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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.

Place, v. Also: plase, plaice, plais(s, plece, plese. P.t. and p.p. placit etc. and plac't, plac'd, plaist. [e.m.E. place (1551), plas, F. placer (1606 in Hatz.-Darm.).]

1. To put or set in a place, to situate, locate, erect, site.Normally with the place specified in a compl.(1) (a) 1513 Doug. xiii. xi. 58.
Thame … abufe the hevynnys hie I sal do place and deify 1533 Boece vii. iii. 224 b.
The Gothis brocht the samyn bukis vntwichit throw Germany to the ilis plaissing thame finalie in Colmkill 1561 Inverness Rec. I. 67.
Pleceand his hand to his quhynyear 1572 Reg. Privy C. II. 162.
To teind, gedder, leid and place the teind schaves … in the stak yard 1634 Dundonald Par. Rec. 386.
Als much of … his yaird … as … may be ane sufficient rowme to place the said schoole wpon(c) a1500 Bk. Chess 2110.
The alphyne that is placit nixt the king In two poyntis he makis his moving 1533 Boece iv. xviii. 159 b.
The confederate kingis sitting collaterale in ane sete with thare nobillis about thame plaissit a1550 Murning Maiden 39.
Quhair he wes placit thair list I leynd Doand him seruice 1555 Irons Leith II. 603.
The twa mylnes … placit and situat on the river of Lyth 1573 Sempill Sat. P. xxxix. 98.
By threttie cannonis plasit at partis seuin 1585 Edinb. B. Rec. IV. 430.
That all the fowle lugeis, fowle folk and fowle geir be placeit be eist the greitt fowle luge 1586 Digest Justiciary Proc. L. 48.
Gwn pulder quhilk … wes plaicit and imput … vnder the grund 1603 Shetland Sheriff Ct. (ed.) 82.
David Leslie hes … placeit his guidis thairinto [sc. the church] making the samin ane kow byre 1629 Kirkcaldy Presb. 43.
Any seatt … whilk is placed be vertue of ane act of ane lawfull ministrie and sessioun(b) 1587-99 Hume 55/114.
Strang pousing picks the charge plaist to sustein 1611-57 Mure Dido & Æneas i. 661.
The queen [is] scarce plac't into her yvorie throne(2) 1619 Dunferm. B. Rec. II. 122.
[Not to kindle fire] untill thare be ane chimnay placit for venting reek(3) 1585 James VI Ess. 58.
The vther syllabes quhilks ar placit lang in the same word

b. transf. and fig. c1568 Lauder Minor P. i. 242.
Is be no meanis bot be his wourd imbrasing And it in to thair inwert bowellis placing a1568 Bann. MS. 23 a/12.
Latt no evill spreit ws within Mak soiorne quhair Thow [sc. the Holy Ghost] sowld be plaist ? 1578 Anal. Scot. I. 269.
Quha so do plais thair confidence And trust in me a1585 Maitl. Q. lxxiii. 65.
Plaice c1600 Montg. Suppl. xxii. 14.
Plece constancie into this verteuis mynde 1592 Acts III. 614/1.
The benefite quhilk God hes placeit in ane realme … suld nocht be … distroyit

2. To install or establish in certain accommodation, a situation or locality.(a) 1533 Boece viii. vii. 264.
Hengist … quhen wynter approchit plaissing his armye in the camp 1572 Canongate Ct. Bk. 408.
[To] place and put the said Margaret his mother in ane sufficient duelling hous 1596 Dalr. II. 431/25.
Sum men of weir [to] plase in a camp(c) 1535 Stewart 42920.
Tha socht For husband men, syne in Murra thame brocht And euerie man into his place hes plaist, In fault of laubour it suld nocht ly waist 1564 Rep. Sir Rob. Menzies MSS. 692.
We ar informit that ȝe haue plasit Makrannald in the samin rowmes 1576 Edinb. Test. IV. 189.
The said Bessy to be placit in hir awne cothous a1578 Pitsc. I. 32/26.
The gouernoure gat word the king was plaiceit in Edinburghe 1596 Crim. Trials I. ii. 379.
Johnne Hammiltoune haifing placeit … his dochter … with … hir moderbrother 1619 Garden Elphinstoun 88.
Than he … with a pedagoge was plac't

b. To install in a position, to appoint. c. To install formally and ceremonially to a position of responsibility.b. 1562-3 Winȝet II. 71/4.
Certane men suythlie God hes placeit in the kirk, first the apostoles 1564 Reg. Privy C. I. 274.
That the use … sould pertene to him as sheref to place clerkis of court 1564 Bk. Univ. Kirk I. 50.
A minister … may na wayes leave the congregation being anes placed without knowledge of the floke 1571 Sempill Sat. P. xxviii. 62.
Than I fund Jok was into Paslay plaist 1582 Declar. Causis in Calderwood III. 655.
To pull the ordinar minister out of the kirk of Glasgow and by force to place and intruse therin the same unworthie man 1584 Misc. Bann. C. I. 112.
To desist from that office off a bischop … because, be the apointment of the Generall Assemblie, he was placit minister to another congregatioun 1590-1 R. Bruce Serm. 355.
To you, my lord, who is now placed to bear a piece of charge and government 1593 Edinb. B. Rec. V. 102.
William Stenhop mylne wricht … to be placet … as myller to the said malt mylne a1597-1617 Hist. Jas. VI 145.
The regent placit a brother of his … to be capten of the castell of Edinburgh 1597 Acts IV. 148/1.
Libertie … to found ane vniuersitie [at Fraserburgh], big and mak collegis, place maisteris and teachearis 1605 Glasgow B. Rec. I. 238.
That naine be plaicit of lipper in the lipper hospitall bot sick as beis placit be proveist … and counsall 1629 Edinb. B. Rec. VII. 60. 1633 Lithgow Poet. Remains iii.
Then there's Lord Provost plac'd in eu'ry townec. a1578 Pitsc. II. 226/28.
All maner of man havand entres to compeir … to heir and sie ane pryour placit agane de nouo 1649 Lamont Diary 8.
Mr Robert Weyms … was placed minister of the Ellie 1652 Stirling B. Rec. II. 315.
Payit to the officars for sueiping the tolbuith and counsell house and cleansing them before the schereff wes placit

3. To set (one or more persons) in their proper relative places, to arrange in order of rank, to rank. a 1568 Sempill Sat. P. xlvii. 30.
Lat … fornicatioun [be] plasit amangis the laif [of sins] a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. xiv. 41.
Thocht thow in court be with the hieast placeit In honour office or in dignitie 1570 Leslie 236.
The Erle of Huntlie was honourable plesed as one of thame according to his ancietie and estait a1578 Pitsc. I. 39/4.
They that ar placeit abone wtheris as ane perfytt exampill of administratioun of equitie Ib. II. 125/21.
All thir lordis war callit to the counsall and plaicit and set conforme to thair estait