A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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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.
Quotation dates: 1399-1635
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Mek(e)-, Meiknes, n. Also: meick-, myk(e)- and -ness(e. [ME. meknesse, mekenes, also mike-, muek-, early meocnesse (Orm).] Meekness, mildness, gentleness; humbleness, lowliness, modesty; kindness, mercy.(a) a1400 Legends of the Saints xiii. 59.
He wes of sa gret meknes Quhen he with men mad maste of wes a1400 Ib. xxxvi. 16, 241. a1400 Ib. xl. 1256, 1285. c1400 Troy-bk. i. 87.
[Leamedone] ordane we With meknes for to leue hys land c1420 Wynt. v. 3829.
The byschopys hart in mare meknes At thir wordys turnyd wes 1456 Hay I. 284/20.
The religious men ar cled in blak wede … to schawe mekenes in hert 1456 Ib. II. 60/34.
Mekenesse 1490 Irland Mir. I. 6/9.
His rigor of justice He has mixt with meknes and mercy 1494 Loutfut MS. 140 a.
The gret meknes that the gentil has and the knaggy wnbuxumnes [etc.](b) (c 1580) Alex. ii. 3141.
‘Schir’, said Gaudifeir, ‘ȝour meiknes [F. humelité], Ȝour courtasy and ȝour largnes Is bot mesure’ (c 1580) Ib. 2702. c1420 Wynt. v. 2596.
Quha that haldys hym in the lawe Till hycht hys meiknes will hym drawe 1490 Irland Mir. I. 13/36. a1500 Buke of the Sevyne Sagis 2539. 1492 Myll Spectakle of Luf 290/14.
The meiknes of wedowis and agit wemen 1531 Bell. Boece II. 264.
Makbeth returnit fra al meiknes to his innative cruelte 15.. Clariodus iv. 210. 1571 Arbuthnot Maitland Folio MS xxx. 31.
Meiknes is thocht pusillanimitie a1586 Lindsay MS. 44 b.
The grit meiknes that the gentill hes 1588 King Catechism 38 b.
Meiknes of mind a1599 Rollock Wks. I. 406.
Lenitie and meiknes suld not be dolfe 1615 Mure Misc. P. viii. 16. 1635 Hist. Fragm. III. 15.
A spirite of meickness(c) a1400 Legends of the Saints xxxi. 16.
In na place ma he [sc. the Devil] nocht be With myknes & vergynite 1573 Satirical Poems xxxix. 335.
With marciall hart inclynit to mykenes
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"Meiknes n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 17 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/meiknes>
