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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.

Appetite, n. Also: appetit, -yte, -yt, -eit, apetyte, appetyd; appatite, appatide. [ME. appetit(e, appetyt(e, apetyte, etc. (14th c.), OF. apetit, L. appetītus).]

1. Desire for food.1375 Barb. iii. 541 (thai soucht nane othir sals thar-till bot appetyt). a1400 Leg. S. xvi. 808 (na delyt had scho in met, na apetyde). c1420 Wynt. v. 152 (Mary had gret appetyt till ete). 1456 Hay II. 139/29 (hate in somer stroyis the appetite). a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 314 (corporale fude, of quhilk the abstynence causis appetite). 1513 Doug. iii. iv. 19 (for wod hungyr and gredy appetite). 1558 Q. Kennedy Tractive 150 (thay quha wyl swage thair fowle appetite be farsing of thair belleis).

2. Physical desire; lust.c1420 Wynt. ii. 1412 (othir suld ly with thame that thai mycht stanch thair appetit). 1456 Hay I. 296/10 (the appetite of his flesch). a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 71 (quhen Diomede had all his appetyte fulfillit of this fair ladie). c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxxxiv. 21 (to serue thair beistlie lust and appatite). 1560 Rolland Seven S. 97/24 (hir appetite to compleis day and nicht). a1578 Pitsc. I. 158/10 (scho tuik ane wthir wyffis husband to satisfie hir gredie appetyte).

3. Natural desire or inclination; will or pleasure.c1420 Wynt. iv. 1749 (I dred [the account] suld dull yhoure appetyte). 1456 Hay I. 285/16 (appetite for honour or riches). 1490 Irland Mir. I. 64/19 (mennis will and appetit). c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyt. 108 (in sic [eloquence] is sett thy thraward appetyte). 1567 G. Ball. 72 (that we suld fle vaine warldlie appetyte). 1598 Acts IV. 175/1 (at the appetyte of the gevear out and ressavear). 1626 Garden Worthies 113 (shall nought but it there appeteits appease?).