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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.

Famis, Fameis, v. Also: fames, famis(c)h. [ME. famysche (a 1400), famysshe.]

1. tr. To reduce to extreme hunger; to starve. Usu. in p.p. famist, fameist.(a) a1500 Henr. Fab. 1859 (B).
Thir small birdis, for hungar famist [Ch. famischit] neir c1475 Wall. ii. 308.
In presoune famyst for fawt of fude c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyt. 95.
In desert quhair we wer famist aw 1531 Bell. Boece i. 66.
[They] fand him finaly in ane dirk coif of the wod, neir famist [M. famest] of hunger 1602 Colville Parænese Ep. 71.
The exemple of God almychty in raning doun his quailles and manna … vpon his famissit pepill(b) 1514 Rec. Earld. Orkney 88.
He … maid knawin that he was fameist and peresaund of hungir, in faute of fude c1550 Rolland C. Venus ii. 473.
He … on his veyage past, Fameist for fude 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 181.
What can be a more reddie way to banish Christ Jesus from us … nor to fameis the ministeris present(c) 1570 Leslie 212.
It was not possible to winn the toun without famishing thame within be lange seige

2. intr. To suffer from famine. 1619 Crim. Trials III. 479.
Throw want of intertenement, he ffamischet and deit of hunger