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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.

Catif(f, Cative, n. and a. Also: catife, -yf(e, -efe, -eif, caytif; catvve, cateve, catewe. [ME. caitif, caytif, caitive, etc. (c 1300), ONF. caitif, -ive (L. captivus).]

1. n. A miserable person; a poor wretch.(a) 1375 Barb. xviii. 514.
War it nocht he war Sic a catiff, he sulde by sair His wourdis a1500 Henr. III. 114/9.
I … saw ane catyf one a club cumand, With chekis lene and lyart lokis hoir 1513 Doug. ii. x. 167 (R).
As maist wretchit and miserabill catife Dede I desirit(b) Brus xviii. 514 (E).
War it nocht that he war Sic a catyve 1513 Doug. ii. ii. 22.
Quhat other thing now restis to me catyve Ib. vi. Prol. 50; etc.
Woful turmentis of wrachit catyvis 1530 Lynd. Test. Pap. 345.
Now mon I dee, one catyue myserabyll 1558-66 Knox II. 57.
The tyranne … with the poore catyveis awin quhynger … straik him in the breist a1578 Pitsc. I. 104/14.
The Earle of Crafurde came … to the king clad as he had bene ane miserabill catiue 1587-99 Hume i. 60.
To what end thy wisedome marks To catiues is vnknawin Id. in Montg. Suppl. 245/62.
Cast nocht me catewe clene away

2. A base or despicable wretch; a villain.(a) a1400 Leg. S. xxii. 341.
Nou ma thu, catefe, wel se That I the victor haf of the Ib. xl. 1006.
That catife … Vent to the tone als apertly As he had neuire bene gilty a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 988.
Thus was his body … Bund at ane pillar as caytif criminale Ib. 1218.
Remembre, caytiffis full of cupidite, … Ȝour gredy thrist [etc.] c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxvi. 59 (M).
Catyffis, wretches, & okkararis … all with that virlo vent a1586 Lindesay MS. 55.
To the I giff my cursing, wickit catif, for euir 1587-99 Hume ii. 199.
Flie far away fra me, ye cursed cateifs all(b) 1535 Stewart 11634.
And I had strenth … , ȝe suld revengit be Of tha catevis full of crudelitie Ib. 59670.
With tha catiues richt lang we haif bene cummerit c1552 Lynd. Mon. 208.
Thir catyuis tuke no compt of thair awin curis 1560 Rolland Seven S. 4362.
O curst catiue, wo to thy cruelnes a1570-86 Arbuthnot Maitl. F. xxx. 4.
Thair is na man to leif now iugeit able Bot cairles cativeis full of cursidnes a1605 Montg. Misc. P. iii. 8.
Fortun … That curst inconstant cative

3. A captive. 1533 Bell. Livy I. 194/1.
Persaue ȝe nocht how thai haue led ȝow this day as vincust cativis in tryumphe Ib. II. 163/3.
Al cativis that war in presoun … war put to liberte c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 909.
I was ane fre man lait ȝistrene, And now ane catiue bound and thrall 1567 G. Ball. 169.
He … gaif him self to die, To mak us catiues fre 1570 Sat. P. x. 9.
Gar keip this pure catiue, And tak from him his speiche

4. adj. Wretched, miserable.(a) a1400 Leg. S. xxxvii. 166.
Quhy nocht behaldis thu Quhou thi catife corse is now Nakit strekit in til a frame c1450-2 Howlat 940.
Now ilk fowle his awne fedder sall agane fang, And mak thé catif of kynd Ib. 966.
Thus for my hicht I am hurt … , Cairfull and caytif for craft that I can 1513 Doug. ii. ii. 134.
The chance returnyt on a catyfr wyght(b) 1513 Doug. iii. ix. 26.
I beseik tak me with you, catyve wycht 1533 Boece vi. xv. 217 b.
The quene cryit scho was ane cative creature, quhen scho was dispueȝeit of hir lorde and freyndis 1567 G. Ball. 40.
Oft thay did this catiue man [Lazarus] refresche 1558-66 Knox I. 65.
How wonderouse is that luf … unto me the moist cative and miserable wrache a1605 Montg. Son. xxxiv. 6.
More hevynes within my hairt I heep Nor cative Cresside Ib. lx. 6.
His cative corps to kill 1587-99 Hume ii. 145.
The sonns of men, and Adams catiue kinde

5. Vile, base; wicked. 1461 Liber Plusc. 394.
Quhat makis this bot caytif creaturis, Quhilkis couth neuir consale bot in cuuatice c1515 Asl. MS. I. 178/29.
Ane noble may wele call him catif, & his estate is catif and dampnable 1513 Doug. xi. viii. 78.
Sik ane pevych and catyve saule as thyne 1530 Lynd. Test. Pap. 465.
Thus Cochrame with his catyue companye Forsit thame to flee 1560 Rolland Seven S. 5520.
O cative Quene and cruell, and rute of all mischeif 1567 Sat. P. vii. 206.
Quhen … Jeane, that catiue Quene, Baith honestie forȝet and womanheid