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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.

Mirk-, Merknes, n. Also: myrk-, mark- and -nase. [ME. (north. and midl.) mirknesse (c 250), mer(c)knes, meorknesse, f. Mirk a. After the 14th c. appar. only Sc.]

1. Darkness, gloom.(a) 1375 Barb. v. 106 (E).
[He] eschapyt … throw the myrknes off the nycht
Ib. xi. 616. a1400 Leg. S. v. 262.
And thike myrknes lestand ay
c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 1079.
Cluddis blak That can a suddane myrknes mak
1460 Hay I. 28/32. Alex. (Taym.) 2832. c1460 Wisd. Sol. (S.T.S.) 101.
Als far as the lychtnes of the sone passis the myrknes of the mirk nycht
a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 410. Ib. 1210. c1500 Rowll Cursing 172 (M).
Dirknes mirknes rouk and mist
a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 1148.
Into the lymbe In gret mirknes
c1520-c1535 Nisbet Matth. xxvii. 45.
Bot fra the sext hour mirknessis war made on al the erde
1528 Lynd. Dreme 364. 1533 Boece xi. xviii. 442 b.
In the glomyn quhen myrknes removit the sicht
1535 Stewart 305.
Quhilis in mirknes and quhilis in mvne lycht
a1538 Abell 2 a.
The first daye God … diuidit licht fra myrknes
1551 Hamilton Cat. 40. 1559 Misc. Spald. C. IV. 88.
Our licht is changeit in myrknes
1575 Reg. Privy C. II. 461.
Be ressoun of the mirknes of the nycht
a1605 Montg. Flyt. 442 (T).
Be the michtis of the moone lat mirknes remane
1596 Dalr. II. 319/26. 1607 Highland P. III. 98. c1650 Spalding II. 463.
So thay pairt … throw mirkness of night
(b) a1400 Leg. S. vi. 351.
He that gyffis his almus … Is lyk hym that in merknes gais & a lanterne before hym has
Ib. xxxii. 15.
The Jow … in feld chapel lay Ourtane be merknes of nycht
Ib. xxii. 437, xxix. 143. c1460 Wisd. Sol. 501.
In cauernys and mer[k]nes
1461 Liber Plusc. I. 383.
Owre syle the sone with myst and with merknes
?a1500 Remembr. Passion 320.
Hell … is ane mekle mirk hoill … of sa gret merknes that it may be graipit

2. Blindness. a1400 Leg. S. ii. 610.
And with that word fel fra his ene Mirknes as tha skalis had bene
1490 Irland Mir. II. 5/4.
The auld innemy of mankind … induceand cecite and myrknes
c1520-c1535 Nisbet Acts xiii. 11.
And anon mist and mirknes fel doun on him

3. fig. a. Spiritual darkness or blindness; the state of being without grace or spiritual enlightenment. b. Obscurity; secrecy, concealment.a. (a) a1400 Leg. S. xxx. 289.
God … fleis ay myrknes & tais tent bot to clernes
1456 Hay I. 25/17.
Sa mycht wele be said that the thrid part of the sternis was obumbrit with mirknes of unleautee
1490 Irland Mir. II. 117/25.
His awne ressoun that is … his bowat to leid him fra myrknes
a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 1366. a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 1643. 1513 Doug. xi. Prol. 77.
Our conquyst haill … Aganyst spretis and pryncis of myrknes
c1520-c1535 Nisbet Matth. vi. 23; etc.
Gif than the licht that is in thee be mirknessis, how gret sal tha ilk mirknessis be
1533 Gau 28/21. Ib. 48/19, 84/29.
The dewil … is heid ower al mirknes
1551 Hamilton Cat. 76.
He that hettis his brother, he is in myrknes
a1568 Bann. MS. 32 a/2.
Schaddow of deth and myrrour of myrknes
1573 Tyrie in Cath. Tr. 5/19. 1581 Burne in Ib. 112/27.
The ministeris of mirknes
1596 Dalr. II. 465/15.
The clud and mirknes of haeresie
(b) a1400 Leg. S. xii. 462.
Fra merknes thai come to the licht & turnyt to God
(c) 1590 Burel Pilgr. ii. xxiv.
Marknes and darknes Pairtlie their deids debaites
b. 1405 Maxwell Mem. I. 145.
To hald ferme and stabil but fraude and gyle, doute and myrknase
1456 Hay I. 163/20.
For God reprovis all dedis done in myrknes and obscuritee, na with dissait, na subtilitee
1513 Doug. vi. iv. 65.
Seir thingis … deip envoluyt in myrknes and in myst
1562-3 Winȝet I. 57/12.
To mak of obscuir mirknes a commentare to the cleir licht

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"Merknes n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 28 Mar 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/merknes>

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