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

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First published 1986 (DOST Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Prof(f)it, -et(t, v. Also: prouff- and -yt, -itt, -ite, -yte; -eit. [ME and e.m.E. profette (Rolle), profyt (Manning), -it, -et, prophet (a 1450), prouffyt (Caxton), profyte (16th c.), also profecte (1486), F. profiter (a 1140 in Hatz.-Darm.), po(u)rfiter, f. prufit, profit Prof(f)it n.]Senses 1 and 2 may both derive from an earlier intr. usage, const. dative or indirect obj.

1. tr. To benefit (a person or community); to be of help or advantage to.In early examples, also quasi-impers., cf. 2 below.(1) 1416 Liber Melros II 539.
To put agayne thair plwis to the saide land and to laboure as it may mast profite thaim at thair awin likyn c1460 Wisd. Sol. (S.T.S.) 144.
Quhat profetis [MS profetitis] it a man to lawbore thus all his tyme, and neuir to tak reste day of his lyf Ib. 401.
Na sal nocht than the mychttis of the wykit man sauf his lyf na profyt hyme a1500 Seven S. 1616.
Ȝit will I tell & to God pray That it may proffet ȝow sum way c1490 Porteous Noblenes 62/32 (Ch. & M.).
Larges … proffittis all otheris Ib. 62/40.
Bot the prodigal man … destroyis larges than that profitis and ekis hym self 1562-3 Winȝet I 19/6.
Quhair ȝe intendit to preue [etc.] … that proffetis ȝow na thing Ib. 97/19.
Quhat proffettis ȝow that part of ȝour beleif 1565 Cal. Sc. P. II 244.
& herewith his ernist affection to prouffeit this his natyve cuntrye a1568 Bann. MS 83b/31.
And Doweill dois profeit this warld moir Than Sayweill 1586 Waus Corr. 365.
Aye [sic] thing mycht proffeit my ladye(2) c1460 Vert. Mess (S.T.S.) 194/57.
Suppos a man her mes … in deidly syne … It profytis hyme to thre thingisb. To render (land) profitable or productive. — 1578–9 Reg. Privy C. III 109.
[Richard Abercromby] obtenit … the landis of Poltoun … and … prepairit for his plennissing thairof certain horssis oxin and utheris guidis to lawbour and proffeit the ground

2. quasi-impers. To be of advantage, use or benefit (to a person or thing) (to do something).(1) 1456 Hay I 245/30.
And quhat prouffitis it to the dede lorde quhen othir war put to dede for him(b) 1456 Hay II 127/5.
And quhen a man takis his mete mesurabily … than prouffitis it to the nature(2) c1460 Wisd. Sol. (S.T.S.) 309.
Quhat profytis it to man till inquere of thing that pasis his wyt till wndirstand(3) 1456 Hay I 245/35.
Quhat profitis it to wyn all the warld and to tyne his awin saule a1500 Seven S. 1182.
Bot it proffettis I se na thing Ony ensample for to say ȝow 1531 Bell. Boece (M) II 173.
It proffittis litill to complene

3. intr. To bring advantage to a person or thing; to be of use to. 1447 (1449–50) Reg. Great S. 68/2.
Bullis … the quhilk mycht profit til ony of the said partis c1520-c1535 Nisbet Gallathians v 2.
Gif ye be circumcidit, Crist sall na thing proffite to you 1562-3 Winȝet II 8/21.
Nocht onlie may this, my instrument, proffet to a godly concord aganis al errouris [etc.]

4. To confer benefit; to be beneficial, advantageous or helpful.Also proverb. c1460 Wisd. Sol. (S.T.S.) 269.
Fore comonly thai gudis profetis nocht, bot with … gret trawaill are kepit 1490 Irland Mir. I 27/23.
Sanct Gregore sais that the commone orisoune is better and proffitis mare 1494 Loutfut MS 12a.
For … armes … profit mast without comperisoun making of colouris a1561 Q. Kennedy Breif Tract. (ed.) 113/27.
The flesche profitis na thing, it is the spreit that giffis lif Ib. 118/20.
Profeit a1568 Bann. MS 74b/8.
Thy pryd and thy portratour proffittis [Maitl. F. proffeittis] nocht a pin a1568 Broun Bann. MS 52b/122.proverb. a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 116, etc.
A glaid salutation profits meikle

5. To make progress, esp. in knowledge or one's studies; to gain, prosper or advance; to do well.(1) 1456 Hay II 106/33.
And thame that thou seis ar habilest to prouffyte help and forthir thame … that otheris may tak ensample to prouffit in sciencis 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 13.
Thay sal declair publicly quhat thai haif profettit be thair industrie 1567 Reg. Privy C. I 536.
Brocht up … in the feir of God … quhairby he may sua proffeit in his youth that [etc.] 1650 Kingarth Par. Rec. 28.
Report being made of the proficiency of the scholers … is that the children profitts very wele 1675 Cullen Kirk S. 25 Nov.
That the minister … examin the said boy onc in the quarter whether he be profiting or not(2) 1568 Lyndesay Pref. (S.T.S.) 402.
Quhat laubouris tuke he that the landis of this cuntrie micht be set out in fewis … ? Bot quhat hes he profitit? 1591-2 Rob Stene 1.