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.
Quotation dates: 1490, 1541-1610
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Affirmative, adv. and n. [As adv. L. affirmātīvē; as n. from the L. adj., corr. to e.m.E. affirmative (1532).]
A. adv. Affirmatively. 1490 Irland Mir. I. 23/21.
J ansuere to that affirmatiue 1490 Ib. 62/32.
J ansuer affirmatiue 1541 Reg. Privy S. II. 645/2.
[Denounced] for non-delivering affirmative or negative upoune the pointis of ane breif 1569 Peebles B. Rec. 315.
To gif his ansuer nagatiue or affirmitiue 1610 Criminal Trials III. 103.
To determine … affirmativé or negativé, conforme to the said Dittay
B. n. Affirmation, certainty. c1550 Rolland Court of Venus i. 65.
I can not gif perfite affirmatiue 1558-66 Knox II. 266.
From these … sprange out this affirmative
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"Affirmative adv., n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 15 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/affirmative>
