preserv'd him from a present deith).(c) c1568 Lauder Minor P. i. 678 (suffer maist cruell death). Ib. iii. 82 (to death persewit). 1576 Douglas Corr. 221 (the trewe cawse of his deathe). a1585 Maitl. Q. lxxx. 4 (lyfe or death to find). 1624 Brechin Test. IV. 175 (efter my deaythe).