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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1983 (DOST Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Perplexite(e, n. Also: -yté, -itie. [ME. and e.m.E. perplexité (Gower), -itie, F. perplexité (14th c. in Godef. Compl.), late L. perplexitas f. perplex-us Perplex a. See also Proplexité n.]

1. Troubled circumstances, trouble, distress, difficulty. Also b. an instance of this.(1) 1375 Barb. xix. 812 (E).
That thai sic perplexite … eschapyt haid All war thai blyth Ib. xx. 78.
Throu his cald lying … Him fell that herd perplexite a1400 Leg. S. xx. 346.
Seknes … Ore ony kyne perplexite ?1438 Alex. i. 1975.
Quhen he saw how his feris war Scalit … He menit thair perplexite 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 772.
Lo thus amid this hard perplexitie Awaitand euer quhat moment I suld die Ib. 887.
Quhilk speiche refreschit my perplexitie 1562-3 Winȝet II. 35/20.
He engenerit to his scoleris richt vehement cummeris and grete perplexitie(2) 13.. Cantus in Wynt. vii. 3628 (C).
Crist … Succoure Scotlande … That is stade in [v.rr. That stad in his, That stad is in, That staid is in greit] perplexite 1375 Barb. xi. 619.
Thai war in gret perplexite Bot … Thai thame defendit manfully ?1438 Alex. i. 940.
The knychtis … thair micht men sie Be stad in grit perplexitie Ib. 860. c1420 Wynt. iv. 946.
Than Cerces in perplexite Wes hard set Ib. 2070.
Perplexyte a1500 Henr. III. 171/37.
Peas is away all in perplexitee [B. flemit is all proplexite] a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 15 (Harl.).
And as the sey is euir … In stormy ragie and perelous perplexite Sa is this wardill c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxxi. 2.
We lordis hes chosin a chiftane mervellus That left hes ws in grit perplexite 1574 Reg. Privy C. II. 383.
The said Issobell and hir … bairnis ar in grit perplexitie and povertie 1587-99 Hume 83/112.
Quhen thou art in perplexitie & knawis not quhat to chuse, intrinche thyselfeb. ?1438 Alex. i. 700.
Ga furth … To bring vs of this perplexitie 1549 Compl. 71/11.
Ther can nocht be ane mair vehement perplexite as quhen [etc.]

2. An involved or confused state of something. 1562-3 Winȝet I. 110/9.
Mairover quhow deliuer ȝe ȝour selfis of the perplexitie of thir twa contrarious lawis