Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

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

Fersnes, Feirsnes, n. Also: ferce-, fearce-, faircenes. [ME. fersnes, -nesse, feersnesse (1382), f. Fers,a.]

1. a. Unruliness. a1500 Henr. Fab. 2233.
The oxin wes … young and licht, And for fersnes thay couth the fur forfair

b. Eagerness, impetuosity. 1533 Bell. Livy I. 91/3.
That vyhir lymmare … for fersnes to fle left the ax stikkand in the kingis hede 1535 Stewart 27380.
Tha dround ilkone for fercenes ouir to fle a1568 Scott ii. 163.
To grund for fersnes he did funder 1590 Burel Pilgr. i. ix.
For faircenes sum fell on thair face. So raschely thay ran out thair race

2. Fierceness, violence, fury … . 1533 Boece i. vii. 49.
Sum dissuadit the bargane, agast be the feirsnes and multitude of Britouns a1570-86 Arbuthnot Maitl. F. xxx. 43.
Feirsnes and yre is callit kene curage 1596 Dalr. I. 138/24.
Throuch crueltie of the weiris, and fercenes of thair faes Ib. 196/16.
Throuch feircnes of thair nature 1616 Crim. Trials III. 586.
Thay vse the spuilȝeis of Spartacus, and the fearcenes of Virratus