A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1971 (DOST Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1399-1626
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Malady(e, n. Also: -d(i)e, -deye, malladie, maledy, -d(i)e, (maleté), malidye, -é; melady, -ie, meledie, melody, mel(l)od(i)e. [ME. maladie (c 1250), maledi(e, malidy (14–15th c.), F. maladie.] Ill health, indisposition, sickness, disease; a specific disease, an ailment. Also transf. or fig.(1) a1400 Legends of the Saints xlvi. 255.
Gyf he mycht be Recouerit of his maledy c1420 Wynt. ii. 1293, etc.
Malady 1456 Hay I. 101/26, 228/19, II. 136/5, etc. c1490 Irland Asl. MS. I. 71/10. 14.. Edinb. Univ. MS. 27, fol. 288.
Of sum membre [to] thole tynsel Thruc maledy or wonde cruel 14.. Edinb. Univ. MS. La.ii.318.
Quhen sche has maledy That sum women has commonly c1500 Rowll Cursing 69.
Pestilence or poplisie … And mony vther maleteis c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxxxi. 48.
Discretioun said, I knaw his malady 1531 Bell. Boece I. 27.
Lang and irrecoverabill malideis 1531 Ib. II. 61.
Thoucht he wes in maist uneis and maledy 1531 Ib. 62.
[To] be deliverit of al maladie 1533 Boece ii. xx. 120 b.
Ane grevous malade 1534 Yester Writs 152. 1549 Complaynte of Scotland 61/32. c1552 Lynd. Mon. 5129. 1557 Fam. Rose 224. 1591 Criminal Trials I. ii. 231. 1596 P. Lowe Span. Sickness ii.
The Italians callit the maladie of Naples 1622-6 Bisset II. 373/5.
The malladie of Sanct Feacre(b) c1460 Alex. (Taym.) 2772.
Quhan that the King … of his meledie was hale and feir 1572-5 Diurnal of Occurrents 79.
[He] deceissit … of his auld meladie of ane confermit stane a1578 Pitsc. I. 362/26.
Be ressone of hir lang seiknes and melodie a1578 Ib. II. 53/28.
Ane continuall seiknes and meledie a1585 Maitland Quarto MS lxxxix. 12. 1592 Sc. Hist. Rev. XXXI. 97.
Sic melodeis, diseasis and infirmiteis … sic as [etc.] 1622-6 Bisset II. 373/3.
Quhat incurabill meladie it wes(2) fig. a1500 Quare of Jelusy 301.
In lak of hert ay stant this maladeye c1490 Irland Asl. MS. I. 10/3.
Pas … to sekere remeid for his synnis and malady c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxii. 56. a1568 Bannatyne MS 219 a/39.
Medecyne my melody to amend 1567 Gude and Godlie Ballatis 82.
Quha suld my mellodie amend? a1585 Maitland Quarto MS lxxxix. 42.
Thocht absence be the meladie Tormenting me 1603 Philotus lxiv.
Sen ȝe may my meladie remeid
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"Malady n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 15 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/maladye>
