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.
Noysum, Noisum, a. Also: noysume, noyesum; noisome, noysom(e; neusom; nusum. [ME. noyesum (Wyclif), ME. and e.m.E. noysome (c 1440), e.m.E. noysom (1514), noysum (1548), noisome (1573), noisom (1609), f. Noy n. or v.]
1. Injurious, noxious, harmful; vexatious, troublesome.Also const. to, til(l or unto a person or thing.
a. Of things. 1490 Irland Mir. I. 20/22.
The schortnes of it … schawis that it is nocht noysum 1513 Doug. xiii. ii. 74.
Be sa feill wynteris blastis and tempestis By all ways noysum and onrestis Ib. vi. xii. 19. 1533 Bell. Livy I. 23/8.
He … began to drive away … his beistis fra that noysum pasture 1549 Compl. 61/24.
The … northin vynd … is verray contrar & noysum to the frutis of the eird 1558 Corr. M. Lorraine 415.
My leg, quhairof the pane accrescis to me mair noysum nor it wes wont 1560 Misc. Wodrow Soc. 84.
Artillerie which wes verie noisome to the campe 1572 Knox VI. 625.
Medicine that is proper … for ane disease is most noysome and hurtfull to another c1590 J. Stewart II. 83/121.
O crewall fortoune, noysum vas thy teine 1581-1623 James VI Poems I. 120/134.
By a secret Mars, Most noysome quarrels ludge In very senselesse stocks of plants c1590 Fowler I. 26/20.
This noysum wicked world 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 19/13. 1609 Edinb. Test. XLVI. 22 b.
The noysum contagious pestilence 1617 Acts IV. 536/2.
All … persones as … sall mak thai hie wayis noyesum and trublesum vnto passangeris 1622-6 Bisset I. 43/24.
All noysum granis
b. Of an action, practice, custom or state of affairs, or the like. 1494 Loutfut MS. 21 b.
And gif thai fand him slepand … thai wald nocht do … ony noysum thing til him 1531 Bell. Boece II. 297.
The vennomus custome of riotous cheir … wes noisum to al gud maneris, makand his pepil tender and effeminat Id. Ib. (M) I. 293. Id. Livy I. 131/8.
That the name of this king suld nocht be noysum nor suspicius to thare liberte 1537 Acta Conc. Publ. Aff. 460.
Particaular diettis of justice courtis hes bene sa frequent … quhilk hes bene rycht tedius, nevsom and sumptuus to all our soverane lordis legis a1578 Pitsc. I. 22/23. 1579, 1617 Despauter (1579).
Sinister, wrang or noysum 1581 Bk. Univ. Kirk II. 498.
Statutis … that ar fuind noysum or improfitable 1590-1 R. Bruce Serm. 157.
There is nothing … mair noysum, mair hurtfull … nor to burn with envie and hatred 1616 Irvine Mun. II. 48.
That the lying of muck … upone the hie streittis … is not onlie noysume to all … passingeris bayth in smell and sycht bot is daingerous also in tym of plaig c1650 Spalding II. 157.
Noysum to the countrie people to cum all … and leave none at home to keip thair houssis 1684 Inverness Presb. 118.
Which was like to be very … noisome to the hearers of the Word within the said church
c. Of persons. Also fig. 1513 Doug. xi. xvii. 69.
Thar noysum fays 1533 Boece vi. iv. 192 b.
Because sic kynde of men war euer noysum to … the kinrik Ib. viii. xii. 276.
Thare maist noysum inemye Hengist 1548 Cal. Sc. P. I. 106.
[If Dundee is fortified and then lost, it shall be] ane nusum nychtbour [to Broughty Crag] c 1555 Wemyss Corr.10.
Takand plegeis of the clannis … quhilkis mycht be maist noysum to the peax 1570 Sat. P. xiii. 116.
Ane noysum nychtbour proude in oppressioun 1586 Reg. Privy C. IV. 6. 1596 Dalr. I. 330/8.
Noysumfig. c1590 Fowler I. 99/55.
Who thair did purge the Romane feildis of that most noysum seid
d. Of animals. 1531 Bell. Boece I. 71.
Wolffis … ar noisum to tame bestiall 1571 Ferg. Serm. iii Malachi Sig. D ii b.
He sall preserue them from … noysum beistis or vnseasonabill wedder 1612 Monipennie Chron. in Misc. Scot. I. 193. c1650-1700 Descr. Zetland 14.
Here are no venomous nor noysom creatures, except mice
e. Of a time or occasion: Marked by harm or misfortune. c1578 Reid Swire 156.
This noysome afternoon a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xv. 44.
My noysome nicht of absence
2. Offensive, foul. 1570 Sat. P. xxii. 43.
This bailfull bird richt beinly can vpbeild … hir noysum nest 1650 A Duply 76 in Fugitive Poetry II.
Under the covert of a noysome pladd
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"Noysum adj.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 25 Apr 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/noysum>
