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.
Quotation dates: 1399-1598
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Pervert, -wert, v. P.p. also pervert. [ME. and e.m.E. peruerten (Chaucer), F. pervertir, L. pervertere.] To pervert, in the usual senses.
1. tr. To overturn (a state of affairs, institution, etc.); to spoil utterly; to bring to ruin; to subvert. c1400 Troy-bk. i. 413.
Quhar-throw watteris and wedderis soft Wald all perwert 1456 Hay I. 70/18.
As thare is mony now … of antipapis quhilkis pervertis the faith be grete scismes and divisioun 1456 Ib. II. 164/13.
And sum … pervertis all gude governaunce throu thair gredynes of gudis 1490 Irland Mir. II. 72/3.
Thai peruert the ordour of the kyrk and of Cristianite 1563 G. Hay Confutation Abbot Crosraguel 15 b.
The … monstrus mother of all impietie transubstantiation … peruerting and extinguishing the ordor … of a sacrament a1568 Scott xxxiv. 53.
Ȝour play [is] sone peruertit Fra that thair belly rys c1550-c1580 Art of Music II. 9 b.
That the maist celebrat art of music suld be pervertit throw mutatioun of signis [etc.] 1590-1 R. Bruce Serm. 9.
And ye cannot leave a jote of them except ye pervert the hail institutioun 1598 Melvill Propine 32.
Sleuthis perverts & misfaris al
2. To misrepresent the meaning or intention of; to misconstrue. 1513 Doug. i. Prol. 164.
Quhou thystory of Dydo Be this Caxtoun is haill pervertit so 1513 Ib. ix. Prol. 74.
My lewytnes … Schupe to enterprit and dyd perchance pervert Thys … prynce of poetry 1513 Ib. x. i. 80.
The caus … quhy That ony mycht pervert or ȝit bewry Thy commandmentis 1558 Q. Kennedy Tractive in Misc. Wodrow Soc. 166.
Thay pervert and thraw the sayingis of the doctores 1568 Lyndesay Pref. (S.T.S.) 403.
Quhairfoir the natiue grace and first mynd of the wryter is oftentymes peruertit
b. To put to a wrong use; to misapply. — 1590-1 R. Bruce Serm. 35.
In the falling estait of the Romane kirk this sacrament begoud to be perverted
3. To turn (a satisfactory state of affairs) into (in) a bad one; to change for the worse. 1456 Hay I. 242/1.
Bot … all is now pervertit in the contrair c1550 Rolland Court of Venus iii. 539.
Bot blindid lufe … Mixt with malice … And … peruert into dispair 1560 Id. Seven Sages 1218.
Syne into euill sa done expert Sa falslie culd the tale peruert
4. To turn (a person, or the mind) away from accepted belief; to lead astray; to corrupt.Also, once, const. infin. complement.(1) a1400 Legends of the Saints xxiii. 82.
& til peruert thame sone his thocht wes a1400 Ib. xli. 237.
Ga sla hir sone That … peruertis thocht and wil of al that treutht giffis hir til c1420 Ratis Raving 773.
Fore dout thai … perwert thi resone c1420 Ib. 1351. 1456 Hay I. 16/6.
For thare was … heretykis that pervertit … mony symple folk [etc.] 1562-3 Winȝet II. 28/26.
Wanetalkand men and dissauearis quha peruertis hail houssis 1570 Sempill Sat. P. xii. 47.
That Papist … That with his lesingis all the laif peruertis(2) 1592 Warrender P. II. 180.
Nathing … shall ather pervert or enchant me to inclyne to traysoun
5. intr. To indulge in subversion. a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 500.
We find him pervertand, Forbidand tribut to gife to the empriour Calland him king
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"Pervert v.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 14 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/pervert_v>
