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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.

Eschape, Eschaip, v. Also: eschappe, eschaipe, eschaipt, escheap, escheip, eschep; eshape, -aip, -eap; echap. [ME. eschape (c 1340), OF. eschaper. Cf. Escape v.]

1. intr. To gain liberty or safety by flight.(a) 1375 Barb. ii. 64.
Thai tauld the king than hale the cas, And how that he eschapyt was Ib. vi. 429.
Douglas … In schort tyme cummerit thaim sua, That weill nane eschapit thaim fra a1400 Leg. S. vi. 662.
Thare bischape For doute the apostol suld eschape, With a swerd strak hym in hy c1420 Wynt. iv. 509.
Few eschapyd fra that place To tell all how it hapnyd was 1456 Hay I. 86/36.
And [= if] he se that, suppos he schape him to flee, that he may nocht gett away na eschape c1515 Asl. MS. I. 224/21.
James of Levingstoun that was eschapit subtelly … out of the abbay of Halyrudhous 1533 Boece i. vii. 50.
Britouns quhilk in the terroure of nycht eschapit a1578 Pitsc. I. 189/19.
He was more ferit at the depairtur of … his brother, that he was eschapit 1610 Breadalbane P. (Reg. H.) 21 July.
Our Leyth shippis hes taine the great ship of the pirrattis … bot the pinnage hes eschapped c 1614 Melrose P. 601.
Thair was no hoip for the rebelles to eshape be land 1643 Ann. Banff I. 90.
[Two] sailleris, being wairded within the tolbuithe … , lap and eschaped furth thairoff(b) 1432 Acts II. 21/2.
[If] the deid doar eschaip vnarrestit fra the alderman & the officiaris of the towne Brus iii. 618 (E).
We sall swa row, and speid ws swa, That we sall weill eschaip thaim fra 1549 Compl. 116/9.
He gart the bruit gang that thai presoneris hed esschaipit … contrar his vil 1570 Leslie 212.
Thay wer … constranit to retire and seike to eshaip by flycht 1576 Wemyss Corr. 17.
Quhom ye sall surelie keip in firmance, vnletting him eschaip 1607 Highland P. III. 98.
Allaster wes apprehendit, and Johnne … by mirknes of the nyght eschaiped(c) 1596 Highland P. I. 168.
That baith him and Glenurchye suld be tane and ȝeit be tymes suld escheap c1615 Chron. Kings 116.
He escheapis be ane back syd of ane ylle Ib. 169.
He lowpis in the watter, and out sowmis to the land; and so escheappis wntene 1615 Highland P. III. 222.
Feiring [that] the mosioun quhilk maid me to eschep suld be otherwayis thocht … nor the trewth of my intencion

2. To get out of danger alive or safe, or with injury short of death.(a) 1375 Barb. vii. 295.
Than lovyt thai God all comonly, That thair lord wes eschapit swa a1400 Leg. S. xxviii. 424.
Scho but hurt Eschapit wele or ony sturt c1420 Wynt. iv. 660.
Darius … wyth his nawyne in affray Wnslayne eschapyd c1420 Ratis R. 877.
For few vnsubtill that are fals Eschapis vnhyngyt be the hals a1500 Seven S. 535.
It was merwell gif he micht With lyf eschape c1520-c1535 Nisbet III. 339.
Eftir thai haif eschappit, [thai] dois ewin the sam agaynne 1533 Boece iv. xv. 151.
Few marineris eschapit, quhilk cleverit to burdis war castin to land a1585 Maitl. Q. vii. 15.
And this stryf and troubill perseueir, He salbe sage that sall eschape [F. escape] vnsarit(b) c1475 Wall. ix. 96.
The power is so strang he has to ster, May non eschaip that cummys in his danger 1533 Gau 58/1.
As it hapnit in the tyme of Noe that neyne culd eschaip with thair liff [etc.] c1550 Rolland C. Venus ii. 822.
I traist thow sall eschaip of all danger a1578 Pitsc. II. 122/28.
Thay … eschaiped with thair lywes narrowlie betuix the bow and the string 1622-6 Bisset II. 212/26.
Quhair ane man, ane dog, or ane cat eschaipis quik out of the schip

3. tr. To get away from (a person, place, or thing); to get safely out of (a danger, etc.).(a) a1400 Leg. S. xxxii. 582.
Cypriane gret ioy can ma That he the feynd eschapit sa Ib. xl. 528.
He … wes glad That he sic parele eschapit had 1456 Hay I. 197/27.
Gif … he may nocht othir wayis eschape the dede bot to sla him a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 1332.
Desyrand … till eschape the hidowis hole of hell 1513 Doug. i. iv. 74.
The rage of Silla … Ȝe haue eschapit Ib. x. vi. 67.
He the swerd eschapit by hys hap 1530 Lynd. Test. Pap. 1053.
Fair ladyis thare chene may not eschape 1570-3 Bann. Trans. 57.
The great king of Carrick can no more eschape hell for ever nor the imprudent abbot eschaped the fyre for a cessone 1593 Acts IV. 41/1.
The same … contemptuus personis … sall not eshape pvnishment(b) 1513 Doug. ix. iii. 53.
Alsmony of thame as than hes eschaipe The wally fludis 1549 Compl. 17/29.
In hope to eschaipt the detractione of inuyful gramariaris 1560 Rolland Seven S. Prol. 63.
Hir for to pleis, and to eshaip hir tene 1567 Sat. P. vi. 105.
Lat na idolater your handis eschaip 1573 Ib. xl. 103.
This man, I say, eschaipit fyre and sword a1578 Pitsc. II. 8/13.
Lord Seattoun … tuk buddis … frome him for to lat him eschaip his ward(c) 1560 Bk. Discip. 222.
Neather shall ye … escheip Goddis hevy and feirfull judgementis

4. Of things: a. intr. To issue, pass out. b. tr. To elude, be passed over by (the memory). c1420 Wynt. i. 1037 (C).
Fra the capillis suddandly The kynde eschappis haboundantly — 1584 Edinb. Test. XIII. 377 b.
Gif ony thing be eschapit my rememberance that he gif vp the samin 1615 Ib. XLVIII. 288.
My wyfe … to mak inventer gif ony thing be eschaipit my memorie

5. intr. To make a mistake. 1641 Kirkcaldy Presb. 197.
When anything escapes the minister on the Sabbath … , it being incident to the best to eschape, [he] runns … and tells the Presbytrie