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 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Jape, Jaip, n.¹ [ME. iape (c 1340), of obscure derivation : cf. the verb.]

1. A trick, an artifice to deceive or cheat, a deception. 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. i. 612.
Sair I dreid me for some vther jaip That Venus suld throw her subtillitie In till sum bysning beist transfigurat me Ib. iii. 440.
Benytas of ane mussill maid ane aip, With money vther subtill mow and jaip Id. Æn. ii. iv. 63.
Turnand quhelis thai set in, by and by, Vndir the feit of this ilke bysning jaip [sc. the wooden horse] Ib. vii. Prol. 9.
Quhat wenys fulys this saxt buke be bot japis, Al ful of leys or ald ydolatryis

2. A mocking jest; a joke. 1513 Doug. Conscience 13.
[They] thocht at Sciens was our lang ane jaip, The sci away fast can thay rub and scraip Id. Æn. iv. Prol. 20.
Ȝour sary joys beyn bot janglyng and japys 15.. Clar. iv. 253.
I wald the reidar tuike not sik consait … Least that he leuch thairat and maid ane jape

3. a. A trinket. b. A plaything, toy, pet. 1488 Treas. Acc. I. 81.
Twa tuthpikis of gold with a chenȝe, … a moist ball of gold, ane hert of gold, with vthir small japis 15.. Sym & Bruder 33.
Quhen thai had reddit thair ragis, To Rome thay war inspyrit, Tuk vp thair jaipis and all thair jaggis, Fure furth as thay war hyrit 1570 Sat. P. xiii. 134.
God wait gif ȝe be jaips to hald in stoir, Or bony byrdis to keip in to ane cage 1590 Burel Pilgr. I. xiv.
Out come the quhittret furwith, Ane litill beist … , Ȝit in the wood thair wes nane wast To harberie that iaip 1603 Philotus xcvii.
Thow hes gotten ane jolie jaip, In lykenes of ane lasse