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

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

Strive, Strif(e, v. Also: striff(e, stryve, strywe, stryf(e, stryff, stryiff, straive, strayv-, strewe. P.t. strave, straiv, straw(e, strafe, straif, straiff, strove, stroave, stryvit, (styved). P.p. strifine, striwyn, -ine, strevin, streven, strewin(e. [ME and e.m.E. striue(n (Ancr. R.), strife(n (c1325), stryf(en (Chaucer), stryve(n (Gower), strive(n (1320-30), p.t. strof (Ancr. R.), striuede (1297), stroof (Wyclif), straue (a1450), strived (1586), strove (1598), p.p. striuen, striued (both Cursor M.), streuen (Wyclif), OF estriver (c1155 in Larousse).] intr.

1. Of two or more persons: To be at variance with each other; to be on hostile terms. 14.. Acts I 362/2.
The day statut to the partis striffande [L. litigantibus] be the law of farandman or pipuderous 14.. Reg. Maj. c. 130.
Gif thar be contrauersly apone the presentacone that contrauersly maide be decidyt and endyt be the recognicone of the last presentacone fra bath the partis striffand c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 59.
It is agane the law of luf, of kynd and of nature, Togidder hartis to strene that stryveis with uther

2. To quarrel, argue, bandy words (with a person or about a thing). Also with clause object.(1) c1400 Troy-bk. i 171.
Ne to me als as messingere Afferis notht, ne may affere, To stryve with wordes ȝow agane c1460 Dietary 36.
With thi bettir bewar for to striff 1540 Lynd. Sat. 4227.
Cum follow me, all curst vnhappy wyvis, That with your gudman dayly flyttis and stryvis 1547 Ex. Processes (Reg. H.) No. vi.
He … saw divers men of the gerisonis striveand about certane gudis 1560 Rolland Seven S. 6856.
Gif it chance that thay twa [sc. husband and wife] stryfes, All that scho knawis that will scho schaw a1570-86 Maitl. F. 171/73.
And gif thow lykis for till stryf Fra cumpany I reid belyf Thow tak thi leif 1590-1 R. Bruce Serm. 16.
And men strives verie bitterlie about this mater, and continues sa in strife, that thorow the bitternes of contention they tyne the truth a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 1583.
They strive about uncoft gait(2) a1400 Leg. S. xxxvi 713.
Thai strafe quha of tham twa Were worthiest honour to ta

3. To enter into dispute, engage in conflict (with another or for something). Also with non-material subject.For to strive in state, see Stat(e n. 7 b (2).(1) 1375 Barb. vi 185.
Thai straif, for athir kyng vald be(2) a1400 Leg. S. xxviii 188.
He … has thé gyfine lyf & aynde To strif with hyme a1500 Henr. Prayer 31.
Lord, we may nocht with thé stryfe; Preserue ws fra this perrelus pestilens — 1614 Melvill lxv.
Quhen I find how he forgot thé nocht Quhen streames of deith most stronglie with him strave(3) c1400 Troy-bk. ii 1324.
Quha suld haf The relyke quharfor that thai straif c1420 Wynt. iv 1176.
How that thai for Bretane strawe Ilkane wytht othir, and for it faucht c1450-2 Howlat 833 (A).
Syne for ane figonale of frut thai straif in the steid c1475 Wall. vii 633.
Dunkan off Lorn ȝeit for the landis straiff a1538 Abell 94b.
He and Johne Baliol straif for the crowne 1596 Dalr. I 78/5.
Seditiouns of new ryses … amang thame stryueng for the supreme authoritie

b. tr. To engage (another) in conflict. 1535 Stewart 28526.
Wes nocht to him moir thankfull in his lyfe, Na vther kingis for to fecht and stryfe

c. To engage in spiritual conflict, fight against (with) (temptation, etc.). a1400 Leg. S. xviii 55.
Zozima, thu has wele strewine, & stalawrtly thi cource o[u]r-dryvine a1400 Leg. S. xviii 983.
With fawndinge thus I haf oft striwyn This sewinten ȝere a1400 Leg. S. xxv 357.
Preysand with fortone for to stryf a1400 Leg. S. xxxvi 470.
Crone that sal be giffine To marteris at here has wele striwine c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 184/16.
Quha with this warld dois warsill and stryfe … He levis bot ane wrechit lyfe 1567 G. Ball. 26.
With ioy I will my tyme ouerdryue, And will nocht with my lustis stryue

d. With cognate object. a1400 Leg. S. xxvii 1514.
My strife I haf weile strifine

4. To engage in armed conflict, fight, do battle (with, agayne) (another).The first quot. may belong in b.(1) ?14.. Ship Laws c. 6 (H2).
Gif ony of thaim passis out of the schip without leif and thai contak or stryfe sa that ony of thame be woundit [etc.] a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 353.
He is maid … staluart and strang, to striue in ane stour 1513 Doug. v vii heading.
Of the twa kempys suld stryfe in the pres a1538 Abell 33b.
Thai straif about the ympir with cyvill batell 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 114.
The tua armies … straw continewallie fra v houris on the mornyng quhill xij houris aganis vtheris(2) 1460 Hay Alex. 3454.
Duke Betis was cummyin with sic a rout That mekill war sa few with him to striffe a1578 Pitsc. I 32/12.
Sayand it was ane vaine purpois to strywe with sa money armeit men 1596 Dalr. I 155/31.
Oft with diuerse capitanes, he straue with vncertane victorie 1626 Garden Worthies 64.
With forrane fors or strangers hade we strevin [: given](3) c1475 Wall. vi 268.
Thus Wallace straiff agayne that gret barnage

b. To struggle physically, fight, wrestle with (an opponent). 1600 Acts IV 208/2.
He seis his maiestie and Mr. Alexander Ruthven in vtheris armes stryveing and worslying togidder, his maiestie haveing Mr. Alexanderis heid vnder his arme 1610 Dundonald Par. Rec. 209.
Johne Blakvod … to have struglit and streven with Margaret Cander 1613 Fraserburgh Kirk S. 18a (9 June).
Beand fund drinkand and stryvand with James Burnet for payment of his drink

c. Of winds: To move against each other, to conflict. 1513 Doug. x vi 155.
The contrar wyndys stryvys heir and thar With brethfull blastis in thar equale nychtis

5. To engage (with, agane another) in a debate or disputation. a1400 Leg. S. xi 290.
Thai war redy to stryfe With thai men that thru sorcery Befor of thame had victory 1551 Hamilton Cat. 23.
Behald sais oure Lord, I will strif with thé in jugement

6. To compete, vie. Variously const.(1) a1400 Leg. S. xxxvi 716.
In hewine frendis ar we, & striwis nocht for dignite 1513 Doug. v iii 98.
Pistris and Centawr straif for the fyrst place a1578 Pitsc. I 6/28.
Quhat troubill … Fell in this cuntrie be lordis thrie Daylie stryvand for the authoritie 1596 Dalr. I 76/17.
The twa peples betwene thame stoutlie straue for the electione of a new gouernour, for the affectione that ilk had to his awne kynde a1597-1617 Hist. Jas. VI (1825) 149.
Thair cumpaneis met in a brayd streit in Sterling, and thair servands in pryde strave for the best part therof(2) a1400 Leg. S. vii 47.
Thai stryfe wald [L. certatim cuperent], quha mycht fyrst Of his kirtil … nycht the liste c1460 Thewis Gud Women 81.
In thrift stryf ay with thi nychtboure Quha best can thryf but dishonor 1535 Stewart 28913.
Of thre kirkis the pepill for him straif, Quhen he wes deid, quha suld his bodie haif c1540 Lynd. Syde Taillis 72.
In burrowis wantoun burges wyiffis, Quha may haue sydest taillis stryiffis a1578 Pitsc. II 15 heading.
How the Erle of Lennox and the Erle of Bothwell strave quha suld be trimest and pleasandest in the queins sicht 1614 Melvill lxxii.
Gife cities stroave quha brocht to Homer breath, Then [etc.] 1638 Adamson Muses Thr. I 23.
As we went a shooting, And strongly strove who should bring home the booting 1665–7 Lauder Jrnl. 2.
Mr. John Kincead and I had a bucket betwixt us strove [blank in text] who should have the bucket first(3) a1500 Bk. Chess 975.
And ȝit thai straif about the dedlye pane(4) 1513 Doug. v iv heading.
Quhou the schippys stryvys on the see, Of thar nyce rays, and quha that won the gre 1513 Doug. v iv 67 (Ruddim.).
Nor I bid not to striffe and wyn the gre(5) 1590 Burel Pilgr. i 169.
The fumart and the fittret strave, The deip and howest hole to haue

b. To be equal or comparable with. 15.. Clar. iv 1194.
What sould I tell of her feminitie; Scho strave with Venus in hir bright bewtie a1605 Montg. Misc. P. lvi 10.
Quhair sall we craiv sik policie to haiv? Quha with him straiv to polish, build, or plante?

7. To offer resistance, refuse to yield to, struggle aganis. Also to strive against the streme, see Streme n. 3 d (1). a1400 Leg. S. i 289.
He folawit on but mar abade Agan that Terane for to stryfe c1460 Consail Vys Man 225.
Strif nocht aganis a comynite Na with kirkmen in na degre 1490 Irland Mir. III 53/5.
Gret inclinacioun to syn agane the quhilk the saule suld feicht and strif c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 159/14.
Preis thé nocht to stryfe aganis my quheill, Quhilk every warldly thing dois turne and steir 1513 Doug. v i 37 (Ruddim.).
We may not striue nor inforce sa fast Agane the storme 1513 Doug. vii Prol. 92 (Sm.).
Wyth mychty drink, and meytis confortive, Agayne the storme wyntre for to strive 1533 Boece 377.
Osbreth … thinking nocht best to strif aganis the wynd and streme 1567 G. Ball. 86.
Thay stryue againe Thy law ay moir and moir 1570 Sat. P. xvii 6.
To thir dayis sic meanis God ay drest Aganis vice that vertew ay hes streuin a1578 Pitsc. I 66/24.
James Kennedie Bischope of Sancttandrois … thinkand it was follie to stryue against the stryme haueand great hope that great crewalltie … sould haue ane sudden end 1638 Henderson Serm. 451.
He … strave against it als mickle as he could, yet he was harled and drawn to it by the power of his corruption

8. To exert oneself, work hard, make (strenuous) efforts; try. Variously const.(1) a1400 Leg. S. ii 1075.
& till that thai war this striwand, Petir and Paule war ȝarne prechand To thame that lang tym striwine had 1513 Doug. iii v 14.
Byssely our folkis gan to pyngil and stryve Swepand the flude with lang rowthys belyve a1570-86 Maitl. F. 437/8.
Ȝoung men & ȝounkeris that sindill stryffis 1635 Dickson Wr. 181.
Then he [sc. Paul] bids all honest men be like-minded, and come on the same way that he is striving(2) a1400 Leg. S. xlix 318.
Tecle … for God strafe, & ay the victory cane hafe 1596 Dalr. II 5/20.
Ilk faucht nocht for him selfe … bot all straue for all(3) 1557 Facs. Nat. MSS III xl.
We … awght … to stryve in oure maisteres caws, even vnto the deth(4) a1400 Leg. S. xxvii 1351.
Tharefor strywe furth … For to confund oure ennymy 1570 Sat. P. xx 118.
Tratours … That ithandly hes streuin For to deface the nobill race Of Stewarts 1620 Edgar Old Church Life 17.
In regard … of the misbehaviour of Johne Robisonne … stryveing to be in ane dask, alledgand to have ryt thairto 1624 Misc. Abbotsf. C. 263.
I shall maist curiusly strive to observe thes 1633 Johnston Diary I 147.
Nou my mother and al my freinds styved [? erron. for stryved] nou for to proove compassionat and affectionat unto me 1639 Spalding II 487.
With great ordinances and feild peices, strywing to enter our bridge of Dee 1651 Aberd. Council Lett. III 244.
They sall stryve with him to clear the mistack 1652 Stirlings of Keir 492.
The sequestrators … taking up the inviter of goods, and stryveing to know what the land payes 1653 Hossack Kirkwall 249.
Stryve quhat ye can to mak the chargis licht on them 1611-57 Mure Early Misc. P. xxi 24.
Not to bee great thou stryves, bot to bee good 1661 Aberd. Council Lett. IV 145.
Ane ever uncontravertit … priviledge of royall burrows which iff callit in question or strewin to be taken away they suld have no more priviledge then the worst landwart village 1661 Stockholm New Year's Gift Sig. A 4b.
Crakbraind Jesuits strayving to com up, … atlength evanish in their vain phantastik notions and speculations ?c1675 J. Gordon Hist. III 153.
Ther enemyes strave the mor diligently to breacke them 1675 Red Bk. Grandtully II 228.
Straive c1680 W. Row Blair 247.
He strove to say mikell in few words 1681 Cramond Kirk S. II 10 April.
He did strive to ly with her being in drinke, but was hindered(5) 1581 Sat. P. xliv 100.
Vith all his micht and force ay still he stryuit That lauchfull pastors of the Kirk sould be depryuit

b. Const. for (a desired object or goal).Cf. a (2) above, where for = on behalf of. 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 25.
It is not honour richesse nor authoritie that thai stryve for a1585 Maitland in Maitl. Q. 67/94.
Nother for kingis nor quenis auctoritie Ȝe stryfe bot for particularitie a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 273 (W).
Like to ane fische fast in the nette … Quhais thocht in vaine dois striue for strenth For to pull out her head 1596 Dalr. I 72/24.
Thay sie his men … nocht only able to fecht for the manteinance of … religione … bot stoutlie to stryue for thair lyfe c1680 (1682) Ravillac Redivivus 35.
Go together to hell in troops, Else strive for new Grass-market loops