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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.

Mister, v. Also: mistar, -ir, myster(e, -eir, -ar, -ir, -yr, mystr; mester, -ar; muster. [Late ME. (a 1400–50) and e.m.E. mister, myster, -eir, -ier, mestor (c 1500), f. Mister,n. After 1540 appar. only Sc.]

1. impersonal. a. Gif (as, quhen, etc.) (it) misters, if (as, when, etc.) (it is) necessary. 1424 Acts II. 7/1.
And, gif it misteris, that secular power be callyt therto in suppowale and helping of halikirk 1472 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 25.
Four termis in the ȝeir … or oiftner gif it misteris 1477 Stewart Mem. 74. 1528 Crosraguel Chart. 85. 1529 Reg. Episc. Aberd. I. 396.
To uphald [sc. a bridge] als aft & how aft it sall mister 1534–5 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I. 129.
For sax hunder slait in Leitht to beit and mend the place hes [= as] it mistaris 1556–7 Stirling B. Rec. I. 70.
He hes bene in use … to tak the samyn [sc. torch] with him to his awin hous at his plesour quhen it misterit 1584 Sempill Sat. P. xlv. 884.
Ten pund stirveling I have heir, And mair, when misteris, you command

b. Quhat misters, what need is there (for something or to do something) ?Also with dative of a person, = why need he ?With (3), cf. sense 5.(1) c1420 Ratis R. 333.
Quhat misteris it mar of this to say? c1475 Wall. viii. 464.
At thair muster gud Wallace couth thaim as, Quhat mysteryt ma in a power to pas? 1580 Hume Promine 118.
Quhat misteris mair? c1600 Montg. Suppl. xxxi. 53.
Quhat mister I to multiplie exampellis awld?(2) a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. clxxix. 90.
Quhat misteris thé for to tak feir Gif He defend thé with his hand? 1581 Hamilton in Cath. Tr. 77/28.
Quhat misterit men in this eage seik out ane neu interpretation? 1584 in Calderwood IV. 129.
What mistereth them to show that which you have publictlie proclamed at the mercat croce? 1590-1 R. Bruce Serm. 17.
Quhat misterd us to have a sign? 1600 Hamilton Facile Tr. 38.
What misterit sic people of Scotland … to spend sa mekil vpon thair ministers?(3) 1561 Q. Kennedy Compend. Ressonyng (ed.) 158/37.
For gif the sacrifice of the croce was perfyt … , quhat suld mister ane new sacrifice? 1603 Philotus § cxxvi.
Gude-man, quhat misteris all thir mowis?

c. Hym mysteris (mystryd), it is (was) needful to him, he needs (needed). c1420 Wynt. viii. 3268.
Hym mystryd noucht to call Thame, that flowryd sa well that wall 1429 15th Rep. Hist. MSS. App. viii. 10.
The said William … sall haf fre vsche and entre … qwat tym hym lykis, nedis or mysteryis

d. It misters mair (in something), there is more need (for something). — c1500 Barounis Lawis 16.
Tharfor it misteris mair in sic mute in gud ansuer and amersiament than in vthir mutis of wrang and unlaw

e. Thair misteris, there is need for: cf. sense 5. — 1568 Q. Mary in Facs. Nat. MSS. III. lviii.
To that thair misterit nane bot my Lord Lennox and vthiris of my name 1590-1 R. Bruce Serm. 156.
That quhere love was there mistered na ma laws

2. tr. To require, to have or be in need of (something).a. Of persons. Also, to require the help of (others). Also absol.(1) 1456 Hay I. 268/29.
Gif me think I mister ma [witnesses] I sall have leve to produce ma c1460 Wisd. Sol. (S.T.S.) 232.
Wa is hyme that is hyme alan … fore gif he fall or ocht misteris is nan to help hyme c1466-80 Letter from Lord Hamilton.
Gif my seruande … mystaris other lettiris … thrucht the lande to conwoye hym c1475 Wall. iii. 212.
Harnes and hors quhilk thai mysteryt in wer 1490 Irland Mir. I. 47/10.
As the seik man misteris the counsall of the medicinare 1494 Acta Conc. I. 336/2. 1513 Doug. Direct. 9.
Quhar I offendit or mysteris correctioune 1533 Gau 77/19. 1552 Treas. Acc. X. 116.
To by colis and utheris small necessaris as sche misterit to his chalmer 1553 Knox III. 372. 1570 Hist. Clan Gregor I. 166.
Send word to me gif ye mister men or ony uthir thinge 1573 Prot. Bk. G. Grote 87.
[The straw he should have] quhen he misteris it to his gudis 1573 in Calderwood III. 255.
Suche as mister rather a tutele of others than to have charge above others 1607 Edinb. Test. XLIII. 5.
I leif … to my brother, becaus he misteris nocht, ane bonie bonnet of gold 1614 Crim. Trials III. 305.
Yow shall send schippes to Norroway, for such thinges as yow mister a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 1066.
Litle wat the fow sw … quhat the hungrie misters Ib. No. 1445; etc. 1638 Edinb. B. Rec. VII. 200. 1646 Melrose Reg. Rec. I. 114. 1688 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. XIII. 257.
The pannall gott pottage and some small aill … and … said they war werch, they mistered salt(2) 1490 Irland Mir. I. 109/35.
Knaw ye nocht, scistir, quhat necessite all creaturis has, and how thai mister me 1513 Doug. xii. ii. 117.
Now is the tyme that I maste mister thé 1544 Corr. M. Lorraine 91.
Gew I sowld nocht helpe thir men now … tha vald nocht serve me eftervart qwan I mistert thamabsol. (a) ?1438 Alex. i. 44.
And, gif thay mister, to mak rescours 1531 Reg. Soltre 105.
The said provest sall giff the forsaid vif … fourbollis of wictuall to helpe hir sustentacioun as schou mistaris c 1535 Lennox Mun. 347.
Quhowbeyt ȝe haf teynit part of freindis at thir tym … thar is oderis wytht ȝow gud in thai. sted and myster ȝe may ȝe sall haf tham quhen ȝe wyll 1557 Southesk MSS. 18.
Necessar it is that he have fit provisioun and furnessing as he misteris 1572 Peebles B. Rec. I. 337.
Quhair superabundance of stanis is to help vtheris thairwith that mistaris a1585 Polwart Flyt. 254 (T).
With powder I drait verie fyne And mair ȝit quhen ȝe mister 1595 Duncan App. Etym.
Indigeo, egeo, I mister a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 460.
Drink if ye list, ye wate if ye mister Ib. No. 1108.
Men sould sey their freinds or they mister(b) 1568 Cal. Sc. P. II. 502.
[Finding passage to France not so ready as] I dessyr and mestaris(c) 1592 in Calderwood V. 203.
The other halfe yee sall … give him as he mustereth

b. Of things. 1464 Charter (Reg. H.) C.O. No. 59.
Giff thair be graith or reparacions of the altar that misteris reformacon c1500-c1512 Dunb. xviii. 34.
Suppois hir mouth misteris [M. mistiris] a leiche 1513 Doug. xi. vii. 116.
That mater … That mysteris not our avicis bene heir 1533 Bell. Livy I. 182/24.
To that fyne that ȝoure public weil suld myster the ministracioun of this office that I bure latelie a1568 Bann. MS. 72 b/47.
Suddane changis misteris grit ceur a1578 Pitsc. I. 130/13. 1590-1 R. Bruce Serm. 150.
The spirit lacked force in him and mistered strengthening and fortification

c. Freq. in negative or implied negative contexts.(1) 1456 Acts II. 45/2.
The thre estatis thinkis at the bordouraris mysteris nocht sa mekill supple as thai dyde 1456 Hay I. 224/18. 1490 Irland Mir. II. 35/26.
Thai that deis and misteris na purgacioun 1513 Doug. ix. iii. 173.
We mystir not a thousand schippis 1531 Bell. Boece (M) I. 195.
To sik estait that thai suld mystere litill exaccioun in tymez cuming 1533 Boece vii. ix. 238 b.
I suppone nocht ȝe myster exhortacioun to behaue ȝow stoutlie in thir weris 1547 Cal. Sc. P. I. 31.
[Ye] myster [none with you, but the assured men] sik as Closburne … and my lord of Angus folkis 1563 Davidson Answer 9 b.
Nocht that the iudgement of the word of God mistars the consent … of men 1551 Hamilton Cat. 38. 1563 Misc. Wodrow Soc. 217.
Swa na man … mystart the judgement or sentence a1570-86 Maitl. F. lxxii. 40.
Than sall thow mister nother mule nor hors 1580 Misc. Spald. C. II. 110. 1590-1 R. Bruce Serm. 239.
To doe this He mistereth not fire nor sword 1596 Dalr. I. 125/5.
For surelie we mister na magistrat a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 683. Ib. No. 1849.(b) c 1584 Maxwell Mem. II. 155.
Ȝowr onkyndle parsewin me schawis that ȝe wald newir mester me nor my frindis(2) a1585 Maitl. Q. 114.
The deid it self will schaw it ay It misteris not my pen 1573 Tyrie in Cath. Tr. 10/22.
The veritie … misteris no uther mantill nor fard to be acceptabill and aggreable to thame

d. intr. To have need of (something). c1475 Wall. i. 361.
Bot blynd he was … Throuch hurt of waynys and mystyrit of blud 1558-66 Knox II. 81.
Sum tyme it mycht chance that the Kyng mycht mister of his greit gunis and artailyerie in France 1586 Rec. Earld. Orkney 357.
Quhilk croce hous [etc.] … all [are] presentlie rewinus and mister of greit beitment 1639 Baillie I. 212.
Alwayes to have ane eye what … our staill host should mister of help

3. tr. To need, find it necessary (to do something). Also absol. 1521 Dunferm. B. Rec. I. 174.
Gif the said Gavin misteris to tak dovnne onything … he sal haf leif to tak dovnne 1556 Reg. Cupar A. II. 261.
That thai laubour our schippert land and furneis meit to our scheip in hay and foddir in cace thai mister to sustene the nummer of xiiij^xx of scheipabsol. 1444–5 Peebles B. Rec. I. 10.
Thai sal thar ordane the chapellane … to reperele the hows quhen thai myster 1544 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 212.
Thai sald be supportit as thai misterit and requirit 1584 in Calderwood IV. 131.
To … be, like Chaucer's cooke, bussier nor yee mister

b. More freq. in negative or implied negative contexts.(a) 1460 Peebles B. Rec. I. 137.
He said he mysterit nocht to schaw the obligacioun c1475 Wall. v. 558.
Quhat gude thai had he mysterit nocht to craiff 1490 Irland Mir. I. 48/34.
Tharfor thai mysterit nocht to pray for the remissioune of thare synnis 1522–3 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 216. 1543 Corr. M. Lorraine 15. 1561 Q. Kennedy Oratioune 14. 1560 Rolland Seven S. 405.
Quhat thing we neid, we myster not to want 1570 Sat. P. xviii. 103. 1576 Waus Corr. 129/30. a1578 Pitsc. I. 20/5. 1581 Burne in Cath. Tr. 130/24.
Bot giff the seruice had bene done in the vulgar toung, thair mistered na man to haue suppleed the place of the idiot 1592 Mining Rec. 80.
He misters noch to be fleyit that I vil bring haem xl strangers to ilk schyr 1600 Misc. Bann. C. I. 173.
I misterit nocht to have hazard myself sa 1600-1610 Melvill 214.
Mister I to wryt anie thing to yow thairanent? 1633 Johnston Diary I. 56.(b) 1537 Edinb. Hammermen 3.
That na vther master mesteris to leif his labour for inbringin heirof [sc. of the dues]absol. a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 805 (Wr.).
First quhen he miste it not, he micht, He neids and may not now

c. Of things, const. passive infin.: (Not) to need or require (to be done). 1575 Milne-Home MSS. 241.
The nameis of the troublaris … ar sa notoure that thay mister nocht … be mentionat 1600 Crim. Trials II. 116.
The charge wes newir registrat nor misterit to be registrat

4. intr. To be in needy circumstances, be in want or poverty. 14.. Burgh Laws c. 15 (B).
And gyfe the ayre be absent for ivil wyl or malyce it is leful to the man mystarand in vthir place to dispone apon his land 1476 Peebles B. Rec. I. 175.
Gyf it hapynis us to mister or the town to be saryt for siluer c1490 Irland Asl. MS. I. 75/6.
I haue … nocht herberit thaim that misterit 1551 Hamilton Cat. 81.
Gif thai mister for eild or seiknes … help thame Ib. 95, 98. c1575 Balfour Pract. 536.
That thay … may have quhairof to give to thame that misteris

5. Of persons or things: To be necessary, needful or requisite.Cf. also 1 b (3) and 1 e. 1375 Barb. xvii. 215 (C).
Men and … vittaill And alkynd othir apparaill That mycht availl or ȝeit mysteir Till hald castell 1496 Treas. Acc. I. 285.
To a man to pas to Leith to se the Kingis artailȝery and quhat misterit 1497 Ib. 378. 1504 Ib. II. 453.
Payit to the smyth for the irne werk that misterit to the pailȝonis 1513 Edinb. Hammermen 81.
For lynyne fusteane to it quhar it misterit … xij d. 1514 Acta Conc. Publ. Aff. 14.
To provid for sic thingis as misterit to the keping of the hous of Dunbar a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 416.
Claw that yuiks, and seik that misteris 1590-1 R. Bruce Serm. 263.
The purgation of the godly shall not myster

6. Of things: To be in need of some improvement, correction or repair indicated in the context, to be faulty in the implied respect. 1551 Hamilton Cat. 232.
I left thé at Crete that thow mycht correck thai thingis that misteris 1561 Stirling B. Rec. I. 208.
The baillies to … visie the calsay to the hevin and quhair it misteris to advis … quhow it sal be reformit 1611 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I. 339.
For small wondok naills that nailled the caisis of the wondoks whair they mesterit