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.

Circumvene, v. Also: -vein, -wein, -vin, -veen(e. [L. circumvenīre. Also e.m.E., but rare.]

1. tr. To get the better of by craft or fraud; to circumvent. 1482 Acta Aud. 99/1.
The circumvenyng of the saide Cristiane be the saide Muriell that causit hir to pretermitt the productioune of hir pruis 1512 Dunferm. B. Rec. 188.
Scho sveir that schev was nocht compellit … nor ȝit na manir of waye circumuenit 1526 Acts II. 312/1.
Our souerane lord … adnullis … the charter … of Clerkland … becaus his graice was circumvenit thairintill 1531 Bell. Boece II. 369.
He was sa strang, that he micht na way be circumvenit be treasoun of Inglismen 1533 Boece xi. xii. 429 b.
That scho mycht mare facile circumvene the king 1549 Banff Ann. I. 24.
Be haill consentt … of the comburges and inhabitants, oncompellet or circumvenitt, of thair awin fre and moteve will [etc.] c1550 Rolland C. Venus iii. 248.
I think that they sould not haif bene Put on assyis iustice to circumuene Ib. 548. 1581 Hamilton Cath. Tr. 66.
Hou thir neu start vp gospellaris circumuenis and dissauis the simple anis 1593 Acts IV. 19/1.
His hienes hes bene grytumlie circumvenit in granting of new infeftmentis 1609 Elphinstone Mem. 160.
By what policy it is intendit to circumwein both your Maiestie and till ondoo me, the bearer can informe your Maiestie 1657 Balfour Ann. IV. 37.
His petitione … wes cousined and circumveined by Iames Grhame 1688 Fountainhall Decis. I. 501.
Robert Keith … is pursued by Irving of Drum and his friends, for circumveening him, and causing him to marry Marjory Forbes, his wife's sisterabsol. 1562-3 Winȝet I. 45/2.
Sillie thingis wantand craft to circumuene, flatter, and lie

2. To surround or encompass. 1533 Bell. Livy I. 169/24.
To deliuer the commoun weill of troubil with quhilk It was presentlie circumvenit Ib. II. 90/14.
Thus war the inemyis … circumvenit in the myddis of Romanis 1535 Stewart 48217.
And left lord Stewart and Wallace … Baith circumvenit that tyme with thair fa