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.
Quotation dates: 1490-1615
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Pissant, a. Also: pissand, pyssant. [Sc. var. of Puissant a.]
1. Powerful, mighty; militarily powerful; influential. = Puissant a. in various senses.(a) 1490 Irland Mir. II. 103/2.
Him that is the hie and puissant lord of hevin 1513 Doug. v. Prol. 65.
Lord … Bot quham na thing is worthy nor pyssant 1515 Douglas Corr. 71.
I trast alsso we salbe mare pyssant than we ar now 1531 Bell. Boece I. viii.
Thy pissant kingdome is nocht worth ane stro Gif [etc.] 1531 Ib. 24.
We knaw … how pissant ar the Britonis baith be see and land 1531 Ib. 75.
The maist pissant ennime, Julius, dantour of the warld 1562-3 Winȝet I. 138/14.
A pissant patroun of ȝour cause 1596 Dalr. I. 78/1.
Baith pissant and potent thay grew c1615 Chron. Kings 40.
If thay war not pissant anewch to resist thair forssis(b) 1490 Irland Mir. II. 99/17.
Sa gret and noble sa wis and pissand lord of sic strenth and force
b. Strong, talented in a certain quality. 1562-3 Winȝet II. 35/4.
He wes … weray pissant in eloquence
c. Of fear: Potent, strong. 1531 Bell. Boece II. 43.
The feir of deith, mair pissant amang abasit pepill than ony charge of capitane
2. a. Strongly made, stout. 1535 Stewart 4672.
With pissant pans wes maid to lest full weill
b. Of a weight: ? Mighty, heavy. 1513 Doug. vi. vi. 61.
Vndir the paysand [Ruthv. pissant] and the hevy charge
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"Pissant adj.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 15 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/pissant>
