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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.

Display, v. Also: desplay, displey. [ME. dis-, dysplay (c 1320), desplay, OF. despleier.]

1. tr. To unfurl (a banner); to unfold to view. 1375 Barb. vii. 570.
The King his baner gert display, And set his men in gude aray Ib. xvii. 551.
He displayit his baneir c1420 Wynt. v. 2751.
Quhen in batalle thai displayt Thare banerys, and thare fays assait a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 154.
Quhen sall thow, … Iustice, thi banere braid display? Ib. 943.
Display the banere of our redempcioun c1515 Asl. MS. I. 238/3.
The Erll of Huntlie … displayit the kingis banere 1533 Bell. Livy I. 64/14.
He gart display his ansenȝe on hicht c1552 Lynd. Mon. 98.
Displayand Christis banar hie on heycht a1578 Pitsc. I. 207/18.
The king … seing his enemeis command with his awin baner displayand aganis him

b. In p.p., esp. in phr. with baner displayit. 1375 Barb. viii. 48.
Thai saw in battale cum arayit The vaward with baner displayit Ib. xii. 412. c1420 Wynt. v. 4462.
Zeno thare-for … Gert this chylde pas … Wyth banare in his oyst displayde ?1438 Alex. ii. 6951.
Thay sall isch furth and ta the feild, … Baner displayit 1531 Bell. Boece I. 75.
The Egill, quhilk is the ansenye of Romanis, prowdly displayit on hicht c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 650.
He … rudelie ran outthrow the toun, … with baner full braid displayit

2. Her. To represent as out-spread. c1450-2 Howlat 354.
In a feild of siluer … he beris Ane egill … , The memberis of the samyn foull displait as efferis

3. To make patent or known. a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 815.
Thar pereles pane thair can na speche display a1570-86 Maitl. F. clxxxii. 2.
Thy marciall actis the croniclis display c1590 Fowler I. 180/44.
Anonder pittyeis schade schee does desplay The fulness of her rigour

4. To lay out to view. c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 884.
He fand his chalmer weill arrayit With dornil work on buird displayit