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

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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Stop, n. Also: stope, stopp(e, stopt, (strop), stap, step(p)e, steepe. [Late ME and e.m.E. stop (c1450), stopp (1483-4), stoppe (1530); Stop v.]

1. In the phrases without(in) or but (ony) stop (also, or impediment, etc.), without hindrance, unhindered. Also const. to (something) = without causing obstruction or delay to.(1) 1486 Oliphants 26.
To bruk and peciabilli jois … al … annual … rentis pertening to hir heretage for hir tym but ony ple stop or impediment of me and al otheris c1490 Porteous Noblenes 93 (Ch. & M.).
Quhay that kepis thy … trew techinge fyndis without stop the way of louynge peas & sufficience 1500 Edinb. B. Rec. I 83.
For the … inbringing of thir dewities forsaid … but danger, stop or impediment 1510 Rep. Boyle Mun. 9.
[To] broik the samyn but ony proces of law, stop, pley or impediment 1535 Stewart 17269.
‘But ony stop,’ he said, ‘he sould stand ford’ 1535 Stewart 25754.
Aurelius … sufferit thame … To pas agane withoutin stop or sturt 1562-3 Winȝet I 139/8.
All man … deand without repentance … but stop, gois to hell 1582 Melvill 132.
His messingers, without feir or stope, to execut thair office 1681 Kirkcudbr. Test. (Reg. H.) 31 Dec.
My cropt of corne and beir … to be disponed and usit therupon at their pleasour without stope and impediment(b) 1542 Reg. Cupar A. II 20.
Thai sall renunce and ourgive the said sext pairt, callit the est half of Glenboy … but ony stap, lat, or impediment quhatsumeuir(2) 1631 Orkney Rentals App. 52.
The elders to … try if it [sc. installing a seat] might be conveniently done without offence or stop to the service of the communion to stay the entrie and passage to the table or pulpit

b. In stope of, in order to stop, as a means of stopping (something). 1554 Acts Sederunt i 55.
Ony prive wreitingis gevin or to be gevin in stope and hyndering of justice

c. Without stope of toung, ? without hesitating in speech, without faltering in what one is saying. a1578 Pitsc. II 58/10.
Mr. George without stope of toung ansuering nocht moveing his continance nor changing his vessage

d. To mak (do, give, be) (a) stop (etc.), to hinder, obstruct or prevent (a person) (from (in) doing something); to offer opposition or resistance (to a person). Variously const.(1) 1497–8 Acta Conc. II 129.
Scho sall pas tharefra and mak the sade Erle na stop nor demand in the broiking of the sadis landis in tyme tocum 1507 Edinb. Chart. 192.
That nane of you tak apon hand to mak ony stop or impediment to thame thairintill 1508–9 Reg. Privy S. I 277/1.
That nane mak ony stop or impediment to the sade Johne … in the peceable bruking … and disponyng apon the malis [etc.] 1515–16 Reg. Privy S. I 421/2. c1540 Reg. Cupar A. II 297.
Neuirtheles ȝe now makis impediment and stop to oure said cousing anent the … office of bailȝery 1544 Corr. M. Lorraine 87.
[We] mone awayt upone ther incuming and mayk tham sic stope and rescistance as we may gwdly 1569 Exch. R. XX 398.
James Weddirburne, … hes maid stop, trouble, and impediment … to the merchandis of … Perth, stayand and stoppand thame and thair gudis 1578–9 Conv. Burghs I 76.
That na stop nor impediment be maid to sic personis … as passis to Noroway with schone, salt [etc.] … , for hamebringing of tymmer 1583 Misc. Spald. C. II 340. 1660 Rothesay B. Rec. 54.
Those who sall contraveine this act or mak any stope or interuptioune to the burgesses 1674 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. IV 239.
[It is ordained] that … all common highgates frae the dry borrowes to the ports and havens nixt adjacent … be observed and keeped and that none make them impediment or stop thereintill(2) 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 31.
Inglismen … come to Leith … bot stope done to thame be Scottis men(3) 1646 Paper Commissioners Scotland 5.
Before it was possible for the kingdom of Scotland to give any stop, three of the regiments landed in Scotland(4) 1551 Reg. Privy C. I 114.
Throw the having of the samyn furth of this realme to … Ingland … , quhairintill the wardanis … gif thai wald use thair office accordinglie, mycht be the stop thairof

e. To put stope to, to arrest the progress or prevent the completion of (an action or process). 1673 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 287.
John Scott … haueing been informed that Alex. Harper … was causeing rebuild the saids dycks, had put stope therunto, and hade ordanit the same to be demolished

2. Something that hinders, obstructs or delays; a check, obstacle, hindrance.(a) 1533 Acta Conc. Publ. Aff. 401.
We traist it is lesum to onyman to pas to the court of Rome to do his lefull besynes and in speciale quhair he is summond tharto be the papis autorite and the stoppis of him ar nocht of gude conscience 1535 Stewart 37840.
Malcolme the prince rycht so wes in Ingland, Traistand to haif na stop nor ganestand 1549 Lamb Resonyng 25/18.
[Queen Margaret] being … left … ane … legacy … scho culd nevir attene the samyn fra Kyng Henry … thair brothir. Nebour, ȝe will … ansuer that the stop heirof wes becaus [etc.] a1568 Bann. MS I p. 32/4.
Off ony vertewis stait that evir thow be His stoppis persew and dreid thé none effray a1586 Lindsay MS 85.
That the sone & the wind … be bayth in the face of ȝour adversair … the quhilk to ony battell is ane grit stope & marrance 15… 15th Rep. Hist. MSS App. ix 25.
We … desyris you to send ws siklyk sekarty till ws with Reche of Ballie … and forder he will tell you owr stop 1672 Dunkeld Presb. I 207.
Efter his essaying al means of trying the ground of that stop which seemed of late to be layd in the way of Mr. Rosse his comming to the charge of the ministrie 1678 Adv. Min. Bk. 37 (see Stop v.8 b). 1687 Dunlop P. III 42.
I can pravill with no servant to com alongst, but this is non of my stopes(b) a1651 Calderwood III 631.
That … Christ … be acknowledged, his messingers, without feare or steppe, suffered to execute their office [etc.](c) 1654 Dingwall Presb. 262.
Ane call sent to him … from the parochin of Golspie … quhilk hes bene ane interruptione … and a steepe to hinder his willingnes in obedience to the former ordenance

b. A physical obstacle. Also in fig. context.(a) 1513 Doug. ix iii 160.
Quhat meyn thai be this myddill mantill wall, This litill stop of dykis and fowseis all? 1532 Wigtown B. Ct. 269b.
That euerie nechbovre sovuld flag & gutter to vdir … & quhare euer the stop beis fovnd sal vpset the schait 1573 Peebles B. Rec. I 355.
That thair be ane fre passage to the wautsche to walk nychtlie … without ony cummer, stope, or impediment(b) c1520-c1535 Nisbet II 45 marg.
Christ … of the Jewes and Gentiles had maid anne, and hes brokin downne the wall that was anne stepe [Tindale stoppe] betuynne them

c. specif. A barrier to prevent the flow of water in a dam, a floodgate. Also fig. 1675 Edinb. B. Rec. X 225.
The councill recomends to [a committee] to visit the said dam of the milnes … and to order the millers … to remove the stop put upon the cloussesfig. 1655 Johnston Diary 19.
I heartily blissed God for His keeping the[e] clouse and damm and stoppe of national wrayth unbroken doun by the late attempt

3. Delay, hesitation. Also, to mak a (na) stop. 1535 Stewart 23482.
In that mater wes nother stop nor strywe: Sone was tha graithit on to the gait belyve — a1568 Balnaves in Bann. MS 139a/79.
Within that stowp fra tyme thow sowp And wirdis to be sweir And makis a stop quhen thay suld hop Adew the thrissill deir 1573 Davidson in Three Reformers 87.
Fra the tyme that God anis did him call … He maid na stop bot passit to fra hand, Idolatrie maist stoutly to ganestand

4. Veto, prohibition; an order containing such a prohibition, forbidding an action or process, etc.The quot. 1674 Edinb. B. Rec. may simply contain an editorial misreading of stepis (= steps). 1564 St. A. Kirk S. 231.
Anent the stop of mariaige … mayd be twa myssyvis of Patrik, Lord Lindesay … send to the ministeris of Largo and Cowpar 1588 Reg. Privy C. IV 330.
[He had been] reddy to depairt to the said toun … beleving … to have ressavit no stop 1592–3 Cal. Sc. P. XI 10.
[I would have come with him, had I not been persuaded that you would wait for our answer, and because I got a] stopp [out of Flanders, as the bearer can show] 1639 Johnston Diary Ia 60.
Considering the great dammage which all merchants and seamen suffer by their stopp of trade [sc. the veto placed on their trading] and hinderance of going out of their vessels 1674 Edinb. B. Rec. X 194.
Sir Alexander Bruce … [is to tell the Duke of Lauderdale] with what … orderlynes and uninimitie they [sc. the Council] have caried themselves in that [sc. the election of new magistrates] and in all the stopes of there procedour 1679 Edinb. B. Rec. X 387.
The supplicants … [beseik] the Councill … [to] interpon ther authoritie to the stop and discharge to be given be the saids supplicants above named … against the tenants 1689 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. XIII 466.
The petitioner … humbly craveing the saids Lords to remove the stopt put upon the extracting of the forsaid act in his favors 1690 Acts Sederunt ii 187.
That the giveing stops to acts, decreets [etc.] … within six days after pronouncing thereof, is not to hinder the extracts of the same 1696 Cochran-Patrick Coinage II 259.
The Lords … doe heirby take off the stop laid on by them upon the giving in and receaving of bullion into his Majesties Mint house

b. An order prohibiting access to or use of (lands, a thing). 1443 (1450) Reg. Great S. 86/2.
We … findande no gudez of [etc.] to mak the payment foresaide, gert oure maris set a strop upon the landis of the Porterstoune and of the Orcharefelde … and profferit that landis to sell 1689 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. XIII 478.
Humbly craveing the saids Lords … to take off any stopt or areist that was laid upon the petitioners girnell … and allow him to dispose therupon 1695 Conv. Burghs IV 205.
To consult … how the stop laitly led on the mint may be taken of

5. A hole (in a ship's sides) resulting from damage.Cf. Stop v. 6 c (2). a1651 Calderwood VII 574.
The lords refused to give the ship [sc. as a prize]; caused take out all her gunnes and artillerie, emptie her of water, mend all her stoppes, that they might bring it the more easilie into the harberie