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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.

Persave, -saif, v. Also: par- and -sav-, -sawe; -saiv(e, -sayv-, -sayw-, -saiff, -saife, -sayf, -caif(f)-, -seve, -sew(e, -ceve, -cew(e; -seive, -seyw-, -ceive, -seif; -ceave, -ceawe; (-suve.) [ME. and e.m.E. perceiue, parceue, parseue (Cursor M.), perseiue, -ceyue (Manning), -sayve (c 1400), -ceave (1526), AF. par-, perceivre (c 1190 in Wartburg), -coivre, OF. per-, parcevoir (c 1200 in Wartburg), to apprehend, also to receive, get.] To perceive.

1. tr. To apprehend (a fact or circumstance) with the mind; to deduce (a conclusion) from observed facts; to become conscious (of); to observe.Const. simple obj., obj. and infin. or complement, or passive transforms of these, noun clause object, in parenthetic clauses, and intr.(1) (a) 1375 Barb. i. 82.
Thai couth nocht persawe the skaith That towart thaim wes apperand c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 1925.
And Pallamydes persavand No fraude [etc.] 1524 St. P. Henry VIII IV. i. 157.
Quharthrou I sal persave … ȝour gracis … benivolencis towardis me c1552 Lynd. Mon. 1266.
The deuyll … Quhen he persauis ane ydill man [etc.] 1559 Knox VI. 33.
I resavit your letter … persavyng thairby the dout and suspitioun ye stand into 1560 Rolland Seven S. 5718.
Weill I persaue the cace That Galiene was killit be Ypocras 1558 Q. Kennedy Tractive 146.
Every man quhilk persavis the falt aucht not to be ane correctare of the samyn 1562-3 Winȝet II. 33/19. a1568 Scott vi. 40.
Scho may persaue sum Inglis throw it a1578 Pitsc. I. 124/20.
Persaifand 1592 Warrender P. (S.H.S.) II. 174. a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xxiv. 23.
For lurking love vha lang had lyne in wait Persaving tym he took me at a stot(b, c) c1460 Alex. (Taym.) (ed.) 627.
Than Alexander persauit the hors feir 1549 Compl. 122/10.
The verite of this trason vas persauit be the … medicinaris a1578 Pitsc. I. 52/18.
How sune the Earle of Douglas persaifed thair heigh contemptioun of his autoritie Ib. 187/6.
Quhill … the Duik … persaueit his tyme(b) 1513 Doug. iii. viii. 24.
Quhen he hes thame eueryane persaue Into the … firmament [etc.](2) 1401 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 389.
Gif ony keip or persayvis ony schath aperand to the tovne c1420 Wynt. viii. 2271.
For he persawyd gret malys Agayne hym scharpyd mony wys 1490 Irland Mir. I. 114/10.
The strangearis besid the wallis persauand the … pepil in perell ascendit the wallis 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 1872.
I persaue thé halflingis in ane farie 1560 Rolland Seven S. 5366.
Sa … soft thay ȝow persaue 1562-3 Winȝet I. 4/20.
Fra thay persaue our ressonis to be knawin to thy maiestie Ib. 9/24.
We persaue mony amangis ȝow … quha with humil spirit wald flee fra al idolatrie 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 97.
Ȝe sall persaue the same to be the … style of a flattering oratore Ib. 233.
Whome he persavit to be feinyiet a1578 Pitsc. I. 17/23.
Or euer the keiparis … cuild perceawe thame sellffis disauit Ib. 26/14.
The queine persawit to be hichlie commoweit … at hir husband and his brotheris impresounment was [etc.] 1583 Edinb. Test. XIII. 52.
Mairiorie Fynlasoune … persaving the last houre eminent … makkis … hir last will 1590 Crim. Trials I. ii. 207. c1590 Fowler II. 78/34.
Quhome he sal perceave to be … les powerfull then him self Ib. I. 28/39.
Perceawe a1597-1617 Hist. Jas. VI (1825) 26.
The arrere-garde persaving thayme to be defait did the lyke 1600-1610 Melvill 637.
Percaiffit 1615 Denmylne MSS. in Highland P. III. 216.
He persavis ane boit approtcheing 1627 Justiciary Cases I. 73.
And persuveing the toun that day to be quyet because of ane brydell(3) 1375 Barb. ii. 326.
Now I persawe he that will trew His fa it sall him sum tyme rew Ib. vii. 44.
Johne of Lorn Persauit the hund the sleuth had lorn a1400 Leg. S. xxxii. 371.
Scho cane persawe wele That the entysare wes the dewil ?1438 Alex. ii. 2221, 3414.
Persauit c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 2120.
Persavand … That he mycht nocht sustene that scaith 1456 Hay I. 84/24. Ib. 286/4.
How … sall a man persave gif a knycht be wele hardy or nocht c1475 Wall. xi. 263.
The king persawyt Wallace agrewyt was a1500 Seven S. 629. c1550 Lynd. Test. Meldrum 3.
I persaue now be experience That mennis lyfe in eirth bene wounder short 1557 Facs. Nat. MSS. III. xl.
We persaving how Sathan … crewellie dois raige [etc.] 1560 Rolland Seven S. 4525.
Scho said … Gif I be wise now ȝe may all persaue Ib. 2401. a1578 Pitsc. I. 113/18.
Quhen James Creichtone persawit that he could not joyse the landis bot the haitrent of money gentill men 1595 Innes Sketches 533.(b) c1420 Wynt. v. 1700.
It wes persayvyt … That scho wes woman propyrly 1494 Loutfut MS. 31 a.
& the maryneris persaiffis be thaim quhen the tempest suld cum c 1535 Lennox Mun. 347.
Ȝour wrytying … quharby I parsayf ȝe … air in gud heill 1543 Corr. M. Lorraine 35.
Persaiff 1586 Waus Corr. 355.
I persaife ye haue agreit vpone … ane onlie heid(c) 15.. Dum Wyf 133.
Perseave 1638 Nat. Covenant in Facs. Nat. MSS. III. xcvii.
Wee perceave that the … stabilitie of our religion and kirk doth depend upon [etc.](d) c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 454 (D).
Thay perseywed [C. persaved] … That thai mycht nocht kendle the fyre 1596 Dalr. I. 99/9.
Gif thay perceiue that frome that place thay mon flie 1600 Crim. Trials II. 283.
And I perseif I may hew avantage of Dirlton(e) c1590 Fowler II. 22/9.
Quha perceuing that nather thair friuole arguments … micht [etc.](4) c 1550 Balcarres P. 316.
Ane writing … quhilk … as ȝour grace will perseif wald that [etc.] 15.. Crawford Mun. Invent. II. 55.
Ane officiar … dischargit my letters as ye may persayf be the copy 1562 Q. Kennedy Ressoning 20 b.
As the godlie … reader may cleirlie perceaue c1568 Lauder Minor P. i. 294.
The cause is this sa fer as I perceauit 1577 Douglas Corr. 225.
As I percew be your letter 1595 Tytler Hist. (1864) IV. 237.
I am hamely with your lordship as ye may perceive 1600 Crim. Trials II. 185.
Safar as I can persave 1603 Philotus clvi.
Auld men is twyse bairnis I persaif(5) intr. a1578 Pitsc. I. 129/7.
And that mans nature can nocht persaif and wnderstand farther of ane wther nor he may sie be wtward signnes and taikins

b. To find (a saying) exemplified in a set of circumstances. — a1500 Henr. Fab. 1130 (Bass.).
Salomonis saying thow may persaif heirin

2. To apprehend (something which is not superficially obvious), to detect, see into, see through. 1375 Barb. x. 38 (E).
The king … Persawyt rycht weill thar sutelte a1400 Leg. S. xxxi. 348.
The abbot … Persawit hyr wil Ib. xxxiii. 731. 1456 Hay II. 110/10.
For fra I sawe hir I persavit be my judgement that scho was empoysounde a1568 Weddirburne Bann. MS. 260 a/13.
Ȝit I cowld nocht persaif thair fals consait 1567 G. Ball. 30.
Quhen he persauis na remeid 1568 Lyndesay Pref. (S.T.S.) 398.
The king incontinent persauit his consait and leuch merilie thairat a1585 Maitl. Q. xxxix. 50.
Wald God … My inward mynd scho could persaue and ges Ib. lx. 3.
Quho … Sall weill persave thair craftie wyse And fals … myndis a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 810 (Wr.).
We … Perseives thy purpose plaine c1600 Montg. Suppl. vii. 58.
Persaife ȝour slaiff ȝe hawe me as ȝe wald 1603 Inverness Rec. II. 7.
Persaivinge the cruel persuit and intentione of the said Finla 1691 Melville Chart. 224.
I cannot well perceive the necessity of [etc.]

b. To comprehend the meaning or significance of. c1520-c1535 Nisbet III. 323/19. Ib. 338/15.
To persaif this thing mor cleirlie thou sallt vndirstande that [etc.] 1584 Sempill Sat. P. xlv. 742.
Gif ye his preiching could persave [etc.]

3. To apprehend or become aware (of) (an object, action or fact) through one (or more) of the senses, espec. sight.Also fig. and absol.(1) 1375 Barb. v. 92.
Cumin ar thai Sa preuely bot noys making That nane persauit thair cummyng a1400 Leg. S. vii. 705.
Persawand prowd sawoure thare Of sottyne flesche ?1438 Alex. i. 2205.
Or thay persauit war Thai to thare fais cummin ar c1420 Wynt. vii. 1664.
All the men that tyme off Galway … Ware welle persaywyd fra hym then That thai war in forray past Ib. viii. 2890.
Thai persawyd by gangand A man that [etc.] 1456 Hay I. 272/4.
The defendour suld byde quhill he persave the provour step furth c1475 Wall. xi. 602.
Thai … held them law Quhill thai persawyt he was on sleping faw 1490 Irland Mir. II. 56/17.
Sum sais that becaus of the gret licht … that Ihesus sal cum with, thar licht [sc. the planets'] sall nocht be persauit Ib. I. 46/16. c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 181. 1513 Doug. i. viii. 28, vi. xi. 10, vii. Prol. 130. 1533 Boece vi. ii. 188 b.
Quhen he persauit all servandis removit and the king him allane c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 104.
He did persaue … Ane womanis voce richt lamentabill 1562-3 Winȝet II. 53/5.
Fra hand is persauit the wecht of the corne and lychtnes of the caf 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 30.
Quhair he mycht persave the plesour of that crueltie with all his sensis a1578 Pitsc. II. 246/22.
This serwand persaving the eird evir to ryve … quhair he stuid 1601 Dalyell Darker Superst. 207.
Understanding that scho was persavit with barne he preissit her to tak ane drynk to stay the samyn 1614 Crim. Trials III. 266.
Haifing persauet the said Alexander Blair … to haif laid doun the said wallet vpone the burd-heid 1616 Rogers Social Life III. 298.
And Robert Gadie persaveing hir 1657 Rothesay B. Rec. I. 268.
The said Allexander … denyed he heard or persauet the baillie at the first tyme(b) a1500 Seven S. 2683.
Fra the king that can persaif [etc.] a1585 Maitl. Q. xxxviii. 18.
Evin as men may the turtill trew persaif … On the dry brainche 1572 Sempill Sat. P. xxxviii. 86.
Persayfand a1578 Pitsc. I. 282/2.
Quhen Mr. Gawin … persaiffit the plaittis of his jake clattering c1590 J. Stewart 17/79.
As tender faune … Quhan it persaifs the leopard auans a1605 Montg. Son. lvii. 7.
Persaiv(c) 1596 Dalr. I. 20/17.
He [sc. a hound] vses to invade quhome he perceiuet to do ony skaith to his … leidaris 1600 Crim. Trials II. 210.
Perceiving that there appeared something to be hid under his cloke c1615 Chron. Kings 10.
Perseiffing that thay war inveirynt with … sudderttis(d) 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 232.
David Ramsay … perceaved tuo men in the hous … disaguysed c1616 Hume Orthog. 17.
Sae soft a mynt that it is hard to perceave 1633 Orkney Witch Trial in Dalyell Darker Superst. 153. 1646 J. Hope Diary (1958) 178.
Shoe perceavit that their was twa or thrie stones in the watter(e) a1500 Henr. Fab. 2882 (Bann.).
Persevand c1550-c1580 Art of Music 5.
Quhairby ewerie kynd of nottis and pauses perfytlie is persewit 1600-1610 Melvill 64.
A read-headit tead … the quhilk I perceved and dang down(2) fig. a1568 Bann. MS. 28 a/26.
The air be sterne did him persaife(3) absol. ?1438 Alex. ii. 3753.
The Bauderane … luked to Ideas … Quhen sho persauit sho changit hew c1460 Alex. (Taym.) (ed.) 2875.
The king persauit and bad him mak gude cheir c1475 Wall. xi. 340.
A mow off corn he biggit thaim about And … nane mycht persawe without a1500 Lanc. 1238. 1560 Rolland Seven S. 1168.
Persaif 1568 Lyndesay Pref. (S.T.S.) 398.
The king persauand demandis quhat he wald haue

4. In passive: To be aware (of a person doing something).Cf. ME. parceve (oneself) refl. = to perceive (a 1300), appar. obs. after c 1489. c1475 Wall. xi. 106.
Off thaim persawyt rycht weill was gud [1570 persuit … hes gude] Wallace

5. In other, extended senses.a. To learn how (to do something). b. ? To study or examine so as to detect hidden significance, to probe. c. To see to it, take care (that something may not happen). d. ? To be confident of. c1420 Ratis R. 185.
Thir have I reknit out Sa that thow may persaif thar by To kep that vertew tendirly 1560 Rolland Seven S. 7522.
The quenes last taill ȝit farther or we ga We will persaue 1585 Waus Corr. 325.
That ye perseif that Johne Gordoun do na vrang to me 1587 Reg. Privy C. IV. 168.
Giff the Quene of England culd not persave hir awin securitie untaking his majesteis moderis lyff