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

Mistik, a. Also: mistike, -ick, -ique, mistyk, -yk, -ick, -ice. [ME. (c 1315) and e.m.E. mistyk, -ik, mystyk(e, -i(c)k(e, F. mystique, L. mysticus.]

1. Mystic, mystical. a. Said of the church universal as the spiritual body of Christ. b. Spiritual, transcendental. c. Spiritually allegorical or symbolical.a. 1490 Irland Mir. I. 51/15.
Thai and we are membris of the haly body mystice Ib. MS. 245 b.
The Cristin people and mistice body of Jhesu 1551 Hamilton Cat. 16.
That the haly Kirk is callit the mistike bodye and spouse of Christb., c. a1538 Abell 84 a.
He wrait excelland bukis of the Trinite … of the mistik ark [etc.] c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus ii. 930.
Thair ornament it was eclesiastik, Of gold and silk it had sic resplendour That to my sicht it was almaist mistik —1581 Hamilton Cath. Tr. 25 (see Misticallie adv.). — c1590 Fowler II. 174/11.
A lyons heade … which signifieth after a mistique & hierogliphique sence, fortitude and uigilancie 1606 Birnie Kirk-b. xvii.
The olde holy places … had … a mistick meaning

2. Mysterious, occult; obscure, enigmatical; secret. c1420 Wynt. ii. 319.
Off swylk mystyk [C. mysty] wysyownys He mad gud exposytyownys Ib. vii. 473.
To say … Quhat sygnyfyid that mystyk word That he swa spak than at the borde 1547 Cal. Sc. P. I. 17.
[I pray you in future] to writ in ane mair mistik maner, for I am at ane hard poynt 1558 Waus Corr. 13.
[We] fand your writtingis sa mystik that we could nocht onderstand 1577 Bk. Univ. Kirk I. 384.
The heid given to the laird of Dun … being thocht be him obscure and mystick 1599 Rollock Wks. I. 370.
For men wil say, O it is ane mystick and secreit thing, thairfoir it is ane commendable and pretious thing