Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Sophisticat, ppl. adj. Also: (sophiscat). [Late ME and e.m.E. sophisticate (c1400), med. L. sophisticat-, p.p. of sophisticare.]

1. Adulterated, mixed with inferior substances.attrib. 1657 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 168.
That sophisticat drogues be brunt to the dishonour of the ownerpredic. 1633 Aberd. Council Lett. I 385.
Malt and meall brocht from landwart to commoun marketts in burgh is verie often fund to be sophisticat, the grund malt being mixed with scheling siedes 1656 Nicoll Diary 189.
Wyne, aill and beir … wer all sophisticat 1662 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. I 199.
The said acts … discharges all merchands or ventners of wyne … to … vent or sell any wyes so abused, sophiscat or mixed 1676 Edinb. B. Rec. X 287.
The confectiones and sweet meatts within this burgh are exceidinglie adulterat and sophisticat be the confit makers 1677 Edinb. B. Rec. X 292.

2. Falsified, dishonest. a1597-1617 Hist. Jas. VI (1825) 209.
He brocht in tua fals provis … be the whilk sophisticat affirmatioun thay war bayth convict to be hangit 1691 Master Clark Defended 2.
Our Scots lies-mongar pack them to England to vend their sophisticat wares but … godly ministeris … are not much studious … to … busk their discourses with the gauderie of rhetorick or romantic strains