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: 1456-1490, 1549-1608
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Misericord(e, n. Also: misercord. [ME. (a 1315) and e.m.E. mis-, mysericord(e, OF. misericorde, L. misericordia, from as Misericord(e,a.]
1. Compassion, pity, mercy.Also to do (= show) one misericord. 1456 Hay II. 159/36.
I wald be mercifull and do thame misericorde 1456 Ib. 160/36.
The quhilk askit him misercord and pitee 1490 Irland Mir. I. 112/13.
The noble lady and emprice … Dame Misericord 1549 Complaynte of Scotland 72/19.
Quhy vil ȝe nocht haue misericord & pytie of ȝour natiue cuntre c1552 Lynd. Mon. 463.
Haueyng of man misericorde [God] Send doun His onelye sonne Jesu c1552 Ib. 1100.
Than cryit thay boith misericorde 1584-9 Maxwall Commonpl. Bk. 8 b.
Quhow greit as is the magistie of the Lorde As gwid is his mercifull misericorde 1608 Elphinstone Chart. 178.
Out of your most royalle misericorde, declaire your princely will
2. A short sword or dagger.Orig., as med. L. misericordia, F. miséricorde, that used ‘to threaten an overthrown enemy and compel him to surrender by asking for mercy’ (Larousse). 1456 Hay II. 47/15, 20.
Thare is gevin to the knycht his lytill schort suerd, that sum callis misericorde, in signifyand that quhen he has implyde his spere [etc.] … than is it gude at schort strakis; and it is callit outhir schort suerd or misericord; for cause that a knycht suld nocht all traist in his … wapnis bot in his awin vertu and in Him that maid him and in His merci
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"Misericord n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 18 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/misericorde_n>
