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.

Design, Desing, v. Also: desyne, desinge, designe. [e.m.E. desyne (1548), designe, etc., F. designer, L. dēsignāre.]

1. tr. and intr. To design, plan, intend. 1535 Stewart 16200.
For so the godis had at that tyme desynd Ib. 18288.
Ane [thing] richt weill I haif into my mynd, The quhilk that tyme amang thame wes desynd 1606 Birnie Kirk-b. ix. 13.
Hauing a sepulchrall pyramide elabored by … Gods people, wherein he desingde to ly 1634 Maxwell Mem. II. 251.
Gif a man desing to hawe greater preferment

2. tr. To designate, mark out, assign.Specifically in ecclesiastical use. ‘Manses and glebes for the clergy are designed, or set apart, from the church lands in the parish, by the presbytery of the bounds’ (Bell). 1572 Acts III. 73/2.
Sa mekill [land] as thare is to be markit and speciallie designit be the archibischope [etc.] Ib.
That thay haue appoyntit, markit, and designit the said manse … to the vse of the minister 1589 Edinb. B. Rec. V. 6.
To pas and visy the place maist commodius thairto, and to designe and mett … the bounds thairof 1599 Conv. Burghs II. 58.
Desyring … to adwyse, chuse, and desinge ane mair commodious port 1602 Ayr Charters 137.
Ane aikir of land … presentlie laid af, designit, merchit and meithit round about 1600-1610 Melvill 259.
Ryding upe to Carnbie, … to desing the manse and gleib … to Mr Andro Hounter, minister 1619 Garden Elphinston 2451.
They … our divyne [to be] arche-bishop of Sanctandrois all designes [: things] 1652 Lindores Abbey 212.
That they wuld … desyne some pairt in the church for him … to sett up some seat intill

b. To designate, name, style. 1655 Lamont Diary 109.
Generall Monke, Coll. Syler, and other English comissioners for universities in Scotland, (for so thay desinge themselves,) emitted ane ordinance

3. To make a plan or draught of. 1684 Glamis Bk. Rec. 40.
I did … make a skame and draught of my whole project, for … necessarie it is for a man to desyne all at once