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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.

Dissimil, -ill, Dissimul(e, v. Also: dyssymyl, diss-ymill, -ile, -imyll, -yle, disimil; dysimle, dissymle; dissymul. [ME. dissimule (Chaucer), dyssymule, etc., and dyssymyl, dyssymel (Wyclif), etc., OF. dissimuler, L. dissimulāre.]

1. intr. (in early use also refl.) To act as if ignorant or innocent of something; to use pretence or dissimulation.(a) a1400 Leg. S. xxi. 242.
Gyf I … thé til hyme schaw, Thu mon dysimle thé to knaw Hyme in this ile til we are 14.. Acts I. 328/2.
Gif the lord of the forest sic soyt wil nocht mak, or for thank disimilis him sic transgressioun to misknaw c1420 Wynt. vi. 1751.
Suppos Schyr Knowt in hart wes fayne, Yhit he dyssymylid nevyrtheles a1500 Bk. Chess 126.
Iniust thow art that reiffis thi counsall … , That in thi vycis dissimilis with thé so 1513 Doug. iv. vi. 21.
He … bad thai suld … dissymyll, gif ony axit quhy Thai thus addressyt thar geyr sa suddanly 1531 Bell. Boece II. 151.
Otheris thocht best to dissimill for ane time … quhill the Scottis war convalescit Id. Livy I. 66/24.
Howbeit I dissimillit, … ȝit the samyn was done to that fyne [etc.] 1584 Colville Lett. 59.
Gif thai dissimill with your Lordship in ony of thir points 1596 Dalr. I. 98/18.
Albeit he be na partaker, ȝit throuch silens he dissimilis(b) 1456 Hay II. 85/12.
To … dissymul and defer injure quhill ane othir tyme a1500 Henr. Fab. 425.
Dissimuland in to countenance and cheir, On kneis [he] fell 1535 Stewart 17716.
Ane Romane legat … Dissimuiand as he wald tak his pairt Ib. 36199.
Tha thocht tha wald dissimull in that cace 15.. Clar. ii. 983.
He him tauld the veritie all cleine, … dissimuling in no thing 1558-66 Knox I. 133.
Whill that he dissimuled, thei said, ‘Maister George, be plaine with us’ 1570 Leslie 13.
She departit furth of the castle … dissimuling to go in pilgrimage to the Quhit Kirke 1586 Gray Lett. & P. 116.
That ye deal directly in that maiter, for … he vil not dissimull in it himself

2. tr. To disguise, conceal, cover by pretence.(a) c1420 Wynt. iv. 519.
His modyre tuk wp sik stoutnes And dissymlyd sorow swn a1500 Bk. Chess 1003.
He come to Porrus king of Ind Dissimilit in a sempill knychtis kynd c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 157.
I sall say furth the south, dissymyland no word 1513 Doug. i. viii. 38.
Bot thar hart The onkouth cace amovit in sum part For to dissymyll 1533 Bell. Livy I. 38/32.
He mycht nocht dissimill his fleing sa weil as he desirit Ib. 65/30.
Tullus, dissimiland his mynde, resauit Mecius with benyng … contenance(b) 1513 Doug. iv. ix. 7.
Hir purpos by hir vissage dissymuland 1531 Bell. Boece II. 413.
Erle Thomas … sat in ane chiar, dissimuland his gret infirmite, as na thing alit him Id. Livy I. 28/22.
Romulus … dissimulit the indignacioun of his mynde 1535 Stewart 16024.
With feinȝeit weid he passit in Pechtland, Dissimuland his birth and als his blude 1596 Dalr. II. 7/14.
Skairse could he conteine him selfe … bot behouet to dissimule the mater

b. To simulate, feign, pretend. 1533 Boece i. v. 42 b.
Pichtis breking pece, quhilk sa lang thay had dissimilit to Scottis, denuncit opyn were Ib. iv. vi. 155 b.
Domyciane … was pansife & anoyit in mynde. Howbeit he dissimulit ane plesand vult