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

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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. X).
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Strif(e, Stryf(e, Strive, n.¹ Also: striff(e, stryff(e, stryif(e, stryiff, stryve, strywe, strift. [ME and e.m.E. strif (Ancr. R.), striue (Cursor M.), strife (c1350), strive (Wyclif), stryf (1484), strift (1612), OF estrif (c1138 in Larousse), earlier estrit, f. Frankish *strīd (mod. Germ. Streit) strife, combat].

1. (A state of) discord; angry contention, dispute. Also proverb. Also in alliterative phrases with sturt (Sturt(e n.).(1) 1375 Barb. vii 628 (C).
He wist, fra stryff rais thame amang, He suld thame nocht hald sammyn lang For-outen debat or melle a1400 Leg. S. i 258.
Striff a1400 Leg. S. xliii 570.
For-thi is thu seruand … nocht of quyet, bot of stryfe c1420 Ratis R. 400.
Stryf 14.. Burgh Laws c. 40 (B).
Gyfe schippis aryvis in ony hafnys … and thai be of syndry kynrykis and thare ryse ony stryfe amang thaim [etc.] a1500 Henr. Fab. 1946.
Pray we thairfoir … For four thingis … to seis all weir and stryfe [etc.] a1500 Bernardus 86.
He comawndis betwene glutony And thi purs be striffe for the mastry 1490 Irland Mir. I 110/19.
The lady Dame Verite … put all strif to ressoune and gud conclusioune 1490 Irland Mir. I 118/9.
Strif c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyt. 5.
Bot had thay maid of mannace ony mynting In speciall, sic stryfe sould rys but stynting c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 169/66.
Ane dysour said with wirdis of stryfe The Devill mot stik him with a knyfe Bot [etc.] 1513 Doug. vii Prol. 26.
Mars occident retrograde in his speir Prouocand stryfe a1568 Bann. MS 135a/40.
Fle ay fra stryfe A sweit thing is peis a1578 Pitsc. II 116/27.
So this stryff in Ingland amangis thame sellffis gart the realme of Scotland sit in guid pace 1596 Melvill 390.
Questionnes and stryff of words a1598 Ferg. Prov. MS p. 122.
On dying having thrie sones advysed them to tak thes 3 profession the 1 to be ane lawer becaus he wes sure ther should ever be stryf [etc.] 1622 Perth Kirk S. MS 8 July.
Throch hir stryff and flytting with nychtbouris he fell in fed with theme 1630-1651 Gordon Geneal. Hist. 338.
All particular quarrells, grounded upon striff and contention 1681 Stair Inst. iv xliv § 1.
The scriptural warrant is, ‘That an oath for confirmation, is the end of all strife’(b) c1400 Troy-bk. ii 2659.
King Pirrus … Kepit his kynryk wele but stryve Richt to the last end of his lyve c1420 Wynt. iv 1810 (W).
This fredome than … Foroutin ganecalling or strive [: prerogative] The Scottis fra the Pichtis wan c1460 Consail Vys Man 409.
Tak na debait with full na stryve, That fore a word wyll ware his lyve 1490 Irland Mir. I 166/12.
O humyll lady … stynthare of woo & strive 1535 Stewart 23482.
In that mater wes nother stop nor strywe(c) 1535 Stewart 44342 heading.
Of the stryiff and debait that was in Scotland 1549 Lamb Resonyng 31/11.
Jhone duik of Albanie beand haldin in France … als stryif and discord reageing amangis the nobillis of Scotland a1568 Scott i 41.
Gar stanche all stryiff, and stabill thy estaitis In constance 1609 Crim. Trials III 42.
In the mentyme quhill Robert Maxvell and this deponar war in gryppis and stryiff [etc.](d) 1650 Fugitive Poetry II xxv 1.
Twixt Lamington & Hodge is such strift Makes Cowburne's braines to run a driftproverb. a1568 Bann. MS 135b/59.
About myne and thyne Rysis mekle stryfe(2) c1460 Thewis Gud Women 79.
Oys noght flityng, sturt na stryf a1487 Gud Wyf & D. 117.
A woman suld … Oys nouthir flyting, sturt no striff c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 151/31.
Thn Yre come in with sturt and stryfe 1540 Lynd. Sat. 3695.
The divill brocht ȝone curst king amang ws For mekle sturt and stryfe c1552 Lynd. Mon. 5823.
Quene Semeram … Ane tygir full of sturt and stryfe a1570-86 Maitland in Maitl. F. 303/7.
Allace this is a miserable lyf Off sturte and stryfe that na man can wit how keip ox or kow

b. Passing into: Armed combat; battle. c1420 Wynt. iv 594.
This stryff, And this were Schyre Darius Movyd wpon Amprytyrus 1460 Hay Alex. 241.
He haid sic pith in all his play That in all stryf he haid the maistrie ay c1475 Wall. vii 1008.
Ramsay and Graym the turat ȝet has wown, … quhar gret striff has begown a1500 Sir Eger 1490.
Ere that he flee there shall be strife

c. Trouble; distress; pain. a1400 Leg. S. ii 764.
He mycht nocht leste in lyff In sik panys and sic striff a1400 Leg. S. xxix 281.
Quhethir thu wil, … Be fandit now & thole sic strife c1400 Troy-bk. ii 27.
But God, seyd he in-to that stryve, Myght [he] be mayd sekyre of hys lyve 1513 Doug. vii x 24.
Janus, kepar of this entre of strive c1552 Lynd. Mon. 744.
The one wes callit the tre of lyfe, The vther tre began our stryfe 1567 G. Ball. 28.
The flesche man die, with paine and striue For it was borne to that intent a1570-86 Maitl. F. 172/105.
And than sall quyt thé in thy stryff Thy godlynes and thy gud lyf a1585 Maitl. Q. 107/103.
My proper lyif I hait with stryif

2. An instance of contention; a dispute, quarrel, conflict. Also in alliterative phrases with sturt(is) (Sturt(e n.).(1) 1442 Charter (Reg. H.) No. 307.
The gret & perowlus strywys be twix owr wele belouide cosingis 1454 Douglas Chart. 384.
Gif … euir the said lady Mergaret … be herd in the clame of the saide landis Or ony stryfe, pley questioun or demand be movit thar vpoun a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 761.
It war teirfull to tell treuly the tend Of thair strife sa strang a1500 Henr. Fab. 1237.
And quhen the scheip this stryif had contestait [etc.] c1475 Wall. i 52.
In Ingland thai send Of this gret striff how thai suld haif ane end 1490 Irland Mir. I 118/4.
In Thi realme may na way this strif endure 1513 Doug. xi vi 130 (Ruddim.).
I will no more debatis mak nor weris; Nor of our auld strife thir hunder ȝeris, That so myscheuus was … May I glaidlie remembir now 1535 Stewart 54439.
Quhair wes thi … kyndnes to sic ane nobill man So oft for thé stude into mony stryfe a1570-86 Maitland in Maitl. F. 32/14.
Bot and this stryf and truble perseveir He sall be seage that sall escape vnsarit And nocht thole pane in to this new ȝeir a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 1480 (Wr.).
Our Chiftane … did enioyne ‘No more there uproare there!’ And so their strife was done 1596 Dalr. I 282/9.
A smal contentioune at hame, betuein the Moray men and Ros, quhilk stryff he sune stanchet 1603 Philotus 131.
Quha euer saw, in all thair lyfe, Twa cappit cairlis mak sik ane stryfe 1619 Garden Elphinstoun 1658.
All the clans and macks Were out of ordour ay, Gif not the powar of the prence Thair stryfes intestine stay 1655 Argyll Synod II 127.
He declares a strife that is raisand betwixt M^cClowde and his mother, the lands shee hes for hir joyntur being formerly Mr. Allans localitie 1699 Penninghame Par. Rec. I 34.
[He] declares he heard John Gordon swear at the strife with Elizabeth Auld(2) 1540 Lynd. Sat. 2111.
Hes nane of ȝow curst wickett wyvis, That haldis ȝow in to sturt and stryvis a1568 Bann. MS I p. 26/81.
Mesure stanchis sturtis and stryvis

b. Passing into: A physical struggle, fight or altercation. c1475 Wall. viii 223.
In that gret stryff mony was handlyt hate 1513 Doug. ix xi 53 (Ruddim.).
In that striue Quha that abade loist in the porte thare lyue c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 73.
Gude Williame Meldrum … Stalwart and stout in euerie stryfe 1609 Crim. Trials III 42.
The said William stayit the deponar to cloise and loik the weikett of the inner-ȝet, and in the mentyme of the stryiff [etc.] 1681 Colvil Whig's Suppl. (1751) 80.
The love of pelf … causeth many a bloody strife

c. A match, contest. 1595 Duncan App. Etym.
Certamen, a strife or bonspale

3. In various prepositional phrases: a. In (till) strife, in a state of discord or enmity (with others); at loggerheads. Also, in sturt and stryve.(1) c1400 Troy-bk. ii 1041 (C).
Agamenone … Put ageyne Anthenore in stryve Wher she sholde be ande sche one lyve c1420 Ratis R. 401.
My sone, luf nocht til haf in strif with thi nychtbouris na with thi wyf c1420 Wynt. v 3149.
In tyll gret stryffe He [lede] a lange tyme off hys lyffe Wyth Constantynys sonnys thre c1475 Wall. i 194.
For he with thaim hapnyt richt offt in stryff [1570 to stryife] a1538 Abell 108a.
Quhen thai ar tua papis in strife chosin and equaill numyr appliys to ilk ane of thame … quhat sall the pepill hald a1585 Maitl. Q. 106/87.
My wofull lyfe Fechting in stryife 1573-1600 King Cat. in Cath. Tr. 214/26.
To sueir and fal in stryue at playinge(2) c1460 Thewis Gud Women 237.
For oft-tymis frendis, … Ar dampnit for thar barnis deid, And puttis thaim-self in sturt & stryve

b. At (a) strife: (Of persons), at variance; (of things), in controversy. Variously const. Also, to be at a stryfe (to do something), to be at great pains.(1) c1475 Wall. i 237.
The ȝong captane has fallyn with me at stryff 1621 Perth Kirk S. MS 3 July.
Johne Brown … cum to challeng his swarme of beis and thairfoir fell at stryff 1624 Perth Kirk S. MS 26 Jan.
They fell at stryff and dang and hurt wtheris(2) a1597-1617 Hist. Jas. VI (1825) 52.
Heir the mater began at sik stryff, that the haill realme of Scotland was sa devydit in factions, that [etc.](3) 1585 James VI Ess. 74.
Wherefore then sould we be at sic a stryfe, So spedelie our selfis for to withdraw Euin from the tyme, which is on nowayes slaw To flie from vs

c. But (forouttin, vithout, vithouten) strife, without dispute or controversy; in peace, without fear of molestation. Also in collocations with sturt.(1) a1400 Leg. S. ii 870.
[In heaven] But ded ay lestand lyf, And habundance of pece but strif a1400 Leg. S. ix 282.
Bot, gyfe I brak thi goddis now, But stryf in myn goddis thou trew a1400 Leg. S. x 374.
He seruit sik blame … That that did … Bot nocht for that he vedit wyf, Gyf it war leful & but strife a1500 Henr. Fab. 2932.
Better but stryfe to leif allane in le Than to be matchit with ane wickit marrow 1567 G. Ball. 31.
Do gude for euill, and leid ȝour lyfe, Without reprufe, but pryde or stryfe(2) 1535 Stewart 19920.
To bruke and jois for terme of all hir lyfe In pece and rest forouttin ony stryffe(3) 1668 Forbes Baron Ct. 274.
That the said John Jameson … his nighbores … sall … comprys thair cornes sivilie vithout … stryff(4) a1500 Seven S. 2678.
The craw that savit the birdis lyf Sall iois the bird but sturt or stryf c1500-c1512 Dunb. (STS) xxxi 6.
He that may be but sturt or stryfe, And leif ane lusty plesand lyfe 1535 Stewart 6124.
In welth and weilfair baith with barne and wyve, Withoutin sturt of ony or ȝit stryve

d. Be strife, by force or violence. a1538 Abell 73a.
Paip Benedic 8 sat xi ȝeris. He wes put furth and ane othir chosin be strife

e. To hald or mak strife, to contend, dispute, quarrel (with another). Also, to hald (another) at strife. a1400 Leg. S. xxxvi 423.
This aganis thaim makis strife, That awantis thaim-selfe of uertuise lif a1400 Leg. S. xxxvi 721.
Cese, thare-for, & hald na strife For ws, that are in quemful lif! a1508 Kynd Kittok 25 (Ch. & M.).
Scho … held Sanct Petir at [B. in] strif, Ay quhill scho wes in hevin

f. To mak strife, to cause trouble or dissension. c1420 Wynt. vii 406 (W).
Thai twa men … In the kinrik maid gret strive c1420 Wynt. viii 6342.
In till his tyme wyth the cuntre Na ryot, no na stryfe made he a1500 Rauf C. 172.
Is nane sa gude as leif of and mak na mair stryfe a1500 Seven S. 2053.
With thi lesingis ȝow has maid stryf 1574 Davidson in Three Reformers 111.
I man speak something of his wife, Quha never made barrat nor strife 1622-6 Bisset II 248/8.
Gif any … drink drunkin and mak noyese and stryfe, sa that any of thaim be hurte, the maister … may weill put thame out of the schip