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 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Inquiet, v. Also: -quiete, -ett, -quyet, -it, -qwyet, -quiat, -queat, -queet. [ME. inquyet- (1413), -quiet (1486), OF. inquieter, L. inquiētāre.]

1. tr. To deprive (a person) of quiet by molestation or interference; to disturb aggressively.Very common throughout the 15th and 16th centuries coupled with other verbs of similar meaning.(a) 1379 Douglas Chart. 29.
That nowthir I no myn ayres … may chalenge, inquiete, distourble … be ony maner of way 1455 Stirlings of Keir 226.
I … sal neuermar … distrubill, inquiete, … or hinder the forsaide Henry [etc.] 1482 Acts xii. 33/2.
Gif he wauld tend to inquiet, vex, or distruble the said maist reuerend fadir in his benefice 1515 Reg. Privy S. I. 409/2.
That nane of thaim tak apone hand to trubill, inquiet, or molest the said Guillaume in the peceable brakin of the said licence 1533 Boece viii. ix. 268.
Na thing … bot were & armys was herd, thinking at all thare power haistelie to inquiet thare nychtbouris 1574 Inverness Rec. I. 238.
Inqueat 1581 Hamilton Cath. Tr. 35.
I sall gif peace to all your bordouris, ye sall sleip and na man sal inquiat yow 1575 Digest Justiciary Proc. I. 47.
The bordouris of our realme … being now trublit and inquyetit be diuers stouthis, reiffis [etc.] 1622-6 Bisset I. 95/20.
Preceislie forbiddand the saidis archebischopis … that they … under ony cullour … , do molest, inquiett, or perturbe, the saidis president 1672 Justiciary Ct. Rec. I. 116.
That no person … molest or inquiet the … officers of burghs(b) 1533 Boece iv. i. 125.
Certane lymmaris quhilkis … had sum parte inquiet the cuntre(c) 1434 14th Rep. Hist. MSS. App. iii. 11.
Gefe it happinis the saide Andro … to be inqueet, distroublit, or letit be the airis of … Schir Willeame of Douglas 1465 Montgomery Mem. 35.
Gif it hapyns the said Schir Vilȝham … to be vext, inquiet, or distrublyt in the possessyon … of the landis of the Bar 1527 Liber Aberbr. 479.
That he be nocht inquyet be hys nychbourys makand common gayt throw hys toft 1533 Boece ix. xvii. 331 b.
Maldwyne … was sum parte inquiet be sedicioun amang the inhabitantis Lennex and Argile 1545 Blackfriars Perth 172.
Gif it hapins the said priour … be molestit, trublit, or inquiet in the peceable bruiking and joising of the said landis

2. To render uneasy or apprehensive. 1533 Boece viii. xiii. 280.
Ane fare ȝong chylde … pleneȝeit how he was inquiet … be ane devil succuby of maist plesand … forme 1568 Buch. Indict. 39.
Befoir he rod a myl … he felt the begynnyng of that plaig q[uhi]lk thairefter sa inquietit hym a1578 Pitsc. I. 361/28.
The King inquyrit quho it was that knokit so fast till inquyit him fre his rest