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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1983 (DOST Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Participant, -and, a. and n. Also: party-, parte-, perti-, perty- and -c(i)epant, -cepent, -cipentt, -sepant, -ssipant, -ssipent; -cipiant, -iand. [e.m.E. participant adj . (1527), -aunt (1551), noun (1579), F. participant (1321), L. participans, pres.p. of participāre Participat v.]

1. Participating.a. Having a share of, also in, (a condition, experience, etc., also a sacrament) (with another); partaking. b. Sharing the nature of (with) or similar in kind to (till) (a substance, custom, etc.).a. a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 289 (Th.).
Sithe ye are al seuen deefycate Participant of diuyne sapyence 1490 Irland Mir. I. 39/9.
At we be participiand of the realme of paradice c1515 Asl. MS. I. 299/11. 1513 Doug. x. Prol. 18.
Thou maid al thing … Of thy gudnes tobe participant 1533 Bell. Livy I. 112/20.
And be participant [v.r. pertycipant] of the hie felicite succeding to Romanis 1551 Hamilton Cat. 211.
We … quhilk ar participant in the sacrament of the altare 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 23.
Otheris … thinkis to be participant of all thair … successe 1573 Davidson Sat. P. xl. Ded. p. 277.
That godly and faithfull … societie quhairof presently I am participant a1578 Pitsc. I. 77/23.
Particiepant 1594 Charteris Pref. Wall. 175.
Quha was present with Wallace, participant of mony of his trauellis c1600 Montg. Suppl. xxxv. 86.
Perticipentt 1630-1651 Gordon Geneal. Hist. 277.
Therby macking them participant of the calamities of the Seill (= Clan) Torquillb. 1456 Hay I. 76/28.
That the corpȝ that ar … engendrit be thir naturis be participant of the nature of thair … makaris 1494 Loutfut MS. b.
For thai [ermine and vair] ar particepent mare with metall than of othir colour c1552 Lynd. Mon. 5865.
Ȝour superstitious ceremoneis Participand tyll ydolatreis 1580 Skeyne Descr. Well 4.
It appeiris be gude ressoun to be participant of bryntstane

c. Taking part (in or of, also with, an action or activity) (with another). d. Taking sides (with another party).c. (1) 1456 Hay I. 187/16.
For it war to presume … that thai war than participand and consentand to effusioun of mannis blude 1549 Compl. 131/32.
Ve behufit fyrst to reueil it til diuerse men to gar them be participant vitht us 1554 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 200.
And thai foure to haif thair feis and be participant with the vtheris viij officeris all vtheris dewteis 1580–1 Reg. Privy C. III. 366.
Under the pane to be repute and haldin as participant(2) 1525 St. A. Formulare I. 269.
And ther servandis participant with thame in thare evil and myscheiffus deidis 1540 Lynd. Sat. 232.
To tak ȝour gracis pairt we grant In all ȝour deidis participant 1553 Crail B. Ct. MS. 15 July.
Nor hyme wyth ony marrow in maykyne of merchandis to be partecipant a1568 Bell. Bann. MS. 2 b/116.
Richt so the Fader and the Halie Spreit … war … Participant in operatioun(3) 1528 Lynd. Dreme 262.
Partycipant thay wer of thare vnrychtis c 1554 Corr. M. Lorraine 379.
Tha sall be halden hes partesepant of the said cryme 1561 Reg. Privy C. I. 168.
And participant of the taking of the iiii^m v^c crownis 1567 Ib. 521. 1571 St. A. Kirk S. 347.
Uthir waiis the seat can nocht mel thairwytht becaus they war nocht participant of taking up of the dilatiounis a1578 Pitsc. I. 26/24. 1581 Acts III. 267/2.
For heiche offenceis, they beand na wayis participant thairof(b) c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus i. 738.
Ane squier … [quhilk] In my court was sendill … sene Nor in na sort thairof perticipant 1569 Riddell Tracts 170.
That her saidis parentis maid hir perticipiant of the said meriage(4) 1531 Bell. Boece II. 199.
With … purpos to revenge thair faderis slauchter and becaus thay fand thair gud-moder participant thairwithd. c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus iii. 692.
Scho herbryit thame and was participant With Israell into thair wrgent neid

e. Sharing knowledge (of a matter); informed.Chiefly in the phr. to mak (a person) participant. 1540 James V in St. P. Henry VIII. 177.
We think it accordis us weill to mak ȝou participant with us of sic joyus gud novellis 1559 Cal. Sc. P. I. 277.
[I … pray you to make the queen's highness] partissipent 1568 Campbell Love-Lett. Mary (1824) App. 54.
They were now made participant of the whole state of the cause 1571 Waus Corr. 78.
Quhairfor I thoycht it gud to mak yow participant of the sam — 1581 Cal. Sc. P. VI. 123.
Quhareapoun I doubt not bot he hes menit youre lordship partissipant 1644 Douglas Corr. 253.
Perticepant

2. Giving a share of (responsibility) to (unto) a person; imparting. c1590 Fowler II. 149/22.
Obleising him … be preferment in honors, participant vnto him office

3. In conjunction with (another planet).Once only, in Douglas. 1513 Doug. Comm. i. v. 2.
Quhen he [Jupiter] conionys wyth Venus or is participant wyth her … than … batakynnys all gud

4. absol. as noun, in sense 1c above. One who takes part (with another) (in (of) a crime or lawless act); an adherent; an accomplice or abettor. 1543 Corr. M. Lorraine 43.
Ane crime of tresoun quhilk we suld be particepantis therof [etc.] 1554 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 190.
William Murheid and … Johne Prestoun … and the remanent thair participantis baillies of this burgh hes wranguslie [etc.] 1562 Edinb. Hammermen 252 b.
In cais … thaj … be authouris or participantis of ony … tuilȝe [etc.] 1562 Reg. Privy C. I. 216.
Thai sal be releuyt as participantis with the saidis thevis Ib. 222.
He and his saidis sonnis and utheris thair participantis 1566–7 Ib. 498.
Althoch he be ane culpabill and participant of the same cryme