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.
Negligent, a. and n. Also: negly-, neglegent; necli-, necle-, neklegent. [ME. (Wyclif) and e.m.E. necligent, neclygent, negligent, F. négligent (13th c.), L. negligens pres. p. of negligere Neglect v.]
1. adj. Negligent, inattentive, neglectful. a. predic. Also const. in (intill) a duty or the like, of a charge, etc.(1) 1456 Hay II. 17/32.
Than ar the governouris … to blame … to be sa negligent 1490 Irland Mir. I. 7/27.
And ȝe be neclegent 1505 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 103.
For euery man aucht to knaw the nature and substance of euery thing thatt he werkis, or ellis he is negligent 1531 Bell. Boece II. 101.
Necligent Id. Livy I. 273/13.
The pepil war nocht sa necligent in thai dayis … to fals thare worde 1541 Sc. Hist. Rev. VI. 152.
I sall not be necligent bot … sall handle thire materis the best I may(2) 1425 Acts II. 12/2.
Gif the gouernouris of the toune be negligent in the execucion of … this ordinance 1484 Acta Aud. *145/2.
Necligent 1489 Acts II. 221/1. 1496–7 Acta Conc. II. 68. 1512–13 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 140.
And ye be fundin necligent or culpabill heirin 1533 Boece iv. xvi. 153 b.
Galdus in arraying his armye was na mare necligent 1533 Bell. Livy I. 4/10.
Quhen thai war necligent In divyne seruice c1552 Lynd. Mon. 4442. 1571 Ferg. Tracts 75.
As for … the almous of the pure … in thame ar we negligent, cald … and nigard 1582 Lanark B. Rec. 89.
I being so slothfull and neklegent in punissing offenderis 1598 Aberd. Eccl. Rec. 163.(3) c1420 Wynt. iv. 872.
Me thynk yhe ar to blame That negligent ar off yhoure fame c1500-50 Brevis Cronica 337.
His troops too neglegent of themselves from a confidence in thair numbers 1562-3 Winȝet I. 61/34.
Bot gif ony sal be sa feble in faith and negligent of his saluatioun
b. attrib. Of persons and their actions.(1) Dunb. Tabill Conf. 118 (Arund.).
I haue synnit … In fals vanglore and deidis necligent 1509–10 Crim. Trials I. 110.
The slauchtir of … Schir Lancelote Patonsoun … quhilk happinnit be negligent cure(2) 1566 St. A. Kirk S. 273.
The superintendent in that cace beand ane necligent pastor
2. Appar. absol. as noun: ? Negligent or neglectful person(s). c1460 Thewis Wysmen 236.
And dedly hatis al neglygent 1522–3 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 214.
Our seal of cause tane thairfra be negligent in time of troubill
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"Negligent adj., n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 8 May 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/negligent>
