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.

Chaste, Chaist, Chest, a. Also: cheist, cheaste. [ME. chaste (a 1225), chest, OF. chaste, L. castus.] Chaste, pure.(a) a1400 Leg. S. i. 642 (wemen … chast to ma). Ib. xi. 364 (chaste and haly man). c1420 Wynt. v. 2121 (borne of the madyn chast). 1456 Hay I. 76/25 (ane luxurius, ane othir chaste). Ib. II. 157/23 (chaste as a turtur dowe). c1450-2 Howlat 223 (a clerk, … chast and vnchangeable). a1500 Bk. Chess 1775 (the chastast man of one). c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 76 (Dyane the goddesse chaste). Ib. lxxxvi. 17 (chast conclaif of clene virginite). 1513 Doug. i. v. 112 (with chaste religioune). 1562-3 Winȝet II. 60/17 (the chast and undefylit veritie). a1578 Pitsc. II. 72/2 (thair ar thrie kynd of chast men). 1611-57 Mure Sp. Hymn 17 (with worship chast).(b) c1460 Thewis Gud Women 226 (chaist and cheritable). 1490 Irland Mir. fol. 306 (in chaist luf). a1500 Bk. Chess 480 (chaist in hir entent). Ib. 530 (honest and chaist in her persone). c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 293 (the churll wes gane chaist). 1513 Doug. iii. vi. 104 (thi chaist ofspring). Ib. xi. vi. 109 (my chaist spousage). 1567 Sat. P. vii. 83 (quhat chaist woman … ). 1567 G. Ball. 8 (ane chaist and sober lyfe). 1570 Leslie 287 (ane chaist ladie). a1585 Maitl. Q. lxvi. 61 (my chaist love). 1587-99 Hume Ep. 341 (a virgine chaist and puir). 1596 Dalr. I. 280 m. (deuote, sobre, and chaist). 1622-6 Bisset I. 49/12 (ane chaist prince).(c) 1535 Stewart 42089 (he levit chest). Ib. 42977 (to leif chest in puir verginitie). 1549 Compl. 136/21 (the cheist Lucrecia). a1568 Bann. MS. 139 a/73 (fra thow luk chest). 1594 Edinb. Test. XXVII. 242 (ane chest wedow). 1600-1610 Melvill 80 (affection … honest and cheaste). 1611-57 Mure Misc. P. vi. 9 (chest Dianais sacred croune). 1604-9 Grahame Anat. Hum. 26 (a chest and skunring-hearted ladie). 1622-6 Bisset II. 415/1 (that they suld leif cheist).