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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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Swet(e, Sweit, Sweet(e, adj. Also: suet(e, suette, sweite, sweitt(e, sweyt, sueit(e, sueyt, sweat(e, sweatt, sueat, sweeit, sueet, suit, swit(e. [ME and e.m.E. swet(e (13th c.), suet(e (Cursor M.), sweete (Chaucer), OE swéte.]

1. Sweet to the taste; having a pleasant flavour. Also in comparisons and proverb.(1) ?1438 Alex. i 1359.
He that heir cumis … With ane sweit medicyne sall now Mak quyte of that that greuis ȝow c1420 Wynt. iii 208.
Gret copy In it [sc. the lion's head] he fand off suet huny c1420 Wynt. iii 216.
Quhat than huny is suettare? a1500 Henr. Fab. 16.
The nuttis schell … Haldis the kirnell sueit and delectabill a1500 Henr. Fab. 700.
Me think that hennis ar sa honie sweit a1500 Henr. Practysis 60.
Tak … ane brewing caldrun full of hait caill, For it wilbe the softar and sweittar of the smak 1560 Rolland Seven S. 756.
Thay gar sweit licour swym aboue, and gall is at the ground 1596 Dalr. I 89/12.
Taisting fyne wines, and the sueitter drinkes 1611 Crim. Trials III 157.
The sweitest and most holesome floures c1616 Hume Orthog. 28.
A sueet aple(2) c1500-c1512 Dunb. (STS) lxxv 15.
Quod he, ‘My hairt, sweit as the hwnye’ 1560 Rolland Seven S. 2217.
The fair madin als sweit as meid(3) proverb. 1584-9 Maxwall Commonpl. Bk. Prov. No. 63.
Scharpe sauce gifis ane guide taist to sweit meate a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 1404.
Sueit in the mouth, sowre in the bellie

b. fig. 1490 Irland Mir. III 16/2.
Balme … signifiis … the odour and sueit sauour … of gud fame a1568 Bann. MS 225a/2.
Fair weill the weill of sweitast madicyne 1558-66 Knox II 378.
Syn … is sweat in drinkyng, but in digesting more bitter then the gall 1558-66 Knox II 380.
The Lady Erskin, (a sweatt morsall for the devillis mouth)

2. Sweet-smelling; giving off a pleasant fragrance. Also in fig. context, and ellipt.(a) a1400 Leg. S. ii 275.
Of the cors com swet sawoure a1400 Leg. S. xxxiv 36.
The fluyre mad the ayre al swete 1456 Hay II 122/20.
Reubarb … fortifyis the naturale hete of thy stomak … and makis suete aynd c1475 Wall. vi 13.
Quhen Nympheus … With oyle and balm fullfillit off suet odour c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 12.
In to thair bouris, apparalit quhite and rede, wyth blomes suete(b) a1500 Henr. Fab. 1344.
I lenit doun amang the flouris sweit 1513 Doug. i Prol. 17.
Lyke as the roys, in June with hir sweit smell 1513 Doug. xii vii 74.
Dittam, [sc. dittany] the herb sweit, Of levis rank 1549 Compl. 37/13.
The sueit fragrant smel of tendir gyrssis a1578 Pitsc. I 359/26.
The hallis and challmeris was all perfumit witht sueit odouris 1580 Hume Promine 89.
Herbis … Bathing the bony daseis of delite With ane sweit liquour on the leiffis lite 1603 Treas. Acc. MS 227b.
For baggis of sweit powder … to lay amang his maiesteis claithis 1628 Brechin Test. IV 321.
Ane kempkin sueit saip(c) 1697 Household Bk. Gr. Baillie 260.
Sweat(d) 1674 Cunningham Diary 34.
A qrter pound of sweet hair powderfig. 1563 Cal. Sc. P. II 25.
The Father of all mercies mack you feall the sueat odour of his graceellipt. 1540 Lynd. Sat. 531 (B).
Wylcum to me, thow sweittar nor the lammer

b. Sweit water(is, perfumed water, scent. c. Sweit wood, a fragrant timber. [Cf. 17th c. Eng. sweet wood (1607).]b. 1603 Treas. Acc. MS 227b.
Ane bottell of sweit water 1615 Haddington Corr. 288.
Ane gilt flacat for sweitt watteris 1625 Lett. & St. P. Jas. VI 377.
Perfumes, sueit wateris and odouris for your maiesteis presence, and linningc. 1643 Edinb. Test. LX 236.
Twa sweit wood glasis estimat baith to xlviij s. 1646 Edinb. Test. LXII 253b.
Ane sweit wod kist pryce thairof iiij lib. 1664 Inventory II in Decr. Dalr. XI.
Some sweitwood cabinets or of other wood worth 40 lib.

3. a. Of foodstuffs: Fresh, not sour or spoiled.(1) c1420 Wynt. iii 91.
Swet mylk than scho broucht hym tylle 1456 Hay II 133/27.
The mannis body is nurist … be … gude metis and drynkis delytable … the suete mylk is rycht growand to thame that usis it(2) 1482 Liber Aberbr. II 183.
Fyve barrellis of gude salmonde ful reid and sweit 1489 Acta Aud. 138/2.
A last of salmonde full rede and swet … gude merchand ware saltit with gret salt 1543 Aberd. B. Rec. I 187.
Johnn Freser, laxfyschar, … deliuerit … vj barrallis of salmond, full reid and sueit 1572–3 Canongate Ct. Bk. 432.
Twa barrellis salmond full reid [pr. rind] and sweit

b. Of grain: Free from any disagreeable taste, not tainted, burnt, etc.; also, sweet-tasting from fermentation. ?1549 Monro W. Isles (1961) 78.
The … stewart … usit to tak ane mask of malt thair with ane maskein fat and mask his malt, and or the fat be readie the commons of the town … puttis thair hand in the fat and finding it sweit greynes eftir the sweitnes thairof quhill neither wort nor draff are left unsuppit a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 1352.
Soft fyre maks sueit malt 1671 Forbes Baron Ct. 287.
Tennentis … lyabill to pey meill ferm … sall pay the samen … clean bot dust … and frie bot heatting or sweit meill or hunied

c. Of almonds or oil: Sweet, not bitter. 1575 Edinb. Test. III 318.
Oley of sweit almondis 1641-8 Skipper's Acc. (Smettone) 3.
Item for 10 tt of suit oyll 5 g.

d. Of water: Fresh, chiefly, not salt, also ? not bitter or stagnant. 1456 Hay II 133/31.
And to bathe in fair suete water resonabily tane 1456 Hay II 138/11.
Wit thou that all wateris, bathe salt water and suete water cummys out of the see c1515 Asl. MS I 157/6.
That see is swetar … for fresche ryveris tornis about it and fillis thairto 1581 Hamilton Cath. Tr. in Cath. Tr. (STS) 87/24.
The changeing of the maist bitter flude Marach in sueit valter be Moyses trie crassin thairin

4. Of sound: Pleasant to the ear, melodious, harmonious. a1400 Leg. S. i 15.
Criste … sad til hym with swet stewin c1400 Troy-bk. ii 1654.
The swete sang of foules seir c1460 Regim. Princ. 4 (Marchm.).
The sang is sueyt quhen that the sound is suth a1500 Henr. Orph. 39.
The secund maide namyt Melpomene, As hony suete in modulacion a1500 Henr. Orph. 233 (A).
First diatasseron full sweit I wis a1500 Henr. Praise of Age 3 (Makc.).
Gay wes the noit, suet wes the woce and cleyr c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyt. 160.
Quhen thow heiris ane guse cry … Thow thinkis it swetar than sacrand bell of sound c1500-c1512 Dunb. (STS) xlvi 26.
Nevir suetar noys wes hard … Na maid this mirry gentill nychtingaill 1549 Compl. 65/15.
Eftir this sueit celest armonye, tha began to dance 1562-3 Winȝet I 45/8.
The Word of God is to thaim as ane ballat of menstralie, quhilk hes ane sueit tone 1567 Sat. P. iii 44.
Sangis set with diuers tunis expres, With instrument maist sweit into the eir a1605 Montg. Sonn. ii 4.
Concordant-discords, suete harmonious sounds 1581-1623 James VI Poems II 39/10.
Then all agree, to praise & thank His name Uith musike sueit & schill

5. Giving pleasure, enjoyment or satisfaction; delightful. a. To the mind or feelings. ?1438 Alex. ii 2384.
Throw sweit blenking anerly Wele mare alway ioy it is … Than all the thochtis that thocht may be ?1438 Alex. ii 3858.
Quhen swete vmbethinking suddanly Me takes c1420 Ratis R. 1319.
Gud kyndnes, fair honeste, Suet hamlynes & clen lawte c1460 Thewis Wysmen 39.
Vysdome … is … suetar als and of mare lust than erdly thing that man may gust a1500 Henr. Fab. 379.
The sweitest lyfe … Is sickernes with small possessioun c1490 Porteous Noblenes 177/23 (A).
Worthines allway is sweit and gentill to noble & liberall men 15.. King Berdok 48.
Thocht lufe be sweit, oft syis it is full sour 1560 Rolland Seven S. 5960.
Howbeit he lipper be … the gold is wonder sweit a1568 Scott i 155.
Bot kirkmennis cursit substance semis sweit Till land men 1644 Baillie II 212.
It would be very sweet for me to be at home, and serving in my charge 1673 Dunblane Synod 103.
I need not insist to represent the advantages of this sweit studie to your owne soulesellipt. 1600-1610 Melvill 79.
I markit befor the occasion I haid of lerning to sing and play on instruments of music … bot … for graitter and sweittar haid I in Glasgw of a gentilman's houss … wha interteined maist expert singars and playars

b. To the senses, esp. the sight.Also bedsweit, ? sexually attractive. [Cf. ME swete in bedde (Havelok), and in the later dial. (see OED Sweet adj. 5 b).]See Swire n. 1 (2) for further examples.(1) 1375 Barb. xvi 66.
Byrdis … Melland thair notys with syndry sowne For softnes of that sweit sesoune c1400 Troy-bk. i 288.
Jasone in with ryche aray, With Hercules and thar menȝhe … The quhilk … was to see one fare & suete ?1438 Alex. ii 1937.
Ane iouell [sc. Ideas] Sa fare, sa suet, sa auenand That to ȝour sicht is richt plesand c1450-2 Howlat 171 (A).
Swannis suowchand full swyth, swetest of sware 1456 Hay II 128/5.
And in thai dayes the tyme is suete and moyste, and the ayer is mare soft and the weder commonly mare plesant a1500 Henr. Fab. 918.
He … bad thame, with ane countenance full sweit, Be not efferit c1475 Wall. iv 1.
Suette c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 247.
Suete war the vapouris soft the morowing c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 28.
Ladeis … Quhyt seimlie and soft as the sweit lillies a1585 Maitl. Q. 116/85.
Ȝour smyland seimlie mouth is sueit Lyik rosis redolent 1632 Lithgow Trav. iv 137.
The sweetest face, … and whitest skin was in greatest value(2) a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 1084.
Looke up to a noble suppose ye be blak ye are bed sueit

6. Of (the substance or meaning of) discourse, rhetoric, poetry, etc. a. Pleasant, agreeable, appealing to the feelings, understanding or intellect; morally sound or benign, godly. b. Persuasive. c. transf.a. c1400 Troy-bk. i 331.
He … with suete wordys hambly Reconfortit thame c1409-1436 Kingis Q. § 4.
His metir suete, full of moralitee a1500 Henr. Fab. Prol. 1.
Thair polite termes of sweit rhetore a1500 Henr. Fab. Prol. 12 (Bann.).
As throw a bustvous erd, … Springis the flouris … So springis thair a morall sueit sentence Out of the scitell dyt of poetre a1500 Lanc. 331.
This world gladith of his suet poetry 1490 Irland Mir. I 32/29.
Thar is nane sa dulce sang nore so sueit, as this [sc. the Lord's Prayer] 1513 Doug. i Prol. 70.
Thy sawys … So inuentive of rethorik flowris sweit 1533 Gau 82/8.
Quhen he prechit the sueit sermond to thayme apone the montane 1535 Stewart 4214.
With wordis balme and sueit, He spak till him 1562-3 Winȝet II 3/18.
Hoiping in the suete promise of God maid to the faythful peple c1568 Lauder Minor P. iii 1.
Thir uearse ar sweit and rycht delicius Unto the hartis of godlie men 1573 Davidson in Sat. P. xlii 775.
Quha feiris God … Of that sweit word will neuer irk a1578 Pitsc. I 34/25.
The governour thocht this counsall werie goode and sueit a1578 Pitsc. I 90/24.
The king … wreit ane sueit lettir of suplicatioun to the Erle of Douglas 1600-1610 Melvill 15.
Resting in assurance of his sweit promises of lyff maid unto mie 1608 Hist. Fam. Seton 908.
Sall I be baulde to remember your Heiness moste sweitte and bontefull speytchesb. 1562-3 Winȝet I 40/4.
Auert ȝoure earis fra the sweit venum of deuyllish eloquence of wordis 1562-3 Winȝet II 28/21.
Thir kynd of men seruis nocht the Lorde Christe … and be suet speche and blissingis dissauis the hertis of the innocent 1639 Baillie I 239.
As the virgin forcit … if silent was punisheable … so they if nou they did not crie against this violenc wer by God to be plaguit. By such sueite doctrin, he so inflamit the poor people that [etc.]c. c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 69.
Tullius quhois lippis suete Off rethorike did in to termes flete 1560 Rolland Seven S. 2073.
Pantillas with thy sweit suggurit toung 1606 Rollock's Thess. 343.
Sweete sleeked lippes, false inuyfull harts

7. Having an agreeable or beneficial effect. c1400 Troy-bk. i 267.
Quhen the suet rane … descendis one hill and plane And fresche … flud Reconfortis all grene growand gud c1475 Wall. ix 9.
Zepherus ek with his suet vapour, He comfort has, be wyrking off natour 1513 Doug. ii v 35.
Of naturale sleip, … na gyft mair swete, Stelis on fordoverit mortale creaturis

b. Enjoyable, satisfactory. 1596 Dalr. I 43/33.
This cuntrey [sc. Sutherland] … is verie conuenient to the feiding of cattel … quhairthrouch the rentis to the possessours is the mair proffitable and sueit, quhen … the ground prouydes quhat is sufficient for thame, frilie

8. Dear, precious, beloved. Also proverb.Also with repetition of sweet, as an intensifier.(1) a1400 Leg. S. xvi 166.
Sike lufe til hyre had Jhesu swet a1400 Leg. S. xviii 1183.
Quhat sal word of me … alienit, gyf I sall be, Of that swet sicht c1420 Wynt. ii 233.
Oure suet Lady, Goddys modyr, myld Mary a1500 Henr. Fab. 504.
With his sweit bill he wald brek vs the breid 1490 Irland Mir. I 25/33.
In this sueit name fadere, he gevis ws hop … to impetrat and get all that we will desyre c1500-c1512 Dunb. (STS) vi 24.
Sueit Cuthbert that luffit me neuer 1513 Doug. v iv 104.
The dow affrayit doith fle Furth of hir hoyll … Quhar hir sweit nest is holkyt in the stayn 1530 Lynd. Test. Pap. 56.
I watt nocht quhat to wryt, be sweit Sanct Jhone 1540 Lynd. Sat. 385.
Commend me to that sweitest thing … And say I ly in languisching Except scho mak remeid 1584 Melvill 180.
Yie … seik … your … sweit native countrey 1600-1610 Melvill 22.
A godlie honest matron in the town … called me hir lytle sweit angle 1635 Dickson Wr. 95.
It is to them a sweet leaning-stock, to rest and comfort them 1664 Wemyss Corr. 111.
I present my most humbill seruies … to my suit sun in laueproverb. a1598 Ferg. Prov. MS No. 1394.
The mothers end is sueit(2) 1637 Rutherford Lett. (1862) I 221.
To hold off an erroneous conclusion in the least wing or lith of sweet sweet truth

b. In forms of address. a1400 Leg. S. l 532.
A, swet Katrine, for ws thu pray Till Jhesu Criste ?1438 Alex. i 949.
A! Sampsoun, sweit freind a1450 Fifteen Ois 45.
Grant me, I pray Thé, swit Jesu … Befor my dede, contricioun a1500 Seven S. 1105.
‘My sweit husband’, scho said, ‘lat be’ a1500 Peblis to Play 244.
Be still, my sweit thing c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 6/50.
Haile, more decore than of before And swetar be sic sevyne c1500-c1512 Dunb. (STS) lxxiv 1.
My hartis tresure and swete assured fo 1530 Lynd. Test. Pap. 157.
Sweit bird … be war, mont nocht ouer hie a1568 Bann. MS 228b/5.
Sueit desy most decoir Will ȝe nocht help me of my hevines? 1588 King Cat. App. 30.
O maist sueit breade, … Mak me hail from al langueur

9. Amiable, friendly; courteous, well-mannered. a. Of persons (once, an animal). b. Of actions, attitudes or behaviour. c. Suete-having, sweetness of manners, courtesy.a. 1375 Barb. i 390.
Quhen he wes blyth he wes lufly And meyk and sweyt in cumpany 1375 Barb. viii 381.
Thai haid A lord that sa swete wes ande deboner, Sa curtais [etc.] 1460 Hay Alex. 893.
He was sa sweit and blyth to his menȝe 1494 Loutfut MS 15b.
[The lion] is a rycht suet best and luffand thaim that dois him gud 1503 Reg. Cupar A. I 256.
Thai sal be suet and gentill, and mak gud seruice to al that cummys without strublans c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 62/71.
And quho than ladeis suetar nychbouris be? c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 255.
I semyt sober and sueit and sempill without fraud 1560 Rolland Seven S. 8134.
The ladeis of the emprice bour … Thay war sa sweit sum said thay war all sanctis 1600-1610 Melvill Diary 27.
A guid, peaceable, sweit auld man 1620 Lett. & St. P. Jas. VI 331.
My jewell is weil … and her sweit kymmer and sisterb. c1460 Thewis Gud Women 249.
Thriftee men With gudly, suet, neidfull lewynge, Thai wald neuir do mys for nakyne thinge 1473 Reg. Cupar A. I 187.
Tha sal obey til ane ourman quhilk the Abbot assignys to tham for kepyng of gud and swet nichtburhed c1490 Porteous Noblenes 178/19 (A).
All noble man suld … conques & get frendis be swet seruice 1539 Reg. Cupar A. II 11.
The saidis Elene, Willeame, hyr sone, [etc.] … sall kepe gude and sueit nychtbourheid 1600-1610 Melvill 25.
My father … was exceidinglie rejoysit, and uttered sweittar affection to me then ever before 1600-1610 Melvill 66.
Oft tymes embrasing and kissing him for the sweit confort he bestowed on himc. a1500 Quare Jel. 132.
For sche for fairhede and for suete-having Mycht wele accorde for ony wicht lyving