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.
Quotation dates: 1450-1510, 1609-1618
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Spit(e)full, Spytfull, adj. Also: spightfull. [Late ME and e.m.E. spiteful (c1440), spyteful (c1450), spightful (1582); Spite n.] Spiteful, malicious, malevolent; full of, possessing or expressing spite. a. Of feelings or emotions. b. Of something written. c. Of a person, etc.a. 1450-1510 Gray MS iv 122.
Thow seruice me with spitefull cheir 1618 Craig vi 4.
Statelie Tay … Who with his speats in spightfull raige hath dround The famose Perths faire bridgeb. 1609 Criminal Trials II 602.
The manie proclamations penned be him, spytfull enewgh against the ministers 1612 Archaeologia Scotica IV 90.
I long to see the rest of your Polyalbion come ferth which is the onlye epicke poeme England … hath to be prowd of … . These our times now, are so given to envenomed satyres and spitfull jeasts, that [etc.]c. c1611–c1617 Mure Early Misc. P. i 105.
Ane spytfull spidar, ewer spewing The poysonous potioune of late rewing c1614 Mure Dido & Æneas i 654.
Guarded with a groave of awfull armes, She sitts secure frome spightfull traitors' harmes
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"Spitfull adj.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 12 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/spitefull>
