Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

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

Pest, n. Also: peist; best(e. [F. peste (1539 in Hatz.-Darm.), L. pestis plague, contagious disease. Cf. e.m.E. pest, in imprecation (1553), plague (1603, in pest-cart), bane (1621).] Pest, in the usual senses.In early use, appar. only Sc.

1. Any virulent or deadly epidemic disease; pestilence. b. spec. The bubonic plague. c. A particular instance or outbreak of either of these. 1631 Gouge God's Arrows i. § 47. 83 (OED.).]
[In Latine pestis importeth as much, whence the Scots call this sicknesse the pest(1) 1479 Acta Conc. II. cxxxiv.
Sessioune stoppit quhill Merche in respect of the pest 1531 Bell. Boece II. 444. 1539 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 165.
The contagius infeckand pest callit the boiche 1545 Treas. Acc. VIII. 400.
The tyme of the pest being in Edinburght c1552 Lynd. Mon. 53. 1555 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 227.
Diuers … schippis cumin furth of … places beyond sey with … waris into the quhilkis the pest is (c 1568) Henr. III. 162 title. 1574 Glasgow B. Rec. (M.C.) 27. 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 39.
In this tyme the pest was wonder greit in all borrowis townis of this realme 1575 Edinb. Test. III. 430 b.
The said Helene … being veseit & seik in the pest … maid hir latter will 1577 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. I. 53.
Nane within the burgh trawell … in Ingland nor on the bordouris thairof for the pestis caus quhilk is in the saids bordouris a1578 Pitsc. II. 206/21. 1584 Aberd. B. Rec. II. 52.
For evading … of the contaguis pest … that na conventiounn of peopill nor lykis be sufferit to convene at the deceis of ony deid persoun 1587 Perth Kirk S. in Chron. Perth 57.
Prayer to God that it would please him to remove the plague of the pest from … Edinburgh c1590 Fowler I. 160/10.
This pest depryvs me of your heunlye face 1597 Edinb. B. Rec. V. 196.
In respect the littill roume in thair commoun buriall, that nane deceissand in the pest be bureyit thairin with ane kist Ib. 200.
The woman clenger in Leyth … is convict for conceilling of the pest 1599 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. I. 364. 1601–2 Ayr B. Acc. 211.
To ane puir wyfe that wes put in the theiffis hoill suspect of the pest to support hir [6/8] 1605-6 Welsh Forty-eight Serm. 146.
The pest in … this land is now a preacher … it cries unto you, Repent a1605 Montg. Misc. P. vi. 11. 1631 Glasgow Burgesses 73.
[A burgess] deprived of his freedom for … repairing to Ingland quhair the pest is raging and returning agane to this burgh and for not keeping of his awin hous at his returne 1645 S. Leith Rec. 62.
That none sould be buried in the church yard who died of the pest … but [etc.] 1666-74 Fraser Polichron. 350.
A box chest of flax … being opened and loused the pest spread — 1581-1623 James VI Poems I. 167/510.
The phtisie, meslis & the pestis [etc.](b) 1563–4 Edinb. Old Acc. II. 192.
Lettres … concernyng the peist in the schippis laitlie cumin furth of Danskyn(c) 1585 Prot. Bk. J. Scott 1 b/2.
Ane barne … deid of the beste Ib.
Best(2) 1537 Reg. Episc. Aberd. I. 413.
In the tyme of vniuersall pest 1546–7 Ayr Common Good Acc.
In the tyme of the pest 1556–7 Edinb. Old Acc. I. 203.
Thomas Hammill cleinger of the seik folks in tyme of pest 1570 Lanark B. Rec. 51. 1587 St. A. Kirk S. 610.
Being inquirit if sche wes present tyme of pest with Elene Pait(3) 1545 Acta Conc. Publ. Aff. 541.
[Edinburgh] is instantly ourgane with pest c1552 Lynd. Mon. 65.
This mortall miserie Be … derth pest and pouertie Procedis of syn 1564 Dundee Chart. 40.
Throu occasioun of the said buriall pest and uther contagius seikness is ingenerit 1571 Treas. Acc. XII. 282.
Williame Wallange skippar suspect of pest 1589 St. A. B. Ct. 15 Aug.
Eftir the quencheing off the plague off pest 1590-1 R. Bruce Serm. 164.
The botch of Egypt … ane attrie kind of boil striking out in many heads or … plukes … the maist … deadly kind of pest and boil that was in the dayis of that king(4) 1568 Skeyne Descr. Pest 4.
Ane pest is the corruptioun or infectioun of the air a1570-86 Maitl. F. clxx. .
Bot … thay peirles perllis a pest Bereft him all a1578 Pitsc. I. 30/18. 1600-1610 Melvill 222.
In that simmer He send a pest

d. The pest of guiddis, ? murrain. 1552 Elgin Rec. I. 117.
That na person bring beif to hald or sell within this burgh … out of ane suspect plaice quhair the pest of guiddis is

e. ? An infected person. Cf. pest-folkis, see 3 below. — 1670 Boharm Kirk S. 27 Aug.
Wherof 4 s. given to James Farqr and the rest to ane pest called John Calem

2. Applied to a person or thing that is troublesome, harmful or maleficent.(1) 1513 Doug. xi. xv. 59.
That this wench this vengeabill pest or trake Be bet dovn ded by my … strake 1609 James VI Speech at Whitehall in Wks. (1616) 531.
They that perswade them the contrary are vipers and pests both against them and the commonwealth 1697 Sermon on Witchcraft in Sc. Hist. Rev. VII. 397.
For witches are the pests of congregations(2) 1533 Boece viii. v. 257 b.
Be adulacioun the acquent pest of princis Ib. xvii. iv. 631.
Thair is ane lurkand pest [sc. English manners and customs] fast burgeand with irremediable venome 1549 E. Loth. Antiq. Soc. II. 12.
The Inglishmen … past away without any battell for the pest of hungar was rycht evill amangis tham a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. clxxix. 55.
Eschewand plesour as ane pest 1587 Perth Kirk S. in Chron. Perth 57.
Prayer … to preserve us from the pest of the soul whilk is Papistry ignorance 1609 Acts IV. 434/2.
That abhominable pest of deadlie feedis 1632 Lithgow Trav. vi. 260.

3. attrib. and comb. in sense 1 above.Pest-baillie, a pest-man or pest-master.Pest-folkis, persons suffering from the pest or plague. 1585 Edinb. Hammermen III. 38 b.
Thre pundis to lows his geir fra Johnn Forrest pest baillie — 1612–3 Misc. Spald. C. V. 93.
Walter Findlayson pest clenger 1617–8 Ib. 140. — 1606 Edinb. Test XLI. 63.
Williame Gray … seik in bodie in the pest feild bot haill in spreit — 1584 Melvill 202.
Sum of yow … lyk desperat pest folks … travelles to seduce and infect sic as ar haill 1591 Edinb. B. Rec. V. 55.
The thesaurer to tak doun the tymmer of the luges and howssis … quhair the pest folkis wes and to keip the sam to the townis use 1622-6 Bisset II. 395/3.
A burn or strype of watter … for wesching and clenging of the pest folkis — 1555–6 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 317.
For clenging of the pest geir — 1653 Binning Wks. 227.
As now we use to cast down pest-lodges the better to cleanse them of the infection — 1606 Edinb. Test. XLII. 6.
In pest tyme 1608–9 Ayr B. Acc. 240.
[For painting] the mort kist in the pest tyme — 1606–7 Ayr B. Acc. 232.
In the pest yeir