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

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First published 2000 (DOST Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

S(c)hap(e, n.¹ Also: s(c)happ, shappe, schaip(e, s(c)heap, scheaip; chape. Pl. also shapies. [ME and e.m.E. shap (c1200), also scheape (Ancr. R.), schape (a1225), scap, scape (Cursor M.), schapp (c1400), shappe (a1425), OE gesceap. Cf. ON skap.The OE form is normally represented in ME with a short vowel. ‘The form shape (with lengthened vowel due to the influence of shape v.) did not become common till the 15th c., though occasional examples, perhaps due to inflexion, are found early in the 13th c.’ (OED).]

1. The outlines of the space occupied by a body at a given moment, either as seen from one standpoint, or as projected in the round from what has been observed on more than one occasion. 1513 Doug. v vii 70.
Twa kempys burdonys … With al thar harnes and braseris …, Of weght ful huge and schap onmesurly 1549 Compl. 38/20.
Quhen thai sau ane sycht of his [sc. the sun's] goldin scheaip

b. The contour, or outlines, of the trunk of the body. c1450-2 Howlat 68 (B).
I se be my schaddow my schap hes the wyte 1513 Doug. Comm. i Prol. 371.
Sexus is the discretioun, diuersitie or differens in schap, betwix the mail and the female in al maner corporal creatouris 1562-3 Winȝet II 58/25.
For gif manis schape be eftir turnit in ony forme nocht of his awin kynd, or always ony thing be eikit to the numbir of the membris [etc.] 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 43.
Gif it [sc. a monster] wer moir deforme and strange of face, behaviour, schap and memberis Id. Comm. on Virgil Georgics iii 51.
Corpora praecipue matrum legat, makdome, schaip

c. Imagined, or represented, form; image; model; pattern. a1568 Bann. MS 220b/2.
In to my hairt emprentit is so soir Hir schap hir forme and eik hir seymlines a1578 Pitsc. I 252 h. of ch.
Quhair ye sall find the schap of the kingis schipe and hir pictour 1673 Mylne Master Masons 185.
I have agreed with two Dutch men, who are excellent joiners, and have made all my shapies and lyneings of my rooms at Ham

d. The ‘image’ or ‘likeness’ of God. c1420 Wynt. i 45.
Tyll Hys schape and Hys lyklynes Man and angell fourmyd wes Ib. 76 (E).
Lik to God Adam schappin wes In His schap and His liknes 1533 Gau 37/16.
Christ Jesu … beand in the schaip of God

2. The appearance of a person's face or, chiefly, of the form of the body as distinguished from the face. Chiefly in verse.(1) a1400 Leg. S. xi 87.
Quhat-kyne schape that Jhesu had Of visage, or quhow it wes mad(2) ?1438 Alex. i 1301.
Of all schaip was he richt wele maid, With armys large and schoulderis braid, Fare schankis, leggis and feit c1450-2 Howlat 60 (A).
I dar … Nocht for schame of my schape in pert till appeire Ib. 260 (B).
That nature Mycht reforme his figure In a fair schaip Ib. 84. c1515 Asl. MS I 155/19.
Europia bringis furth … men strangar and farer of schap than Affrica 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 454.
Scho was peirles of schap and portrature c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 143/95.
Rycht strong of corpis, of fassoun fair, but feir, Lusty of schaip, lycht of deliverance 1513 Doug. xiii viii 59.
Of bewte, schap and all afferys, perfay, Sa excelland that wondir war to say 1535 Stewart 12814.
With semelie schap most gudlie to behold a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xxxii 50.
I thank my God I shame not of my shap 1604-31 Craig i 27.
Of her highnes natall … To see thy shapp all leiuing leids excell 1611-57 Mure Early Misc. P. xviii 1.
Thou, thou, quhose lovelie schaip, of all admyr'de 1621-40 Melville Commonpl. Bk. 56.
No schaip to pleis ane loowin ei

3. The visible form or appearance associated with a particular class or species of persons, animals or things.(1) 14.. Edinb. Univ. MS La. ii 318.
In sic tyme ar gottin messellis And sum that has no schap of man 1513 Doug. vii vii 25.
And hir in schap transformyt of a trat Ib. vi xvi 42. a1605 Montg. Misc. P. li 34.
Quhen Jupiter the schap of bull did tak(b) a1400 Leg. S. iii 1095.
Is the fende in wemanis schape, Hyme with fandinge til vmlape Ib. xxxii 382.
The feynde … the schape of a ȝung man Tuk a1510 Aberd. Univ. Rev. XXXVI 49.
Bot fendis anone In thar [sc. angels'] schape tempis mony ane 1562-3 Winȝet II 58/25.
Gif manis schape be eftir turnit in ony forme nocht of his awin kynd [etc.] 1598 Misc. Spald. C. I 121.
Thow affermis that the elphis hes schapes and claythis lyk men 1661 Soc. Ant. XXII 254.
She did sie Johne Tailȝeor sometymes in the shape of a todde and sometimes in the shape of a swyn 1662 Crim. Trials III 611.(c) 1596 Dalr. I 61/33.
Sum agane with the ful schapp of ane foul(d) 1630 Justiciary Cases I 144.
The devill appeirit … in the schaipe and liknes of ane blak man all cled in blak(e) 1598 Misc. Spald. C. I 119.
In the liknes and scheap of a woman 1661 Elgin Rec. II 296.
And efterward was in scheap of ane man 1661 Old Ross-shire I 229.
Any creature of the sheap of a whaill(2) a1400 Leg. S. xxvii 871.
He … turnyt till a stane, And in that schape sa standis he 1595 Duncan App. Etym.
Embryon, vel -um, the bairne in the mothers wombe before it be of a perfite schaip 1653 Binning Wks. 277.
The glory of the … Son of God was the more visibly manifested that he appeared in so low and unequal a shape(3) a1568 Bann. MS 82b/81.
The fructis takis thair schape also in the tyme of ver

b. The appearance by which one individual is distinguishable from another. a1585 Maitl. Q. 161/43.
Wald michtie Joue … metamorphosing our schap My sex intill his vaill [? for wald] convert 1597 Elgin Rec. II 55.
Scho returned in her awin schaipe agane 1629 Justiciary Cases I 102.
Changeing hir self in hir awin chape agane

4. concr. Body; substantial form. 1562-3 Winȝet II 59/17.
Ȝit nochttheles na thing be changeit of the propirtie of the first seid, albeit the schap ȝea forme and difference be eikit [etc.] a1585 Maitl. Q. 249/6.
And euerie thing that nature furth hes brought Or ȝit to licht with schap and lyfe hes wroght a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xxii 26.
Bot Natur nou … meins to metamorphose me In sik a shappe as hes no happe To further weill

5. ? Fashion of dress; the cut or make of a garment. a1400 Leg. S. xxxiv 27.
A woman … with sa costly aray … & of schere schape, & syndri wise, That maistri ware it to dewise 1540 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 216.
The clath and schap of Thome Hendersone vyf kyrtaill

6. In other senses, perhaps nonce-uses: a. In weakened sense: Kind, sort, form. b. The manner in which letters are formed in writing.a. 1597 in Moysie xxiii.
[He] appeirit crabit at the beginning, but is satlit sensyne, content with sum schape of excuiseb. 1609 Acts IV 423/1.
The carecter aggreis euery way with the schap of Restalriggis handwrytt