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: 1400-1699
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Most, Moist, a., n. and adv. Also: moste, moost(e. [Midl. and south. ME. and e.m.E. most(e, moost(e, used in place of Sc. Maste.]Occurrences in the rhyming position appear to be rare, the only one noted being that at Howlat 328: cf. the quite different situation with More.
Most. = Maste a., n. and adv.a. 1581-1623 James VI Poems II. 48/27.
adj. (1) Thou deepe with most & least Of fish & quhayles also(2) c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 1577.
The most part of thaim c1552 Lynd. Mon. 122.
The restles besynes Quhairon the most part doith thair mynd addres 1558-66 Knox II. 357.
As the most parte say 1562 Ib. 340. 1562 Ib. 355. 1623 Aberd. Council Lett. I. 209.
The haill, at leist the most pairt of ther stipends 1649 Brechin Presb. 17. 1664 Rothesay B. Rec. 88. 1691 Cramond Kirk S. III. 17 Sept.
The minister … could not keep session untill the most pairt of the harvest was over 16.. Maidment Balfour Ballads 3.
From ladies to lawyers … and most part are far more in show Than they are in deed(b) 1612 Fife Synod 50.
They … gett evill payment of the moist part of thair tennantis 1622-6 Bisset II. 241/20.(3) 1535 Stewart 47164.
For the most pairt, the wysast men … Concludit hes richt Robert Bruce full air c1552 Lynd. Mon. 4488. 1633 Cochran-Patrick Coinage II. 97.
These waires … are brocht from France for the most pairt a1699 Skene Agric. MS.
The owtfield land … is never muckitt for the most pairt 1690 Cramond Kirk S. III. 12 June.
Mr John Meinȝeis … who for the most pairt lives in Edinburgh(4) c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace ii. 213.
Hyr most desyr was to be wndyr mold c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 92 (Ch. & M.).
This park of most [B. maist, M. moist] plesere(b) 1524 Douglas Corr. 97.
His moist desyre … is the weilfaire … of my suffrane 1531 Bell. Boece (M) I. 87.
Eftir moist prosperite cumis hiest aduersite and eftir hiest aduersite cumis gretest prosperite c1552 Lynd. Mon. 3799.
The moist and manifest misarie(5) a1500 Bk. Chess 15.
Sen comfort & plesance be … most of strenth this passioun till oppres(6) c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxxxvi. 33.
O madyne meik, most mediatrix for man(7) c1450-2 Howlat 328.
Gois halkis war … of mychtis most [: oist, cost, boist] Nixt dukis in dignite a1500 Golagros and Gawane 328.
Moist of valour c1500-c1512 Dunb. vii. 46.
Welcum … , moist of lawde and hie magnificence 1540 Lynd. Sat. 524.
Moist of curage c1552 Id. Mon. 1837.b.absol. a1500 Quare of Jelusy 363.
The last the most he clepith of the threec. adv. (1) a1500 Lancelot of the Laik 1936. 1535 Stewart 20964.
Most of all wes he suppleit than Be his grandschir 1546 Lynd. Trag. Card. 225.
My hope was moste in to the Kyng of France(2) c1450-2 Howlat 314.
The egile … most awfull in erd 1489 Brus xvii. 696 (E).
The sow … wes the most sower And starkast a1500 Bk. Chess 6.
Jubiter the planet most benyng 1567 Gude and Godlie Ballatis 44.(b) a1568 Henr. Bannatyne MS p. 51/17, 18.
Job was moist riche … Thobe moist full of cheretie 1530 Lynd. Test. Pap. 352. 1556 Lauder Off. Kings 504.
I haue maid knawin … How that ye suld elect moist rycht Ȝour jugis 1558-66 Knox II. 460. 1558-66 Ib. I. 65.
The moist godlie and moist leirnit that be knawin in Europe a1578 Pitsc. II. 143 n. 3.
Luciefer quhilk … rang moist trywmphandlie vnder the … maiestie of God(c) c 1515 Williamson in Doug. (Sm.) I. p. xxvii.
[Henry VIII] is the … moost dred with lowff of his … sugettis off eny prince(3) 1558-66 Knox II. 436.
The sones of the moist heichest c1590 Fowler I. 15/20.
He that is of most account and most gretest is most cowetous of renoune(4) c1450-2 Howlat 892.
Off alkyn colour most cleir c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace ix. 704.
Quhen thai off hay was ladand most bysse 1490 Irland Mir. I. 167/1.
Most blissit lady c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 265.
Your angel mouthis most mellifluate c1500-c1512 Id. vii. 3, 4, 20, etc. 1554 Facs. Nat. MSS. III. xxxvi. a1568 Bannatyne MS 228 b/5.
Sueit desy most decoir 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 273.
The ministeris … did maist vehemently invey against this most beastly and moir then tressonabill fact a1605 Montg. Flyt. 466 (T).
Ane imp of all ill most meit for thair airt 1600-1610 Melvill 628. 1639 Baillie I. 156.
Most like(b) 1450-1510 Henryson Annunciation in Gray MS. iii. 62.
Oh lady lele … Thy face moist fair and schene is! 1513 Doug. x. xiv. 89.
O moist forcy steid, my lovyt foill c 1522 Id. in Doug. (Sm.) I. p. cviii.
The Kingis riche gownys of moist fyne cloith of gold 1536 Lynd. Answ. Flyting 11.
Moist lyke ane deuill, thay hald me detestable c1552 Id. Mon. 2089. 1549 Complaynte of Scotland 78/20.
It vas moist lyk that [etc.] 1558-66 Knox I. 188.
Johnne … byrst furth in moist abundand tearis 1604 Reg. Privy C. VII. 16.
Quhearas it haith pleised … the moist heiche [etc.] 1607 Lett. & St. P. Jas. VI. 107. 1607 Sc. Ant. XV. 141. 1610 Southesk MSS. 14.
His lordsbip … hais accomplisit his voiage moist happely 1622-6 Bisset I. 11/29.(5) a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 243 (Wr.).
Sometime I musde, and most gone [v.rr. maist ga(i)ne] mad, I doubted what to doe
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"Most adj.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 5 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/most_adj>
