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: 1399-1400, 1456-1602
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Bestely, Beistly, a. Also: bestly, -le, beistlie, beestlie, beastly. [ME. bestly, beestly, early bestliche (c 1220). f. Beste n.]
1. Appropriate to a beast; bestial, brutish. a1400 Legends of the Saints xix. 425.
Thu spekis bestly thinge to me 1456 Hay I. 64/33.
Thare sall men … do mare bestly dedis 1456 Ib. 79/34.
The fleschly appetite, quhilk was bot bestly a1499 Contemplacioun of Synnaris 844.
Ane bestlie abusioun c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxxxiv. 21.
Thair beistlie lust and appatite 1533 Boece i. v. 41 b.
Ane pepill vndantit of beistlie maneris 1572 Reg. Privy C. II. 168.
Mair then beistlie crewelteis 1596 Dalr. I. 314/14.
A takne … of a beistlie nature 1602 Misc. Spald. C. II. 290.
The sklander of the wardill miserabill and bestle
2. Resembling a beast; brutish, ignorant, stupid. 1456 Hay I. 250/10.
Glotony … makis him bestly 1456 Ib. II. 155/27.
That he be nocht blont and bestely c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace vii. 347.
As bestly folk [thai] tuk off thaim selff no keip c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxx. 17.
We ar so beistlie, dull, and ignorant a1570-86 Maitland Folio MS xxxiv. 27.
Sic beistlie men
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"Bestely adj.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 12 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/bestely_adj>
