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 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Desert, n.² Also: disert, desart. [ME. desert (a 1225), deserte, desarte, OF. desert, late L. dēsertum.] A desert, wilderness. 1456 Hay I. 211/6.
Quhen he led his peple in the desertis Ib. II. 7/89.
The … penitence that he had tane till him in that desert c1500 Crying of Play 91.
Sen I was generit of his kynd Ful far amang the desertis of Ynde a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 486.
In sum desert, quhair thair is na repaire, … Cary this cankerit corrupt carioun c1500-c1512 Dunb. xii. 27.
Toun [returnis] in desert, forrest in plane c1515 Asl. MS. I. 169/21.
The desertis of Ethiope and Affrik, in the quhilk dwellis … dromydaris, camelis [etc.] 1513 Doug. i. vi. 136.
In desertis of Lybe I wandir 1528 Stirling B. Rec. I. 33.
He sould be put to ane desert without the burgh, as lypir men hes wsit to be demanit 1549 Compl. 139/13.
The vyild beystis of the desertis of Arabie 1562-3 Winȝet II. 22/6.
The sanctis of God … amang the desertis, coiuis, wild beistis, and rolkes, … wes worne away c1590 J. Stewart 57/14.
Quhow Angelique alone From dochtie Rodger in disert hir drest a 1627 Craig v. 8.
For Don-Diëgo had died in desart, Wert not Rodorico did him there convert