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

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

Suspect, Suspek, adj. (n.²). Also: suspecte, -pecht, suspec(k, subspect. [ME and e.m.E. suspect (Cursor M.), OF suspet, -pect (1311 and c1360 in Larousse), L. suspectus, p.p. of suspicere.]

A. adj. 1. That arouses, or is the object of, suspicion; (that is) suspected of possessing some, chiefly negative, attribute or characteristic, as, being harmful, dangerous, untrustworthy, dishonest, disreputable, disloyal, in breach of the law, etc. Variously const. a. Of persons. b. Of things. 1386 Reg. Episc. Aberd. I 174.]
[Nouerit … nos vidisse inspexisse … quasdam cartas litteras et euidencias … non viciatas non cancellatas non abolitas nec in aliqua suarum partium suspectasa. attrib. 1531 Bell. Boece I xxv.
Sum times fechtand aganis the Scottis, thair awin confiderat freindis, be unprudence of young and suspect personis 1533 Bell. Livy I 135/10.
Eftir that the hous was ischit of all suspect persouns, [they] began to commoun of mony hie materis a1538 Abell 44a.
Paip Felice … ordanit … that the accusaris & the juge [of one charged with criminal offence] suld nocht be suspect personis and without defamatioun 1562 Aberd. Eccl. Rec. 10.
Syndrie suspect personis, of evill fame … walkis the haill nycht, drinking, carting and dissing 1589 Edinb. B. Rec. V 9.
Jhonn Nymbill … beand wairdet for his evill lyfe and misbehaviour, oblist himself nocht to be fand … haunting in any unhonest suspect places or with suspect cumpany a1633 Hope Major Pract. II 270.
Wreitts … make na fayth … if subscrivit be a suspect nottar 1684 Dumfr. & Galloway Soc. XXXVI 146.
Never to harbour … rebells or suspect persons in tyme coming(b) 1525 Aberd. B. Rec. I 113.
Quhat sumeuer personis that beis suspekit to have ony suspek person within thaimpredic. c1400 Troy-bk. ii 1639.
Vlixes stall thiftuisly Away, as grauntand him gilty For quhilk thai war suspect the les 1531 Bell. Boece (M) I 98.
The Scottis be sum opinions ar repute nocht suspect, bot of dull ingyne 1549 Dumfr. & Galloway Soc. XVII 205.
That na persoun beand put to the mwyr seik or suspect return to the said burgh agane a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xxxvii 19.
Suppose we be suspect. Go to—vhat rek? — 1535 Stewart 25008.
This Wortigerne … Suspect he wes richt far of euerie part — 1535 Stewart 48886.
Robert the Bruce … mony brethir … hed War men of gude … And for that caus the moir suspect wes he With King Edward — 1584 Acts III 296/2.
For convening of his subiectis in armis for … apprehending of personis giltie and suspect [etc.] 1603 Moysie 22.
The personis suspect wer Arthour Hamiltoun of Muretoun, Archie his sone [etc.]ellipt. 1565 Reg. Privy C. I 383.
Finding thame to be ony of the saidis rebellis, thair assistaris … or messingeris, or ony utherwayise suspectb. attrib. 1512 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I 138.
That na … indwellares within this burgh … resaue or resaitt ony vthers suspect geir 1513 Doug. ii i 45.
Bot Capis … Bad cast or drown into the sey … That suspek presand [sc. the Trojan horse] 1535 Stewart 40060.
Makcobey … Befoir thame all behind Makduffis bak Rycht suspect langage that tyme of him spak 1626 Justiciary Cases I 52.
Thair was suspect drinkis offerit to hir … to terrifie hir for extorting of the said confessioun 1647 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 85.
All the inhabitantis … who hade any … suspect guds [etc.] 1661 Cramond Kirk S. I 18 Aug.
Being questioned if ever at any tyme shee had conversed alone in ane unseemlye suspect manner with the said Robertpredic. c1400 Troy-bk. ii 285.
At this counsele … holden in this maner Be not suspect ine the hydyng Of it I woll pas to the kyng … and sey hym fenȝeandly That [etc.] 1498 Acta Conc. II 292.
That the sade letter was sum part suspect because the last lyne contenit in the sammyn was nocht writin the tyme that the remanent of the sade letter was writin 1533 Boece 41.
To Britounis this affinite was suspect, fering gif thir twa naciouns [sc. Scots and Picts] war be sic tendirnes of blude copulate, thai suld incres and be of ane opinioun 1678 Mackenzie Laws & C. i xxvii 2 (1678) 269.
Falshood in writ … some doctors think punishable only, if the writ produced by them was suspect; and it is said to be suspect, if either it appear vitiat by occular inspection, or [etc.] — 1535 Stewart 91.
Tha maid thair buikis … Part be ges and part be fenȝeit fabillis … Syne … pat thame altogidder Without ordour, fassoun, or effect, Mekill wantit and all the lave suspect 1536 Linlithgow B. Ct. 6 Oct.
That na nychtboir resait pykerye nor geir suspect

c. Of places.Freq., suspected of harbouring plague. Also, later, in church discipline cases, suspected of being used for immoral purposes. 1498 Acta Conc. II 181.
Til monys Maister David Gardin that he cum nocht in na suspect place quhare the sade Jonet is 1512 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I 137.
That na maner of folkis hous harbery or ressett ony maner of persoun cummand furth of suspect places 1530 Soc. Ant. II 393.
Suspec 1562 Carte Northberwic 84.
The saidis personis to abstene fra carnall daill and suspect place 1568 Lanark B. Rec. 42.
Four honest men till keip the portis … and till hald furth the persones that dwellis in suspect parochinis 1585 Edinb. B. Rec. IV 442.
Any suspect or infectit howssis 1589 Edinb. B. Rec. V 9 (see a above). 1615 Orkney & Shetl. Ct. Bks. 29.
Anent rancelling for thift … to rancell, search and seik all houssis and suspect places 1622-6 Bisset I 176/19.
Gif the lybell … is blottit or raised in suspect places. That is to say in the name or surname of the perseware or of the defendare … in the name of the land [etc.] 1631 Dundonald Par. Rec. 322.
James Thomsoun made his repentance for haunting of Bessie Young in suspect places after they wer inhibite by the sessioune 1633 Reg. Privy C. 2 Ser. V 559.
If at any tyme to cum scho be fand to hant suspect places, to use charmes [etc.] 1650 Dumfries Kirk S. 21 March.
& to dishaunt her companie in any suspect place till he be maried to her — 1513 Doug. iii viii 85.
The Gregionys herbry and fronteris suspek We left behynd — 1583 Edinb. B. Rec. IV 312.
The candilmakeris … in St. Mary Wynd to withdraw … and dwell within the wallis of the town, becaus the place quhair thai dwell is ane suspect pairt for randing of talloun and sending the sam away furth of the realmellipt. 1596 Dalr. I 59/6.
Bot the worst, cruellest, and maist suspecte [sc. rock] amang thame al, thay cal Corbreche

d. To hald (also, have) (a person or thing) suspect, to suspect, be suspicious of.(1) c1500-c1512 Dunb. (STS) xx 34.
Be thow not ane roundar in the nwke, For, gif thow be, men will hald thé suspect 1513 Doug. iv iii 14.
I knaw thou had in feir and dreid Our cite, and held the lugyng suspek 1535 Stewart 25012.
In all his tyme he held thame ay suspect 1543 Corr. M. Lorraine 50.
For spekin with ane gentill man quhilk desyrit sa oft spekin with me [that I] suld be haldin inconstant and suspek(2) a1500 Lanc. 139.
Thi plant schall yhov vrit … In metir, quhich that no man haith susspek 1531 Bell. Boece (M) I 365.
The Saxonis, eftir sa grete feliciteis havand fortoun, quhilk standis nocht ay propiciant, suspect a1538 Abell 30b.
He dred all men and had all commonyng suspek quharfor he passit euir with armyt men abowt him — c1400 Troy-bk. ii 1635.
Thai had tham in-to misleve And suspect in-to mekile thing Of Thelamonyus murthering

e. Const. to (the person suspecting or mistrusting). a1500 Henr. Abbay Walk 35.
He [sc. God] is ane iuge to nane suspect, To pvneis synffull man and saif 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 25.
Quhat governour may be put to him or lieutenent to hir les suspect nor sic men as hes na pretens of successioun to the croun

f. Const. of (in, with) the crime, sin, etc. suspected. Also ellipt.(a) a1500 Seven S. 1220.
Schir I am dredand That na woman get may I For ȝe ar suspect of missalry a1500 Bk. Chess 1533.
Of adultrye he suspect was 1524 Acts XII 40/2.
Gif it sall happin ony playnt … to comitt cryme of leis maieste or be suspect therof 1542 Acts II 415/1.
Of the fugiteuis suspect and summond of herese 1564 Reg. Privy C. I 276.
Ane schip … suspect of piracie 1571 Treas. Acc. XII 282.
To charge Williame Wallange, skippar, suspect of pest, to departe with his schip to Sanct Colmis Inche a1585 Maitl. Q. 108/4.
I thank my God that to hir am thrall Quha neuer wes of onye vyice suspect 1592–3 Edinb. B. Rec. V 82.
Persouns … that ar bruittet and suspect of papistrie 1597 Elphinstone Fam. Bk. II 135.
Maren Levingstoun, dilated and suspect of the … murthour of our vmquhile cousinesse 1605 Rothiemay Kirk S. in J. Gordon Hist. I App. l.
[Two girls who did not take Communion] pretendit excuss of seikness bot suspect of religion 1631 Dundonald Par. Rec. 337.
Adam Foullertoun … suspect of fornicatioun with Margret Stein, his fatheris handmaid 1635 Banff Ann. I 73.
Kathereine Tailyeour … idill vagabound and leud leiwand persone suspect of thift, was banischit 1647 Acts VI i 761/1.
Recommendation to the Lyon for discharging messengeris suspect of poprie — 1503 Treas. Acc. II 234.
William Ferry … wes suspect with pestilence 1601 Bk. Univ. Kirk III 965.
Paedagogues suspect in religioun(b) 1623 Crim. Trials II 537.
Depositiounes of Issobell Haldane, suspecht of wischcraft(c) 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 17.
James Betoun, … subspect of the cryme of leismaiestieellipt. 1562 Aberd. Eccl. Rec. 8.
All suspect personis of adultery [etc.]

g. Const. to be (once, to have done) (something). Also with elision of the verb.(a) 1591–2 Warrender P. (SHS) II 168.
Sic others as ar suspect to be … na lesse culpable then thame selfes 1593 Crim. Trials I ii 302.
Ane schip of Prestoun … quhairin ar sindrie personis … suspect to be infectit with the pest 1605–6 Misc. Spald. C. V 80.
For thrie burding of hedder to burne Margrett Burnetts hous witht in the Grene, being suspect to be infectit 1634 Dundonald Par. Rec. 384.
Suspect to have brocken the Saboth by playing … at the nyne holes 1650 Boharm Kirk S. 13 Oct.
W^m Grant, suspect to be a worlok c1650 Spalding II 33.
The Quene hir self wes suspect to be vpone the counsall heirof — 1570-3 Bann. Trans. 34.
The said captane set at fredome suldeouris that were apprehendit as suspect going to that enterprise — 1600 Reg. Privy C. VI 220.
Anent certane materis quhairof he is suspect gilty 1689 Acts XII 58/2.
A warrant to cite such as are suspect guilty to compeir(b) c1615 Chron. Kings 178.
Mr. Johne Hammiltone wes … suspeck to be priwie to the gwne puder [plot] of Ingland

2. specif. Suspected of bias against or in favour of (a party in a dispute, etc.), partial. Variously const.(1) attrib. 14.. Acts I 357/2.
Be a gud and nocht suspek assise it salbe determinit [etc.] a1500 Henr. Fab. 1190, 1194 (Bann.).
The law sayis, it is rycht perelous Till interply befoir a iuge suspect … Thairfoir, as juge suspect, I thé declyne 1500 Acta Conc. II 433.
Thai ingyrit thame till the office of the schirefschip, thai being suspect persons of the law 1508 Reg. Privy S. I 258/1.
It is notourly knawin that thare is dedely inimyte betuix thaim for the slauchter of the said stewartis fader committit be the said Johnis son … quhairthrow the said stewart is suspect juge to him c1575 Balfour Pract. 283.
He is a suspect judge quha has the like cause of his awin dependand in judgment 1583 Reg. Privy C. III 570.
[The Earl of Errol] intendis to … put thame to the knawledge of ane suspect assyis albeit thai ar maist innocent of the said cryme(2) predic. 1471–2 Acta Aud. 17/1.
That the erle of Angus quhilk is juge ordinare to him … in the said action is parciale to him & suspect of the law 1471 Acta Aud. 17/1.
Gif it be considerit & knawin that the erle of Angus is suspect of law to outher of the partijs that [etc.] 1482–3 Acta Conc. II ciii.
The said schiref was suspect for affinite betuix him and the said William folowar of the said breve 1520 Fife Sheriff Ct. 188.
The said … Alexander offerit him to preif in to jugement that the said schiref deput wes suspect to be juge to him … allegeand that the said schiref wes inemy to him because [etc.] 1548 Ex. Processes (Reg. H.) Drummond v. Drummond.
Oure said scheref & his deputis on na wis being juges competent to the said James bot al wais suspect as said is 1622-6 Bisset I 174/18.
That he can nocht be judge, because he is partiall and suspect in the cause(3) 1484–5 Acta Conc. I *95/2.
Lettrez … charging four hedis men of ilkane of the thre bordouris lest suspect, to gif the lordis ther avise … in the said mater 1496 Acta Conc. II 27.
Ane inquisicione of the best and worthyest, lest suspect, that best knawis the veryte 1555 Peebles B. Rec. I 214.
That thair be ane certane newtrale men leist suspect, to the nowmer of viij or ix persones, to consider the merchis — 1498 Acta Conc. II 183.
That he … tak ane inquisicione of the best and worthyest of the cuntre that best knawis the verite, lest suspect til owther of the partiis

3. Suspected of being what is implied by the following noun. c1420 Wynt. vii 482.
Thare wes a suspect traytoure, Set swa he wes nowcht prowyd in dede, Yhit swilk he provyd, or thine he yhed

B. absol. as noun. 1. One who is suspected of some offence. 1501–2 Wemyss Chart. 119.
My richtis, resounys and allegacionis to produce and schaw, … suspek till accus, instrumentis to tak and rais [etc.]

2. coll. Persons (least) suspected of bias, in sense A 2 (3) above. 1538 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 193.
To ryd the bowndis of our said south common with avys of the best and vorthiest, eldest, lest suspect of our burgh in maner of landemearis