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

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First published 1986 (DOST Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Popul(o)us, adj. Also: populos, popullus, popelus. [Late ME and e.m.E. populus, -os, -ous having many inhabitants (? Lydgate, Metham), of or involving many people (? Lydgate), of the populace (1592), L. populōs-us f. populus people, F. populeux (1564 in Hatz.-Darm.). Cf. also Pepulus.] Populous.

1. Of a territory or place: Having many inhabitants, thickly inhabited, frequented by many people.(a) c1400 Troy-bk. ii 1580.
Quhar-throw the towne was maid … Richt populus
1531 Bell. Boece II 75.
This ciete wes richt populus, all the nixt winter, with mony nobillis and commonis of Britane
1572 Buch. Detect. (1727) 67.
Quha … was wont to be ludgeit in the maist populous partis of the towne
Ib. 85.
Throw the cheif and maist populous gait of the towne
a1578 Pitsc. II 108/17.
Sic popullus touns weill garnischit of men
1578–9 Reg. Privy C. III 79.
Populus
1585 Ib. 747. 1591 Ib. IV 622. 1596 Dalr. I 9/11.
The south [of Scotland] is mekle birthfuller … and mair populous [etc.]
(b) a1500 Colk. Sow ii 93.
And this in France fell … Or it prevelit planeist and popelus

2. Of a body of people: Numerous, abundant. 1535 Stewart 47634.
This King Edward … forder moir is gone With his power quhilk wes richt populos
1583 Rec. Univ. Aberd. 132.
Nethir yit ar thay congregationis of grit boundis or utherwyis populus that thai require ony seuerall ministratioun
1596 Bk. Univ. Kirk III 861.
The towne … hes takin … labour in divyding of their populous congregatioun

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"Populus adj.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 29 Mar 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/populous>

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