Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Abais, Abase, v. Also: abays, abaise, abaze; abas; abaish. [ME. abaisse, abaysse (14th c.), Anglo-F. abaïss-, = OF. ebaïss-, esbaïss-, extended stem of esbaïr to astound. The ME. variant abaisshe gives the mod. abash.]

1. tr. To deprive of confidence or courage; to make downcast or astounded; to dismay. (Usually in p.p.; see Abaisit.) 1375 Barb. viii. 247.
Thouch that thai be ma than we, That suld abais ws litill thing ?1438 Alex. i. 741.
Thair sall na thing abase me sa, That I first of the field sall ga c1490 Irland Asl. MS. I. 30/4.
The raddour of deid wald abaise the sa gretly c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 112.
The luf-blenkis of that bogill … abasit my spreit 1533 Boece iv. xviii. 158 b.
This abassit mekill the corage of diuers Romanis Ib. vi. xi. 208.
It suld nocht abas thare curage 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 49.
To keip ay thevis … in courage and to abase the hartis of trew subiectis c1590 Fowler I. 48/37.
Bold Hanniball … , Whome Rome thought not in manye yeares nor Italie might abaise [: lace] c1590 J. Stewart 232, st. 128.
As travelit man abaishing all [that] dois heir The curious carots quhilk thy breath sall blaw 1626 Garden Worthies 59.
My few forces … Abazed the Brutans

2. intr. To be taken aback or surprised. 1513 Doug. v. ii. 95.
Eneas of the syght abasyt sum deill