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

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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Usurp(e, v. Also: wsurpe, -wirp. P.p. also usurpat(t. [ME and e.m.E. vsurped p.t. (a1325), vsurpe (Piers Plowman), OF usurper (14th c.), L. ūsūrpāre.]

1. tr. To seize (power, authority or the fruits of these); to arrogate (till oneself) (a right, title, etc.). b. To encroach on (another's land), to annex (land) illegally. = Purpris(e v. b. c. transf. To take upon oneself to inflict injury, etc., to behave thus illegally. d. transf. To take on an unwarranted attitude or behaviour. e. fig. To take over (a usage). a1400 Leg. S. ix 141.
Mychtyly He [sc. Christ] put hym [sc. the Devil] owte Of his ald seinȝnery … That he fra man vsurpyt had c1420 Wynt. iv 2585.
And till wsurpe [C. vsurpe, W. vsurp] till hym that name [sc. God] It ware bot wane glore and deffame c1420 Wynt. vi 2478.
And slw this Harald in to fycht That usurpyd [C. vsurpit, W. had vsurpit] agayne all rycht The kynryk 14.. Acts I 61/2.
That the merchandis … sall haif … libertie to by and sell … sua that ilke ane be content with his awne libertie and that nane … usurpe the libertie of another 1533 Boece 73b.
[To] vsurp the name of ane medicynare … without he war knawin cunnyng 1563–4 Sc. Ant. XVI 79.
[They] usurpit the capitancy of the castell of Sanct Androis a1578 Pitsc. I 18/9.
[He] sould have usurpat all honnour riches and authoritie a1578 Pitsc. I 198/32.
King Richart quha … had vsurpatt the croun oniustlie 1606 Bk. Univ. Kirk 571.
[If] the moderators of the presbyteries … usurpe over their brethren any farder power than is given them be their assemblie [etc.] 1641 Peebles Chart. 105.
That na … persounes … wha ar not burgessis [etc.] … preswme to vsurpe exerce and occupie … mercatis or vse of merchandiceb. c1420 Wynt. v 2452.
Ilk prest … He ordanyd to kepe the parochy Till hym assygnyd … And hald hym off his part content, Usurpand noucht oure his extent 1485–6 Newbattle Coll. (Somerville) (Reg. H.).
The tenandis of the landis callit the Bradeschel burne … vsurppis and purprisis aganis me ourelorde & superior of this baronry of Cannathane 1507 Reg. Privy S. I 208/2.
Gif ony of thaim occupiis and usurpis ony part of the kingis propir lands … forthir than thair infeftmentis berisc. 1456 Hay I 134/8.
It is … rycht … to oppos a man and gaynsay all injure or violence unlauchfully usurpit, nocht detfully done, bot condampnyt for syn as ar thift, ref, [etc.]d. 1225-1559 Statut. Sc. Ch. 159.
That na manner of person … pretend to usurp sic hardiment as to dishonor or speik irreverently of the sacrament 1638 Act Assembly 17 Dec. (Jam.).
No minister, moderating his session, shall usurp a negative voice over the members of his sessione. c1616 Hume Orthog. 13.
For as the Latines usurped the voual i for a consonant in their use, quhilk the Greekes had not, so they usurped y, a voual not mikle different from i, for the correspondent sound 1644 Hume Douglas 269/23.
That he was striken with a speir in the balcode … so that efter the batle, they … war everie man compleining of the hurts they had receivit … he … sayes at last; ‘They sits ful stil that hes a reiven breik’ … This saying continues to this day as a proverbe and vsurpit [revision is vsed] of them that hes great cause of compleining and sayis bot litle

2. To claim mistakenly or unjustly (that something is the case, or someone to be (what is stated)). 1533 Boece 169a.
Philo … Of quham falslie is vsurpit that owthir Plato feneȝeis him Philo or ellis Philo schawis him Plato 1622-6 Bisset II 175/1.
Johne Balyoll wes father to Eduarde Balyoll quha wes lykewyis thaireftir usurped to be King of Scotland

3. intr. To go beyond one's authority, to encroach on the authority of another, esp. one's superior. b. Const. apon, in a privilege, etc. c. Const. aganis(t, contray, to a person. 1456 Hay I 154/8.
Sen he has … na jurisdictioun he may nocht but leve of the soverane enprisoun him … and gif he passis mesure in his defendand, and usurpis, makand him to prisoun quhare he has na power, usurpand apon othir lordis fredome 1490 Irland Mir. III 129/11.
But God … forbad the kingis in vthir partis of halyscriptur to vsurpe in that maner or to oppres the pepilb. a1500 Henr. Orph. 569.
Ticius … sett his entencion To fynd the craft of diuinacion … Apollo than for his abusion, Quhilk is the god of diuinacion, For he vsurpit in his facultee, Put hym till hell 1616 Aberd. Council Lett. I 135.
Williame Seytoun of Meldrum … usurpis meikill upoun the liberties and priviledges grantit to this tounc. 1525 St. A. Formulare I 270.
The nomere of tua hundreth and fyifty … at anis usurpand aganis Moyses and Aaron 1580 Mill Mediæv. Plays 156.
That the scholar presentit sall obey the magistrat & maister and sall nawayis vsurpe aganis thame in halding of the schuill 1581 St. A. Baxter Bks. 29.
And quha usurpis or tak in hand to bak in eny bakehous to eny fre man to be banest all bakhous perpetualie a1595 Cullen Chron. Aberd. 54.
Craiftis men … begwid to wswirp contray the burges of gild, thinkand to ocupe marchandrise 1622-6 Bisset I 313/8.
[He] usurpis aganist me … in sa far as he gart ear, till, or maw my landis