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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.

Violent, adj. Also: wiolent, wyolent, vilent. [ME and e.m.E. violent (c1340), vyolent (1398), violente (15th c.), OF violent, L. violent-.]

1. a. Of a person, etc.: Behaving in a violent manner, using or prepared to use physical force (to gain one's ends). b. To lay, put violent hand(is) in, (up)on (a person or thing), to attack or seize with physical force. Also reflex. See Hand n. 11 b for further examples. Also, violent hand(is) putting, physical force. c. Of a person's attributes or attitudes: Exhibiting violence, indicating willingness to use violence. Also violent presumption (Presumptio(u)ne n. 1).a. a1500 Henr. Fab. 2765.
O thow grit lord … Be nocht ane wolf thus to deuoir the pure Think that na thing cruell nor violent May in this warld perpetuallie indure 1549 Compl. 82/29.
The ardant desire … that Inglismen hes to be violent dominatours of oure cuntray hes prouokit them to mak cruel veyris contrar vs thir mony ȝeiris bypast 15.. Clar. ii 1143.
They restit never quhile they awcht speiris brake … As fearce as dragouns wood and violent ?1613 Melrose P. 97.
Most bludie and violent murthourarb. (1) a1400 Leg. S. xxviii 125.
Than ware handis wyolent Layd one that Cristis innocent 14… Statut. Sc. Ch. 6.
We curs … al thaim that puttys violent hand on preist or clerk bot in thare defens 1516 Acts II 284/1.
Lord Drummond was accusit for the putting of violent handis in Lioun King of armis 1567 Reg. Privy C. I 520.
Understanding that James Erll Bothuile put violent handis in oure soverane ladiis maist nobill persoun a1597-1617 Hist. Jas. VI (1825) 16.
Thay spairit not to put violent handis upoun hir majesties copburd weyand saxtene stane weght, and meltit the same and convertit all in coyne 1641 Aberd. B. Rec. III 264.
Convict for putting violent handis on William Gordon, tailȝeour … be taking from him his bannet and joyp, and stricking him with his hand in the face 1647 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 76.
Grissell Abircrombie … being convict be the depositiones of certaine famous witnesses for puting wiolent hand on Janet Ray … and for taking of hir plaid from hir [etc.] 1692 Letter to a Friend 19.
[He] laid violent hands upon me in that sacred place, and hurled me by the shoulders through the church islereflex. 1590-1 R. Bruce Serm. 310.
These miserable men put violent hands in themselves, thinking that the soul … will be in ane better estate gif it were outwith this body(2) 1549 Beaton Eccles. Hist. Caithness 104.
[The third article charges the earl with] violent hand-putting on the curat of Bowar 1549 Beaton Eccles. Hist. Caithness 320.
To deliuer Arche Keyth to justice for violent handis putting on Schir Alexander Mernisc. (1) 1525 Stirling B. Rec. I 21.
Wille Fidlar … was in amerciament for the wrangus trublance of Sir James Crag … be hus violent and impertinat langagh 1533 Boece 424a.
The ȝong man … diuertit by the way to Fethircarne … quhare Fenell his moder (of hichty & violent mynde) remanit … che rissing hir son in his ferocite kendillit him to be … revengeit(2) c1420 Wynt. vii 2614 (C) (see 3 c).
[Wiolent] presumpcion 1586 Jurid. Rev. IV 297.
Ony violent presumption or rebellioun or spilling of the countrie 1638 Protestation of General Assembly 18 Dec.
Seeing there is not only violent presumption but great minassing … of the breaking of the countrey

d. Violent blude, bloodshed as the result of violence. 1524 (1534) Carnwath Baron Ct. (SHS) 12.
My lord folloit in court Robert Grame … for the fylin of his grund with violent blude the quhilk thaj deniit 1524 Carnwath Baron Ct. (SHS) 18.
My l[ord] folloit in court Symond Brown & Jhon Veir for the fylin of his grund vith violent blud & Jhon Veir grantit the blud & deniit the vyt the ȝoung laird of Vesthall is borcht for Symond Brown

e. Of an action: Carried out using physical force, characterised by violence. Also in adverbial phrase in reference to the way of doing something.(1) 1500 Acta Conc. II 440.
For the wrangus and violent distruccione of his housis, yardis, brewmys and biggingis 1558-66 Knox II 394.
For forethought, fellonie, hamesukkin, violent invation of the quenis palice 1594 Acts IV 72/2.
For eiecting … or vther alleagit violent deid committit aganis thame 1604 Shetland Sheriff Ct. (ed.) 130.
Magnus Wischert being accusit … for the violent cutting of ane barrell blaund of Jhone Linkletteris 1606 Birnie Kirk-b. xviii.
Heliodore, who … making violent irruption in the temple, was scourged by God 1689 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. XIII 449.
Their violent taking away the keyes of the kirk door and severall other ingeries don by them 1669 Honyman Survey Naphtali i 12.
This libeller … doth … allow the body of the people … to make violent resistance to the king(2) 1687 Hector Renfrewshire Rec. I 35.
[She] came into the shop in ane violent manner, and did abuse his wife with many opprobrious speaches

2. a. Of the act of taking possession or making use of another's property while withholding rent: By force; without consent, illegal. Chiefly, in collocation with wrangous. b. Of the possessor or occupier of property seized in this way. c. Violent meall, prices profeits, rent or revenue from property seized in this way. See Prof(f)it n. 3 pl. for further examples.a. 1496–7 Acta Conc. II 47.
The accione … persewit be Thomas Strang … agane Jhone Olephant … for the wrangus violent putting and pasturing apone the … landis of Ester Petcorthy pertenyng to the saide Thomas … of xxv oxin yeirely be the space of vij yere bigane … and for the violent ryffing of the ground of the saidis landis [etc.] 1498 Acta Conc. II 240.
For the halding waist of the sade ground and violent puttin furth of the tennentis thairof at his awne hand without officiare or ordoure of law 1531–2 Dunferm. Reg. Ct. 54.
Tuecheyng the vrangus violent and masterfull occupying laboryng and manvryyng of the landis of Jaksone 1548 Ex. Processes (Reg. H.) (Hamyltone v. Blar).
The wranguus violent and maisterfull mawing … of four akeris of medo 1571 Reg. Privy S. VI 264/2.
[For] violent occupatioun, lauboring and manuring thairof, detentioun and withhalding fra him of the haill proffettis thairof yeirlie and continuallie thaireftir to the space of thre yeris a1633 Hope Major Pract. II 91.
Violent ejection be way of oppression may be persewed both (1) befoir the counsall, for the ryot; and (2) befoir the session, for the violent proffitts 1673 Rothesay B. Rec. 242.
For the violent possessioune of the lands of Ardochowb. 1536 Ex. Processes (Reg. H.) No. v (Abbot of Newbattle v. Williamson).
Gif thai do nocht that thai salbe repute as violent possessouris 1555 Acts II 494/2.
But preiudice of the actioun aganis the violent occupyaris and possessouris foirsaidis 1615 Craven Argyll Diocese 69.
Churches to be builded, and violent detainers of monastrys, the gleibs and manses thereof disposs[ess]ed 1672 Argaty Baron Ct. 13 July.
It is … in the masters power … to remove them … and als to be lyable in ane fyne and violent profeitts and holdin and repute as violent possessorsc. 1561 Crawford Mun. Invent. II 82 (20 Dec.).
[Decreet against Alexander Lindsay for violent occupation and] violent profits [of the said lands] c1575 Balfour Pract. 226.
The air, be ane breif and assise of mortancestrie, will recover his … heritage fra his over-lord, with all damnage and skaith sustenit be him … togidder with the violent proffeitis thairof, the quhilkis … may be clamit … like as it wer in the actioun and caus of ejectioun and spuilȝie 1597 Skene Verb. S. s.v. Iter.
Gif ony man becummis sovertie for ane vther, anent spuilȝie committed be him … he … may be called and conveened for the gudes spuilȝied. For the violent prices thereof, for the damnage, skaith, and interest susteined be the persewer throw the committing of the said spuilȝie 1605 Melrose Reg. Rec. I 1.
Allegeand in his libell that the said Patrik ejecttit him fra ane acre of land liand in the Annaye, and hes in the samein persewit for the … violent profeits thairof 1627 Bamff Chart. 211.
[Paying to the said David 20 s. Scots] for the violent proffeitis of the said part and portionne of land … ilk day that the samyn … salbe deteinit fra the said David a1633 Hope Major Pract. I 241.
In ane action of ejection persewed be Gordone of Aberȝeldie … contra Arthur Lord Forbes; it wes found that Aberȝeldie could have no action for the violent proffitts bot allenerly fra the date of the intention of the summonds 1678 Mackenzie Laws & C. ii vi 4.
When spoilȝies or ejections are civilly pursued, the conclusion is violent profits (which is the double rent of the lands, and restitution of the thing craved): But when this is pursued as a riot, the punishment is arbitrary 1679 Fountainhall Decis. I 56.
In a decreet of spulȝie of sheep, the violent profits are decerned to be paid from the day that the spulȝie is proven to have been committed 1684 Kirkintilloch B. Ct. 131.
And decernes hir to flitt and remove from the housses posest be hir … and pertining to the said Margaret Thomson … under the payne of being ejected thairfrae and peying of violent meall

3. Occurring in a severe or intense form; strong; extremely harmful. a. Of natural phenomena or things having a similar effect. b. Of disease or illness. c. Of a person or country with regard to some characteristic. d. In legal use: Of suspicion or presumption (Presumptio(u)ne n. 3, q.v. for further examples, 1429-30 Acts II 19/2 and Hope Major Pract. II 195 may however belong in Presumptio(u)ne n. 1).a. a1400 Leg. S. xxxviii 509.
A rayne gert fal, Sa wyolent & fellonny, That the fyr slokit wes in hy c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 239.
Thai fyrit gunnis wyth powder violent, Till that the reke raise to the firmament c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 21/166.
Thou mak my schip in blissit port arrive, That saillis heir in stormes violent 1513 Doug. vii vii 127.
The fervent bullyr violent Of watir c1590 Fowler II 156/22.
A violent flood 1652 Nicoll Diary 97.
It pleased God to lay the toun of Glasgow desolat by a violent and suddent fyre, quhairby … wer brint … above fourscoir laynes and clossis 1658 Boharm Kirk S. 30 Jan.
No sermon because of the violent blowing of snowb. c1420 Wynt. viii 6429 h. of ch.
Off the fyrst pestilente In Scotland that was wyolent c1515 Asl. MS I 216/11.
Als the land ill the wame ill was so violent that thair deit ma that ȝere than euer thair deit vnder iij pestilens [etc.] 1691 Dunferm. Ann. 357.
A wide-spread vilent fevirc. c1420 Wynt. vii 2612.
Galo … lettrys … send To the Pape, and made hym kend, That Scotland wes off rebellyown, And wyolent off presumptyown [C. [And wiolent] presumpcion, W. richt rebellous And violent and presumptuous] c1450-2 Howlat 88 (B).
The howlate violent of vyced. 1516 Acts XII 36/2.
All lawis excludis the said governour fra administracioun and governance for suspicioun vehement and violent 1678 Mackenzie Laws & C. ii xxiv 3.
That if the extrajudicial confession be adminiculat by other presumptions, it is sufficient, but except the presumptions be very violent, I cannot allow this limitation 1678 Mackenzie Laws & C. ii xxv 4.
Presumptions are divided, in presumptions that are violent (for strong presumptions are so called) and these that are not violent