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First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Fals, adj. Also: false, falls; fallas; fallis, falis; fas. [ME. fals(e, late OE. fals, OF. fals, L. falsus; L. fallac-, fallax.]

1. Of persons: Untruthful, deceitful, faithless, treacherous. 1375 Barb. iv. 234.
Thai sa fals ar … That thai mak ay thair ansuering Intill dowbill vndirstanding c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 1258.
In glutherynges And thrught arte fallas of spekynges c1420 Wynt. vi. 2153.
I am sa fals, that na man may Trow a worde that evyre I say 1456 Hay II. 105/37.
Thaire kingis and princis … in thaire hertis was feynyt and fals 1490 Irland Mir. I. 53/18.
The innemy of hell … is fals and subtile c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxxii. 37.
He … spak full fair thocht he wes fals 1531 Bell. Boece I. 20.
Gif thay be fals, thay suld nocht be dred a1585 Maitl. Q. lxxii. 21.
Gif I be fals, … let me suffer smert 1611-57 Mure Son. x. 2.
One quho must be faithles, fals, perjur'd

b. In attributive use. a1400 Leg. S. i. 390.
The fals fend … Vith the pepill wald spek Ib. xvi. 626.
Quhare that he was eftyr tane With fals Jowis c1420 Wynt. 252.
The fals traytowre Gamelown Ib. 1773.
Amang thame wes fals flechowrys 1456 Hay I. 16/6.
Thare was in thai tymes mony fals heretykis Ib. 20/7.
The fals ypocrite the patriark of Constantynoble c1475 Wall. i. 97.
A captayne thair this fals Eduuard maid Ib. vii. 23.
The fals Sotheroun amang a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 411.
In Dunbar thai ressauit him, the false nacione c1530-40 Stewart Maitl. F. cxxviii. 24.
I sall mak thé rychtuous recompence Quhone fals folk sall forthink it a1578 Pitsc. I. 108/22.
The suppressing of fallis coniurit tratouris a1585 Polwart Flyt. 621 (T).
He was ane fals schismatik

c. Const. to a person. c1420 Wynt. vi. 1648.
Till hys eme he wes rycht fals a1500 Rauf C. 500.
For na gold … wald I … Be fundin fals to the King c1515 Asl. MS. I. 205/15.
His peple war till him fals, as all Yngland was euer subtell & fals … to thair awne nacioun a1578 Pitsc. I. 221/3.
They quha was fallis to ȝour father can never be trew to ȝour self

d. Of the heart, mind, etc. 1456 Hay II. 35/28.
A full fals hert, full of barate, trechery, and traysoun a1500 Henr. Fab. 2764.
Wrangous men of fals intent Ib. 2834.
With mynd inconstant, fals, and wariand a1585 Maitl. Q. lx. 19.
The fairer speich the falser hairtis

e. Of fortune, the world, etc. c1420 Wynt. viii. 6097.
Fortown … war fals, gyve scho suld be Stedfast standand in a gre c1475 Wall. i. 424.
Your men ar martyrit doun … her in this fals regioun a1500 Henr. III. 107/10.
False is this warld, and full of variance c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 826.
Sayand: fals Fortoun, I thé defy c1550 Rolland C. Venus Prol. 196.
Thay say it is fals destenie And wyittis Fortoun of thair misgouernance a1605 Montg. Son. xiv. 2.
I complene … on, not to, fals fortun

2. Untrue, mendacious. a1400 Leg. S. xxx. 799.
Scho … in wrak of hyr fals plicht Deit sodanely in thare sicht 14.. Acts I. 12/2.
Quhasa evir is enchessonyt of fals wytnes beryng c1420 Wynt. viii. 381.
He mad fals suggestyown; Fals wes his relatyown 1456 Hay I. 259/22.
Ane of hir frendis cummys … sayand that it is fals and untrewe Ib. 302/1.
Mony learis oft tymes fleckis lordis with fals talis c1490 Irland Asl. MS. I. 4/16.
The quhilk is fals aganis the ewangell and all haly writ c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxi. 59.
Fortoun … Quhais fals behechtis as wind hyne wavis 1556 Lauder Off. Kings 131.
Ȝour fals glossing of the wrang a1578 Pitsc. I. 60/13.
Be fallis suggestioun of flaterand courtieouris 1606 Highland P. I. 189.
He … affirms the same to be altogider ane fals undeutiful invention

b. Dishonest; treacherous. c1475 Wall. i. 95.
Be this fals awentur Of trew Scottis chapyt na creatur Ib. xi. 848.
Menteth, apon fals wys, Betraysyt Wallace a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 358.
Thai laithly lippis vntit with fals tressoun 1583 Sempill Sat. P. xlv. 43.
Finding out a new fas [v. r. fals] cast, Amongis the prentars is he past

3. a. Not in accordance with truth or right; wrongful, perverted. a1400 Leg. S. xxviii. 532.
I red ȝou … Lef thi wikit fals belewe Ib. xxxi. 315.
To fulfil hir fals desyre, Scho brynt as scho had been in fyre c1420 Wynt. v. 1022.
Thare him fell a foule endyng For hys fals and ywyll lyvyng Ib. viii. 1646.
Syne that he agayne resown That gat be fals extorsyown 1456 Hay I. 100/29.
That cummys of a fals usage of men of armes Ib. 205/4.
He sall appele to the king, and he sall ger do him … redress of that fals jugement

b. Not in accordance with the true faith. c1420 Wynt. v. 2837.
- Off fals ydolys thow sall gere cast Downe the templys Ib. 3012.
Thai of Rome … fals mawmentys qwyte forsuke 1456 Hay I. 188/2.
Ony peple … that anournyt the fals goddis, and maid to thame sacrifice

4. Not genuine or real; counterfeit, spurious. In various applications.(1) c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 1850.
Thai said … Vlixes and Dyomeid … gart purwey Two fals lettres fenȝeandly 1508 Reg. Privy S. I. 238/2.
The said lettres … gif ony be fals or fenȝeit, to be adnullit 1563 Digest Justiciary Proc. E. 15.
The said Mr Nicoll convict … as ane falser in … making and feinȝeing of the said fals instrumentis 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. 121.
The wreits … cannot prove against him, because they are fals, and fenȝeit 1622-6 Bisset I. 218/17.
Anentis falsieris … and usaris of fals writtis(2) 14.. Acts I. 336/2.
Thai sow witht fals and rottin threid 1513 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 145.
Quhair they find fals feyngyeit wark … , the sercheris till bring it to the provest Ib. 214.
Bakand fals and rotten stuff c1552 Lynd. Mon. 3136.
Thay wer bot fenȝeit fals figouris 1561 Inv. Wardrobe 135.
Ane bed of broderie work … pourfeilliet with fals gold and siluir 1593 Acts IV. 43/1.
Thevis … disagysit with fals bairdis(3) 1456 Hay II. 47/16.
His lang swerde, his polax, his false sterap 1497 Treas. Acc. I. 340.
For ane quartar of wellus to the fals renȝe of the Kingis gret bridill 1539 Ib. VII. 145.
Twa dosane of basen skynnis to be fals coveris to the steill sadillis 1575 Prestwick B. Rec. 75.
Ane fals key that oppinnit the said Jonnettis borne dur & chalmour dur 1586 Treas. Acc. MS. 59.
Grein welwet to be ane of the sadill coveringis and to wirk the bordis of the fals hous thairof(4) c1490 Irland Asl. MS. I. 70/12.
I haue synnit … byand gud chape and selland our dere be fals wechtis or fals mesouris c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyt. 474.
Tak thé to thy fute, And boun with thé to haue a fals botwand 1562 Treas. Acc. XI. 169.
James Johnistoun … to compear befoir the lordis … for using ane fals firlot(5) 1493 Acts II. 233/2.
The saidis officeris sall clip and brek the said fals … cuinȝie of euill stuffe 1518 Treas. Acc. v. 148.
The lordis ordanit four clipparis for the fals plakkis 1545 Reg. Privy C. I. ii.
The new Inglis grote … ar false for the more part 1568 Ib. 642.
To … se forder triall tane anent the allegit cunyeing of fals babeis 1597–8 Misc. Spald. C. V. 124.
Thrie persones alledgit … as suspectit of false cunȝie(6) 1562 Treas. Acc. XI. 175.
To David Wrycht, remanand in warde … put in as ane fals notar 1562-3 Winȝet II. 65/4.
Tak tent to ȝoure selfis fra fals prophetis

4. Fals cunȝeour, a maker of false coin. (See also Conȝeour.) 1455 Acts II. 43/1.
Quhat euir he be that arestis ony fals cunȝeour … sall haif x li for his travell 1515 Reg. Privy S. I. 394/2.
The gift of the eschete landis and gudis of William Quhite, fals conȝeour 1554 Treas. Acc. X. 230.
Hectour Patersoun and Peter Chaplane, fals cunȝeoris … war justifyit 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 344.
Throw occasioun of greit quantitie … of fals cunȝearis … within this realme

5. a. Out of tune. b. Incorrect. c 1460 Liber Plusc. 392.
Quhen thai [sc. the harp-strings] ar discordand, fals, and muth 1562-3 Winȝet I. 109/6.
Will ȝe hald the commoun translatioun fals … ?