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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.

Mate, Mait, a. Also: mat, mayt, meat, met. [ME. mat (Ancr. R.), matt (Cursor M.), maat (14th c.), mate (13th c.), (north.) maytt (Towneley Plays), OF. mat.]

1. Mated at chess. Also fig. (c 1580) Alex. ii. 1590.
Richt wele I wait Quha playis nocht weill may sone be mait Ib. 3735.
Ȝe sall be met without lesing In ane nuke with ane alphing Ib. 3894. Ib. 3900, 2.
Mait Ib. 7541.
Meatfig. a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xx. 20.
For love must haif it mait

2. a. Discomfited, worsted, confounded, vanquished, overcome. b. Physically exhausted, tired out, faint. c. Dejected, dispirited, disheartened, downcast.Also coupled with mad: see Mad a. 1 (2), and Mat.(1) 1375 Barb. xvii. 794 (C).
With mate [E. mad] cher the assalt thai left a1400 Leg. S. xxxi. 274.
Fel fevrys … That trawalit hir hard & hat & of strinthis mad hyr mat Ib. xxxiii. 588.
Thane Dacyane wist nocht hou-gat To do; he wes sa fully mate & ourecumyne, for al his mycht Ib. xxxvii. 288.
& yrne platis brynnand hat Wes laid on hyme to mak hym mat ?1438 Alex. ii. 10366.
Sa mate, sa mad and sa euill dicht, That he of him-selfe na power had To stand vp richt c1420 Wynt. iv. 2270.
That kyng … In to that bataylle wes sa mate That prewaly he gat a bate [etc.] c1420 Ratis R. 569.
Hop, the tothir systir … That discomfort has maid al mate Scho can refres and bring to state(b) c1475 Wall. ix. 1408.
Ane Inglis captane … with drink was maid full mait a1500 Rauf C. 832.
Thay hewit on in haist … Quhill thay had maid thame sa mait, thay failȝe almaist a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 25.
Fermilus, Quhilk wes all mait be gret infirmite Ib. 693.
He is so mait, thai may no forthir ga Ib. 773.
Now he is mait, now he may do no mair … Now deid fra pane hes tane him presoneir Ib. 461. 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. iii. 85.
The pereist folk to se … Sa fameist, drowkit, mait, forwrocht and waik Id. Æn. iv. Prol. 254.
Dido … In hir faynt lust sa mait Ib. x. ix. 46.
I thé beseik … Thys silly sawle of myne, sa faynt and mayt, Thow salf Ib. xii. v. 84.
[The eagle was] of the hevy byrdyng sa mait and het That hys mycht falȝeit Ib. xi. xvii. 11. 1533 Boece xiv. vi. 551 b.
Quhen thai sall se … that ȝe ar na thing mait nor in hardyment enparit 15.. Christis Kirk 213 (M).
Thai wox als mait as ony mulis That maggit war with malis c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus ii. 314.
In all my dayis was I not half sa mayt(c) ?1438 Alex. ii. 10371.
Porrus … Sa bludie, sa euill dicht and sa met, That all his geir of blude was wet(2) 1531 Bell. Boece I. 66.
Mony of Gillus folkis wery and mate … fled 1533 Boece xii. ii. 455 b.
Quhen thare stedis grew sum parte mate and wery Ib. x. xiv. 384 b, xiii. i. 496, xv. 533 b.