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First published 1971 (DOST Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Martirdom(e, n. Also: martyr-, marter-, mertir-, mertyr-, marthirdome. [ME.martirdom, e.m.E. martyr-, marterdom(e, OE. martyrdóm.]

1. Martyrdom.Freq. to suffer or thole, also to tak martirdom.

Chiefly a. for the Christian faith.(a) a1400 Leg. S. ii. 531.
To bring thame to Jerusalem … Martirdome to thole thare Ib. xx. 326.
Dere Blase, cum … & crone of martirdome to thé tak Ib. xxxvii. 48.
In wil Martirdome to cume til Ib. xxxviii. 243. c1420 Wynt. v. 1268 (W).
Throu mertyrdome he slew him syne Ib. vii. 1483 (W).
He gert him thole mertirdome Off deid for haly kirkis fredome 1456 Hay I. 32/28.
Throu the … marterdome of haly marteris Ib. 131/7.
Spare nocht … to tak marterdome gif it cum till hand c1490 Porteous Noblenes 175/24. (a1570-86 Dunb.) Maitl. F. lxx. 94.
Jesus … Ane martirdome [Asl. As martir] sufferit for to de a1538 Abell 121 a.
Petir and Paull tholit martirdom in Rome a1578 Pitsc. II. 57/22. Ib. I. 81/29.
Mr George Wischart … quho sufferit marterdome for the faith of Christ Jessus 1596 Dalr. I. 270/20.
Inflammet with the feruent zeale of martyrdome(b) 1533 Boece v. vii. 178.
Apollyne … was crownit be marthirdome Ib. viii. xiv. 284 b.

b. For one's country. c1475 Wall. xi. 1342.
The lokmen than thai bur Wallace but baid On till a place his martyrdom to tak a1586 Maitland Ho. Setoun 21.
The crewell marterdome of the said S^r Christopher [by the English at Dumfries]

2. Slaughter; esp. to ma(k) (ane, gret, etc.) martirdome (on, also of, the victims). 1375 Barb. vi. 289 (E).
He sic martyrdom thar has maid That he the ford all stoppyt haid Ib. viii. 58.
Sum … Sa gret martyrdome on thaim has maid That [etc.] ?1438 Alex. i. 2076.
With deid and woundit all the place Was strouit, and it was pitie That mekill martirdome to sie Ib. ii. 1543.
Cum thay … for to fecht Sik marterdome sall we mak, I hecht, As we made anes of Dauris men Ib. 10356.
Sic ane marterdome Ib. 10087. c1475 Wall. iii. 381.
On thair enemys gret martirdome thai maik Ib. vi. 574.

3. Protracted suffering, torment. 1456 Hay I. 159/31.
The men of were … ger the pure creaturis pay finaunce unresonable, … it is grete dolour … to … see the cruell marterdome that is done apon thame dayly c1590 Fowler I. 24/4.
That day on which my lowe first grew, Which was the first beginnar of … my longsome martyrdome