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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.

Precis(e)-, Preceisly, adv. Also: precys(e)-, praecise-, pracise-, precies-, presis-, presys-, preseis(e)- and -lie. [e.m.E. precise- (1552), precyse- (1526), presyse- (1494), percysly (c 1450).] Strictly, exactly.

1. With exact correspondence or measurement. a 1568 Sempill Sat. P. xlviii 65.
Now gif ȝe wirk wyislie, and schaip it precyslie, The elwand wald be grit and lang

2. In precise terms, expressly, explicitly. c1578 Reid Swire 157.
Not that I speak preceislie owt That he suppos'd it would be perrill 1615 Bk. Islay 252.
And this I obserued maist preceislie to him 1622-6 Bisset I 95/16.

3. With strict observance of rule or scrupulous attention to detail; scrupulously, punctiliously, carefully, without fail.(a) a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 69 (W).
Preciselie [v.rr. precisely, preceislie] and wiselie, For winter thay [sc. the bees] prouydit 1593 Warrender P. (S.H.S.) II 208.
Remitting me alwayis to your majesties benevolent censure quhilk gif my standing precyselie to my justificatioun may irritat I will … crave pardon 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 84/4.
Learne youre nobilitie to keipe youre lawis als præciselie as the meanest Ib. App. 307.
Keep precisly then your promise Ib. 28/12. 1609 Glasgow Trades House 21.
Presyslie c1610 Melville Mem. (1683) 178.
Alwise if the marriage take effect, that purpose would not be over precisely handled 1639 Culross II 158.
Precislie 1641 Kinghorn Kirk S. 38.
And I pray yow lett him be on Sunday in Kinghorne praciselie, because [etc.] 1650 Laing MSS. I 251.
Presislie 1650 Culross 240.
Preciesly(b) 1593 Elgin Rec. II 30.
Ane fast and preiching to be preceislie keipit the saidis dayis through owt the haill broghe and landwart 1597 Misc. Spald. C. II lxi. 1598 Aberd. B. Rec. II 169. 1604 Urie Baron Ct. 4.
And the transgressouris thairof to be punddit preceislie as is aboun wryttin 1605 Edinb. Test. XL 274 b.
Gif Johnne Stewart … will stik at thais comptis … that I and myn stik als preceislie at the discharge of the reuersioun 1607 Urie Baron Ct. 12.
Preseislie 1609 Garden Garden 25.
Stay, stranger, thou that so preceislie spyes 1612 12th Rep. Hist. MSS. App. viii 120.
And that preseiselie veiklie Ladie An[na] sall heir the houshold comptis taine 1622-6 Bisset I 226/2.
Preceisly according to the … meaning of the samyn clausis irretant 1636 Aberd. B. Rec. III 100.
Vnder the paine of tuentie pundis of wnlaw, to be preceislie exactit of ilk absent 1639 Ib. 166. 1640 in Spalding I 281.
To caus all thair thrie companies of the Erle Marshell his regiment, wnder your command, be preceislie in armes c1650 Spalding II 188.
This fast wes solempnlie keipit … and in New Abirdene so preceislie that no booth dur durst be opnit Ib. 281. 1660 Old Ross-shire I 92.
Preseislie 1702 Banff Ann. I 173.
Deliver … the newes letters preceislie wnbrocken wp or wnselled

b. At a precise or definite time; definitely or punctually. 1591 Reg. Morton I 171.
And swa lippyning that ȝe will not faill to keip this dyett preceislie 1611 Dunkeld Presb. II 34.
That thei may convein preceislie at the tymes appoynted 1616 Aberd. Council Lett. I 139.
Quhilk day man be preceislie keipit incaice they proceid 1628 Edinb. Univ. Chart. 117.
The students ar appointed to convein efter the vacances preceislie the first day of October 1635 Edinb. B. Rec. VII 163. 1640 Old Ross-shire I 220. 1641 Aberd. B. Rec. III 254.
The first bell to ring at halff sevin preceislie 1649 Elgin Rec. II 433. 1660 Glasgow B. Rec. II 443.
Removeing themselfes … at Candlemes presislie 1664 Dunkeld Presb. I 421 n.
To bring in precislie ther collections against the nixt day 1676 Forbes Baron Ct. 303.
Preceislie