A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1399-1513
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Los, Lose, Lois, n.1 Also: loys. [ME. (1297– ) and e.m.E. (–1596) los(e, loos(e, looz, loze, OF. los, loz, loos.] Praise; honour, glory, renown.Only in early works. Common in Leg. S. and, espec., Hay.(a) a1400 Legends of the Saints i. 230; a1400 Ib. xxxvi. 634.
Als writtis sanct Ambros Of hymself as he mad sic lose a1400 Ib. v. 612.
A knycht … that … had bene in landis syndry For til haf lose of chevalry a1400 Ib. xxxiii. 20.
He borne wes of Capadoce That is a realme of gret lose a1400 Ib. xliv. 9.
[It] hapnyt hire a tyme til here The gret lose of sanct Agatha c1450-2 Howlat 528.
The douchty Dowglas is deid … With los and with lyking that lestis evir mor 1456 Hay I. 116/35.
As oft dois hautane proud-hartit men to wyn los in armes 1456 Ib. 141/4.
He did nocht his dedis of honour at hir request na for hir sake bot for his awin los 1456 Ib. 161/8.
Efter the honour of armes and warldly los 1456 Ib. 176/12.
Syndry folk gevis blame and lak to thame that tynis a bataill and honour and los to thame that wynnis it 1456 Ib. 215/23, 222/23, 233/19, etc. 1456 Ib. II. 26/5, 95/6.
Lose c1460 Alex. (Taym.) 1974.
Bot lord, quhat los quhat honour quhat renoun Was spokin of him c1460 Ib. 1206. c1460 Thewis Wysmen 428 [see Lak n.1 4 (1)]. a1500 Tale of the Colkelbie Sow Proh. 33. a1500 Lancelot of the Laik 1775. c1490 Porteous Noblenes 1/23 (Ch. & M.).
That mycht mynise his awne lose and honour(b) a1400 Legends of the Saints i. 236.
‘I am Goddis saule,’ he sade: Sic lois on hym-self he laide c1450-2 Howlat 425.
Thar lois [B. los] and thar lordschipe of sa lang dait c1450-2 Ib. 456. c1450-2 Ib. 568.
The lyoun he bure with loving & lois [: purpos] c1450-2 Ib. 385. c1460 Alex. (Taym.) 3436.
Here is baith lois and lordschipe for to wyn c1460 Ib. 496. a1500 Golagros and Gawane 1078.
The schent might hym schend, That mare luffis his life than lois vpone erd 1513 Doug. xiii. iii. 51.
O glory and renoun of loys, in vayn Conquest with sa feill perrellis 1513 Ib. vi. 180.
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"Los n.1". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 6 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/los_n_1>
