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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.

Chas(e, Chace, Chais, v. Also: chasse (schasse), chaice, chaisce, chais(s)e, chayse, cheas (sheas), chese, chece, che(i)sse. [ME. chas(e, chass(e, chace, OF. chacier, chascier, chasser.]

1. tr. To follow or pursue (one who flees).(a) 1375 Barb. vi. 435.
Douglas his menȝe fast can chas Ib. ix. 524.
Schir Eduard thame chasit fast c1420 Wynt. v. 3208.
The Brettownys … Ware slane, and chasyd here and thare Ib. vi. 912.
He come rynnand in gret hast, As owt off pres he had bene chast 1456 Hay I. 169/36.
How ane of Goddis servandis chassit a thousand a1500 Seven S. 1945.
Thre knychtis to sla has chasit this man c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxxiv. 15.
My deathe chasis my lyfe so besalie That wery is my goist to fle so fast 1513 Doug. ii. vii. 104.
Quhen … we … thame had chasit throw owt all the cite 1567 G. Ball. 108.
The dreidfull Dragoun thow sall chase 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 327.
The same [gait] wes sone red, and thaj chassit to the said castell a1578 Pitsc. I. 283/19.
The earle and all his companie ȝeid bak and was schassit and wan away, … and schir James his sone chassit in the samin maner(b) c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxxvi. 15.
That for thy geir quhen thow art gone, No wicht ane vder slay nor chace 1596 Dalr. I. 344/22.
King Edward … chaces the Balie, and putis him to flichte(c) 1489 Treas. Acc. I. 129.
Eftir at the Kingis schip wes chaysit in Dunbertane be the Inglismen 1513 Doug. x. ix. 82.
Quham Eneas assalyt myghtyly And gan do chays owt throw the feld 1535 Stewart 14783.
Myself wes chaist, my men wer slane and tane 1549 Compl. 26/23.
Fiue of ȝou sal follou & chaisse ane hundretht 1560 Rolland Seven S. 1612.
All in ane voce the pepill bad him haist, Sa without baid he raid as he war chaist a1578 Pitsc. II. 38/22.
The first battell that came fordwart to haue chaissit the Scottis was Schir Birnie Lattin 1587-99 Hume vii. 287.
Five kings he chaist at Gibeon 1596 Dalr. I. 190/2.
He chaisces Octauie, and dryues him into sum secreit nuikis 1611 Black Bk. Taymouth 43.
They … chaissit thame straitlie to the monthe … betuix Rannoch and Badȝenoch 1651 Aberd. B. Rec. IV. 120.
In respect the Inglish schipes haid chaist in ane barque … on the sandis(d) c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyt. 219 (B).
Than fleis thow, lyk ane howlat chest [M. chaist] with crawis Ib. 235.
Cry grace, … or I thé chece [M. chais] and sley 15.. Christis Kirk 152 (B).
He wes nocht ȝoldin Sevin myll quhill he wes chest and mair c 1570 Wemyss Chart. 201.
The saidis personis sett vpon tham, … and chest tham to Petlathie a1578 Pitsc. I. 92/15.
Schir Patrick … spurred his hors bot he was cheissit nar to Edinburghe or thay left him 1590 Reg. Privy C. IV. 560.
Archibald Wauchop [etc.] … cheissit the saidis Robert [etc.] … for thair bodilie harme and slauchter c1615 Chron. Kings 16.
They wes supprissit, winqueist and cheassit be Galdus in ane battall

b. intr. To engage in pursuit. 1375 Barb. ii. 442.
Thar fayis alsua wery war, That off thaim all thar chassyt nane Ib. xx. 429.
So fer chassit the lord Dowglas … that he passit wes All the folk that wes chassand then c1420 Wynt. vii. 646.
With his court apertly On thame he chasyd ?1438 Alex. i. 2791.
He turnit oft his steidis heid To thame that he saw neir chaissand

c. tr. and intr. To chase or hunt (an animal); to engage in hunting. a1400 Leg. S. xxix. 116.
Thu, Placydas, Quhat mowis thé me to chas? a1500 Henr. Fab. 304 (A).
The spensar had na lasere for to byde, … to char nor ȝit to chase 1513 Doug. ix. x. 37.
Our childir ȝyng … Wild deir throw owt the woddis chais and mait 1533 Boece ii. v. 64.
To haue houndis … with men to ceirs and chais the dere 1560 Rolland Seven S. 7049.
All to the hunting gais, All the lang day thay chais in the forest 1581 Treas. Acc. MS. 76 b.
Ane kow that wes chaist and slane be his maiesties sleuthhund 1597 Hist. Carnegie 60.
Ȝe may cum est quhan ȝe pleis and chais pertikis 1665 Lauder Journal 122.
Its not lawful for any to chasse or kil under the pein of a fine

2. To drive or force out of a country, or into another. c1420 Wynt. v. 3037.
Thai that chast war off thaire land, Come till Constantyn till warand 1456 Hay I. 24/4.
He was chassit in France, quhare he gat gude help 1569 Sat. P. x. 209.
Thair come … anew of men … Quhilks chaist ȝour Lords sone efter in Ingland a1578 Pitsc. I. 116/11.
The Erll of Douglas was gatherand ane gret armye aganis him, ether to fecht with him or to cheis him out of the cuntrie Ib. 242/6.
The peopill … rebellit aganis him and chessit him out of the cuntrie 1596 Dalr. I. 86/27.
Out of that cuntrey … thay war chaste Ib. 155/8.
The cheif authoris of the seditione he athir had slane or chaiste

b. To drive, impel, force to go. Freq. with away, or fra (a place or person).(1) 1375 Barb. xv. 510.
Swa that thair fayis … War slayn, chassit away, or tane c1420 Wynt. v. 3079.
He chasyt the Romaynys al away 1513 Doug. i. iii. 83.
He … fra the sky Gaderit the clowdis and chasit sone away Ib. i. iv. 101.
Quhen hungir thus with metis was chasit away 1578 Reg. Privy C. III. 20.
The deir ar skatterit and chacit away 1596 Dalr. I. 25/15.
The grettest gun … will nocht scar thame, nor chais thame away(2) 1375 Barb. x. 99.
It suld displese, I trow, quhen he his men mycht se Be slayn, and chassit fra the hill 1456 Hay II. 162/31.
Chace him fra thee, for he is nocht for thy prouffit c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxix. 3.
It grevis me both evin and morrow, chasing fra me all cheritie 1513 Doug. iii. ix. 2.
Aurora the wak nycht did arest And chays fra hevyn a1570-86 Maitl. F. xxv. 11.
Sin fra ȝow chace Ib. xxviii. 4.
Invy fra thé far chace 1592 Reg. Privy C. V. 26.
[He came again to the said lands, and] cheissit him fra the said pleuch c1615 Chron. Kings 115.
Word that the Queine wes tane, and Bothuell sheassit fra hir(3) 1456 Hay II. 121/2.
The kembing of thy hede chacis all the vapouris … that ar ascendit fra thy stomak to thy hede c1500-c1512 Dunb. xlvi. 2.
Aurora … with cristall ene chasing the cluddis sable Ib. li. 15.
He barkis lyk ane midding tyk War chassand cattell through a bog 1549 Compl. 38/2.
The borial blastis … hed chaissit the fragrant flureise … far athourt the feildis 15.. Dunb. App. ix. 5.
The lamp of joy, that chasis all dirkness 1570 Sat. P. x. 130.
Baith Cupido and Venus Furth of the Court gart baneis, chais, and stane vs 1584 Reg. Privy C. III. 730.
[He] lousit his said pleuch, cheissit his oxin being in the samin [etc.] 1596 Dalr. I. 99/7.
Gif out of thick wodis thay be chaist, to hich mountanis thai præpair