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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.

Pers, Perce, v. Also: perse, perrs; peirs(e, peirce, peyrs(e; piers(e; pearce, pear(c)se; pairse. P.t. and p.p. persit, perced, etc., also perst, peirst, pearst, pearcst. [ME. and e.m.E. perce(n (1297), perse(n (c 1315), pearse (1526), also persshe (14–15th c.), persche, perche, perische, perish(e etc., OF. percer, earlier percier (11–12th c.).] To pierce.

1. tr. To pierce with a sharp instrument or the like. a. Of a person or other agent: To penetrate (something, esp. another's body or armour) (with or by a weapon or instrument or a bullet).Also (2) with pers. pron. in the ethic dative, and (3) with adverbial of the location of the wound.(1) 1375 Barb. xiv. 292.
Scottis men … With speris perssit thar armyng a1400 Leg. S. xlv. 153.
Thane commandyt he to perse hir flesch With scharpe nalys ?1438 Alex. i. 2562.
The mailȝeis of his habersoun He persit c1475 Wall. x. 383.
[He] persyt the bak, in the bowalys him bar, Wyth a scharp sper a1500 Lanc. 1092.
O knycht … The wich he persit throuch & throuch the hart a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 604.
Apoun his heid the crowne of thorn thai threw … quhill thai his harnis persit c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxxii. 44.
Persing his heid with pykis grene 1513 Doug. i. ii. 50.
A grondyn dart leit he glide And persit the bos hill at the braid syde(b) c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 752.
Out of the top the grundin dartis Did diuers peirs outthrow the hartis 1562-3 Winȝet I. 77/29.
That knycht quha peirsit our Lordis syde with the speir 1570 Sat. P. xiv. 46.
Peloure thow peirst him gaif ye peace … thy gunne him gorde(c) a1585 Polwart Flyt. 553 (Hart).
Ilke louse … That hurts his harns and pearse them to his pains 16.. Herries Mem. 120.
He pearced him uith one ball … quitt through(d) c1530-40 Stewart Bann. MS. 36 a/54.
Pairsit(2) c1460 Alex. (Taym.) (ed.) 1895.
Bot Alexander haid persit him the scheild(3) c1460 Alex. (Taym.) (ed.) 3618.
The duke him persit vnder neth the pape 1492 Myll Spect. 281/5.
He … schot at him thre fellone dartis sa mortally that he persit him throw the breist 1513 Doug. xi. xiii. 94.
This ilk Butys … Outthrou the nek dyd scho pers and bor 1533 Bell. Livy I. 60/15.
He peirsit hir throw the body with his swerd 15.. Christis Kirk 103 (M). c1552 Lynd. Mon. 3925.
Quhen he wes dede thay tuke one dart And peirst that prence outthrouch the hart

b. Of the weapon or the stroke.Also to pers (something) in twa.(1) c1500-50 Brevis Cronica 332.
The speir that peirsit our Lordis hart 1513 Doug. ix. xi. 76.
The fleand schaft … The stomok persyt Ib. xii. vi. 162.
The speir … Persand the hyde and maid a litill wond 1535 Stewart 29520.
Syne suddantlie the cruell aufull dart Of dulefull deid … Persit his hart 1626 Garden Worthies 104.
A pellet pearst and did abredge his breath(2) 1513 Doug. ix. vii. 100.
Hys hart pipis the scharp hed persyt in twa [L. transit præcordia](3) 1513 Doug. x. vi. i 10.
The dynt … Gyrd throw the cost persyng baith the sydis

c. intr. const. throuch (throw), also at.(1) c1420 Wynt. viii. 4877.
Willame off Spens percit [W. persit] a blasowne And throw thre fawld off awbyrchowne c1475 Wall. viii. 2 i i.
Punȝeand speris throuch plattis persit fast a1500 Lanc. 3078.
To the next he ran … Bot throuch and throuch haith persit in the feld 1513 Doug. x. vi. 59.
He … Persyt the stalwart platit scheild of steill And throw the schynand hawbrek euery deill(2) 1513 Doug. x. x. 103.
The grondyn hed … At hys left flank or leisk persyt tyte

d. In passive.Freq. of the piercing of the tongue as a punishment.(1) c1460 Alex. (Taym.) (ed.) 3 134.
And mony ane hawbrek persit and bludie cors 1490 Irland Mir. II. 28/19.
He had werray body of his moder that was persit on the cros 1535 Stewart 7554.
Plaittis wer persit 1562-3 Winȝet II. 44/23.
His handis and feit ar schawin to be peirsit c1590 Fowler I. 28/36.
Some wer prisoners … Some pearced by his pearcing darts(2) 1567 Digest Justiciary Proc. F. 61.
The said William McKie to be peirsit with ane irrne boitkin throw his tung 1578 Edinb. B. Rec. IV. 73.
William Robesoun … to be bound to ane jibbet … his toung persit and banyst the toun 1622 Crim. Trials III. 539.
His toung to be pearcet with ane hett boitkyn 1650 Lamont Diary 13.
For bearing false witnes … his tounge pearced with a hott iyron

2. To penetrate sexually. c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 389.
I … leit neuer enter in my thoght that he my thing persit 1540 Lynd. Sat. 460 (Ch.).
I rew … Nor I had pearst [Bann. previt] hir my awin sell

3. a. To perforate or hole (something); to make a hole or opening in or through (a thing); to broach (a cask).(1) 1542 Soc. A nt. III. 162.
The said stepill … with lychtis at all partis for the sound of the bellis … to be persit for the orlage hand and bell 1555–6 Edinb. Guild Ct. 7 Jan.
The watter that fallis on the south flank of George Kincaidis bak wolt … peirsis the said Katherinis gavill … and rynnis throw the samyn 16.. Hist. Kennedy i i.
Entering in the forsaid chapell … [they] thocht to have peirst the vall 1623 Perth Kirk S. MS. 25 Sept.
Johne Ogiluye cordaner … onle wes peirssing the lugeis of ane pair schone 1683 Wemyss Chart. 255.
A breslit of cornelians persed(2) a1500 K. Hart 424.
Dame Plesance hes gart perce dame Venus tun 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 283.
He caused peirce ane hoggeid of wine a1578 Pitsc. I. 228/27.
The captane … gart peirse the wyne 1585 Edinb. Test. XIV. 266 b.
Thrie pypis of Spanȝe wyne … twa peirsit and ane full

b. intr. const. throw (out-throw). c1475 Wall. ix. 1139.
Mynouris sone thai gert pers throw [v.r. out throw] the wall

c. To breach (a wall) by cannon-fire. 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 300.
Ane cannoune and ane double mynioun with the quhilk thaj peircit the wallis thairof 1615 Crim. Trials III. 287.
Be the secund schott one of the turrettis … wes pearsed and almost bea Ten doun

4. To break through (a barrier); to make one's way into or through (something).Said of persons, and of material and non-material things, esp. of sounds and words.(a) 1490 Irland Mir. II. 40/29.
The haly body of Ihesu persit the graf and come throu it without ony hole or apertor Ib. 49/14.
And quhen the angellis … saw … the humanite of Ihesu enter and pers the hevin [etc.] c1500-c1512 Dunb. x. 38.
Aurora hes the ciuddis perst 1513 Doug. i. v. 29.
Sen Anthenor mycht throu myd ostis thring Of Grekis and pers the soundis Ilyria Ib. v. x. 90.
Als swyft as dalphyn fysch … Persand the wallys Ib. xi. xi. 139. 1531 Bell. Boece I. 15 i.
We have not socht the last boundis of Albion be rehers and fame of otheris bot persit the samin be strang army and camp 15.. Lichtoun Dreme 9. 1551 Hamilton Cat. 196.
Oyle olyve quhilk persis and entres in mannis flesch and makis it soft 1568 Skeyne Descr. Pest 9.
Quhilk generis of vater persis the hart maist vehementlie a1585 Maitl. Q. lxviii. 98.
Or ellis the air sould not haue tholit So heich for to be persit 1587-99 Hume 106/120.
As the flesh is persed and burnt vp with the cautaire quhilk the chirurgien dois apply(b) 1513 Doug. viii. x. 64.
As quhen the byrnand sonnys bemys brycht The watry clowd persand [v.rr. peyrsand, peirsand] 1531 Bell. Boece I. xii.
As birdis swift … Peirsis the aire and wait nocht quhare thay fle a 1624 Edinb. Univ. MS. La.ii.319.
Seik … to lieue [the] earth And peirse the firmament(c) c1590 Fowler I. 7/13.
Pearst

5. tr. To penetrate (a problem, also, another's mind) with the mind; to discern. Also b. intr. const. to. 1562-3 Winȝet II. 5 1/7.
Na thing almaist he set him to quhilk he othir peirsit nocht be scharpenes of wit or [etc.] a1585 Maitl. Q. xl. 127.
Sen ȝe so far haue persit my thocht [etc.] 1596 Dalr. II. 32/7.
Pedagogs quhais ingine percet al sciences sa scharplie that [etc.]b. c1590 Fowler I. 62/110.
A mater swir … To which no dolts nor ignorantis can yit attane or perse

6. In various other transf. and fig. applications of the above, or in fig. contexts. a. tr. b. intr. c. absol.a. (1) a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 1086 (Harl.).
Perce my hard hert with thi scharp luffis lance ?a1500 Remembr. Passion 508.
Iesu that wald haue blude and watter rynand furth of thi syid persit with a speir, pers my hert sa be contricioun that [etc.] c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 249.
That my preching may pers your perverst hertis c1552 Lynd. Mon. 3843.
His hart wes persit with petie a1561 Norvell Meroure 30 a.
Perce 1565 Cal. Sc. P. II. 241.
[Especially for the Earl of Rothes] quhais present stres dois perse my verray hart a1585 Maitl. Q. xxxviii. 32.
Neuer a dairt So persit my hairt As [Etc.] a1585, a1568 Montg. P. i. 100.
Hir luikis … Wald pers ane hairt of adamant a1605 Montg. Misc. P. lii. 7.(b) 1530 Lynd. Test. Pap. 185.
With sory hart peirst with compassioun … I did aproche 1562-3 Winȝet I. 21/1 i.
The seueir punisment … thunderis swa throw al our sensis and peirsis with feir oure heartis that [etc.] 1567 Sat. P. iii. 161.
The doloure als that peirsit Diddis [sic] hart 1570 Ib. xi. 22. 1635 Lundie Poems 29.
Peircing all harts vith rapturs of delicht(c) c1590 Fowler I. 241/40.
As may it pearce to mortefie his hairt Ib. 365/24.
What tyme he [Cupid] pearst my humble hart(d) a1568 Clerk Bann. MS. 32 a/61.
My muderis splene pairsit calamide(2) a1500 Lanc. 227.
He was … by loue … throuch & throuch persit to the hart 1537 Lynd. Depl. Magd. i 7.
O dreidfull dragoun … Quhilk cruellie did pers hir throuch the hart 1540 Id. Sat. 3923 (Ch.).
Cupido hes sa perst them throch the hart c1550 Id. Meldrum 902. 1567 G. Ball. 168.
With cruell paine and smart He was peirsit throw the hart(3) a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 1138 (Harl.).
Pers fra the splene my frossin affectioun 15.. Edinb. Univ. MS. La.iv.6.
[Love] perrsit me thro bayth wane & narve 1548 Balnaves in Knox III. 16.
Faith … is the onely shield which his dartes may not pearse 1559 Knox VI. 98.
The trubles of your brethren perse and wound you 1567 G. Ball. 112.
The bulrand stremis of thair pryde Had peirsit vs throw bak and syde a1568 Scott xiii. 17.
Hard persit to the splene With deidly dert 1568 Anderson Collect. Mary IV. ii. 159.
Thay haif … inveighed aganis … [her] honour and … wald pearce the rycht … of hir estate [etc.] c1590 Fowler I. 275/5.
The touch of my trespasses all hath pearcst me through and through c1600 Montg. Suppl. ix. 29.
Quhen that ȝe ar out of my sicht … It dois me peirs so vehement In at my braynis(4) a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 466.
Pane all thi partis persis c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxxviii. 4.
So sair the magryme dois me menȝie Perseing my brow as ony ganȝie 1513 Doug. viii. vii. 44.
The natural heit into the merch dyd glyde Persand the banys(5) a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 452.
Sum persis him with panis(6) 1513 Doug. xii. Prol. 23.
The twynklyng stremowris of the orient … Persand the sabill barmkyn nocturnall Ib. xiii. viii. 78.
Full mery noys … That semyt forto pers the firmament 1567 Sat. P. iii. 227.
My veirsis … pas sall to the Cane of Tartarie And peirs sall erthe and air etheriall The wickit workis done in Britannie c1590 Fowler I. 281/200.
My sighs which perced hes the air c1600 Montg. Suppl. iv. 42.
Latt my Complaint cum peirs ȝour eareis 1609 Garden Garden 55.
To cause … thy praise to perse … the spheirs(7) c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 107.
Thair hony throtis … With werblis suete did perse the hevinly skyes a1568 Scott xiv. 4.
Hornit Dyane with hir paly glemis Perssis the cluddis sabill in the nicht(8) c1450-2 Howlat 318 (A).
Ernes … Quhilk … Perses the sone with thair sicht selcouth to herdb. c1552 Lynd. Mon. 6318.
The nychtyngaill … Hir naturall notis persith throw the sky 1565 Knox VI. 258.
The prophete here pierseth throughe all impedimentes that nature could object a1585 Maitl. Q. xl. 47.
For my ingyine can no way pers So far 1590-1 R. Bruce Serm. 109.
The eye of God is … able to pearce through the very thicknes of the flesh of man … and to pearce through the very secret hirnes of thy conscience 1597 James VI Dæmonol. 39.
That the beames of any other mans eyes cannot pearce thorow the same [air]c. a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xl. 58.
Let Cupids arrou peirce [: fearce]