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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.

Mitigat, v. Also: mitigatt, mittigat, mittygat, mitigate, mytigate; metigat, -ate, -ait, mettigat, metegat. P.t. mitigat, metigat. P.p. Mitigat and mitigatit, -et, -ed. [Late ME. and e.m.E. mitigate (1432–50), mitti-, myt(t)y-, metigate (1513), L. mitigāt-, p.p. stem of mītigāre, f. mītis a. mild, gentle.]

1. tr. To render (a person, or his mind, heart, breast) milder or more gentle, to pacify, mollify, appease. 1558-66 Knox II. 15.
Neather could tearis, nor wourdis, mittigat the merciles man
1568 Lyndesay Pref. 3.
Na mowis … culd mitigate thair bludie breistis
1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 211.
The said capitane wes mitigated in this the same nycht
c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus iii. 284.
We wald that ȝe … ȝour mind mitigat
a1578 Pitsc. I. 248/11.
Thir good wordis … sua mitigat the paips hart
1586 Warrender P. MS. 180.
We fand her majestie … something mitigated
1596 Dalr. I. 291/25. Ib. II. 445/14.
The king with his oratrie mitigatis thame, and cheiris thame vp
1600-1610 Melvill 487.
To mitigat the quein and peiple for Gowrie's slauchter
a1634 Forbes Rec. 420.
Quhilk they did to mitigat the mynds of all men

2. To render less violent, reduce in intensity, appease (an emotion, passion).(a) 1533 Boece ix. xi. 314 b.
Without ȝe haistelie amend & mytigate the furroure and ire of almychty God
1570 Leslie 56. 1590 Burel Pilgr. i. § vii. 1596 Dalr. I. 110/33.
I will nocht do it, that I rathir steir nocht vp than mitigat the … auld rancour of the furious haeretiks against the Catholiks
(b) 1528 Lynd. Dreme 454.
War nocht Uenus his yre dois metigate
a1578 Pitsc. I. 302/9.
Thir goode wordis and confort … metigat and assuadgit the Duike of Albanieis anger

b. To render less severe, temper, moderate (actions or feelings). a1500 Henr. Fab. 1597 (Ch.).
To remit sumtyme ane greit offence And mitigate [Bann. metigat] with mercy crueltie
a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 830 (Asl.).
Herefor in tyme ȝour mys sa metigat [Arund. metigait]
1549 Compl. 13/33.
Ane vailȝeant prince … hes gude hope that Dame Fortoune vil mittigat hyr auen crualte
Ib. 56/31.
God Almychty … mittigatis … baytht the gude … and euil operations of the planetis
Ib. 171/4.
Gif thai mittygat and mortife there detestabil pride, inuy and auereis

c. To moderate, reduce, render less intense (acerbity). — 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 58.
To mitigat sum part the acerbite of certaine wordis and sum taintis

d. To pacify, reduce in acerbity (relations between persons). 1616 Misc. Hist. Soc. II. 206.
He had bene accusit & executit if the laird of Grange had not … moderat or mitigatit things betuixt thame

3. To reduce the rigour or severity of a. a punishment or sentence, b. an accusation.a. 1596 Dalr. II. 473/8.
The seueritie of that sentence mitigatet efterward was
1699 Penninghame Par. Rec. I. 32.
The session … think it convenient to mitigat his sentence
b. 1549 Compl. 130/3.
I exort thé to mettigat thy inuectiue vehement accusatione
1564 Perth B. Ct. 95 (31 May).
He wes send for be Patrik Ray … to help be his counsall to metegat the dittay

4. To abate, reduce in amount, a. a fine, tax, b. a price.a. 1596 Elgin Rec. II. 43.
Sick of the eldaris as mitigat and deducis … ony part of penalteis … sall pay alsmekill out of thair awin purs as they mitigatt and deduce
1672 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. MS. 13 May.
Continows and mitigats Bessie Thomsones fyne of fyve merks to xl s.
b. 1619 Conv. Burghs III. 88.
That ane certain number of merchands … sould mitigatt the pryces of the fraught

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"Mitigat v.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 29 Mar 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/mitigat_v>

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