Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

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

Suthfast, adj. Also: suthfaste, suthefast, swth-, sut-, sucht-, suith-, suyt(h)- and -fest, soithfast, soothfast, schoutfast. [ME and e.m.E. soþfasst (Orm), soðfest (Layamon), sothfast (c1250), sooþfast (c1430), soothfast (1481), OE sóð-, sóþfæst.]

1. Of persons: That can be relied upon to speak the truth, truthful; reliable, trustworthy. a1400 Leg. S. ii 450.
Thai ar thi frendis neuir-the-lese, Suthfaste hirdis [sc. St. Peter and St. Paul], that has thé playntit in hewine 1456 Hay II 155/29.
That he that wald be ane officiare, bailȝie or juge … be suthfast, unchangeable and of gude complexioun 1460 Hay Alex. 333.
Now se I weill my goddis war all suthfast c1460 Regim. Princ. 16 (Maitl.).
Thow ryall king as thus suld rewle thy rewme Gud sound and suthfast to thy subiectis a1500 Henr. Practysis 23.
That ȝe be sicker of this sedull I send ȝow, With the suthfast seggis, That glean all egeis c1475 Wall. viii 107.
Wallace raturnd, … Towart Dunbar, quhar suthfast men him tald, Na purweance was left in to that hald c1500-c1512 Dunb. (STS) xxxv 43.
Quhill I hard tell be mony suthfast wy, Fle wald ane abbot vp in to the sky 1533 Boece 134b.
Thare wyiffis … war requirit to be suthfast vitnes of thare victorie 1561 Hawick Arch. Soc. (1883) 4.
[And with] circumspect sycht of suithfast assyise

b. Only in Alex.: To play at the suthfast king, ? to make love, or ? to engage in courtship or flirtation, with overtones of chivalric conduct or of some courtly game or pastime. ?1438 Alex. ii 3866.
Hir face and hir middle small Portured and shapin suthfastly As quhylum I saw that lady In Venus chalmer, at our gaddering Quhen we playit at the suthfast king ?1438 Alex. ii 4404.
Of Idorus he thocht him thare, Of thare sueit assembling Quhan thay playit at the suithfast king In Venus chalmer [F. quant il fu roys Au jeu ou nus ne ment, selonc amourous drois En la chambre Venus]

c. To ga the suthfast gait, to choose the path of honesty, to behave or speak honestly. ?1438 Alex. ii 7865.
Marciane gais the suithfast gait! He is nocht lyke sum that I wait That sayis, ‘my lord sayis richt weill’ [etc.]

2. Of things said or written: True, accurate. Also (once) of dreams.(1) 1375 Barb. i 3.
Than suld storys that suthfast wer … Hawe doubill plesance in heryng 1375 Barb. i 13.
Tharfor I wald fayne set my will, … To put in wryt a suthfast story a1400 Leg. S. vii 152.
Al the puple gadderit are, … to here thi suthfast lare a1400 Leg. S. xxxvi 83, etc. c1400 Troy-bk. ii 3072.
It that was ekit last [sc. in a book] I afferme nocht to be suthfast 1432 Charter (Reg. H.) No. 285.
It is niediful and meritabill to ber witnes to suthfast thingis c1475 Wall. viii 677. 1513 Doug. i Prol. 197.
In similitudes … The suythfast [Ruddim. soithfast] materis to hyde and to constreyn 1536 St. P. Henry VIII V 51.
Sum tyme sinister and wrang report dois grete evill quhilk we intend ay to amend be the contrarie of suthfast relatioun making to ȝow 1552 Crail B. Ct. MS flyleaf.
Sen yt is nedfull … to beyr leyll witnasyng in suytfast thyngis 1570 Sat. P. xiii 142.
Ane suithfast sentence heirfoir I sall ȝow tell(2) 1513 Doug. vi xv 111.
Thar bene ordanyt for dremys ȝettis twane … At quham the suythfast [Ruddim. soithfast] swevynnis by and by … ischis furth lychtly

b. specif. Of evidence or testimony.(a) a1400 Leg. S. xiii 34.
Bot thai tuke suthfaste witnesinge That [= at] myld Mary of al this thinge 1384 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 6.
For why medeful thing and meritable is to ber witnes to suthfastnes for thi it is that I ber witnes lele and suthfast that [etc.] 1425 Liber Melros II 545.
The sayd assyse ȝert be sworn mony worthy diverse men to make suthfast relacion eftir that thai had herde and sene 1456 Hay II 64/34.
He … dois evin as a juge that levis gude and suthfast witnes led in a caus before him, and jugis … be the chirmyng of foulis, or be the berking of doggis 1474 Edinb. B. Rec. I 28. 1499–1500 Acta Conc. II 346.
And certane utheris persons being his familiaris to bere lele and suthfast witnessing betuex him and the persons abonewritin 1498 Acta Conc. II 188, etc. 1499 Fam. Rose 170.
It is meide and meritabill to beir leill and suthfast witnessing in the thingis that ar trew, that may kep innysentis fra skath 1533 Wigtown B. Ct. 287b.
The said Wylle comperyt in covrt & suere that he suld beyre … sutfast vytnes in the caus movyt betuix Jame & Neyll M^cTagyrt 1567 Treas. Acc. XII 81.
To twa witnes … to verifie and beir suithfast witnessing of the chargeing and summoning of the personis foirsaidis 1649 Stirling Merch. Guild 63.
Suthefast 1692 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Processes 14 April.
Swthfast 1699 Misc. 3 Spald. C. II 104.
Soothfast(b) 1532 Haddington B. Rec. (Robb) 29 May.
Neid and meritable it is to beir leill & suchtfast witnes to the verate 15… Aberd. B. Rec. MS (Jam. s.v. Meritor n.).
Suchtfest(c) 1451 11th Rep. Hist. MSS. App. vi 25.
I Jhone of Dalȝel … beris trow and schoutfast vitnes that [etc.]ellipt. 1559–60 St. A. Kirk S. 22.
That the summond … Margaret Moncur [etc.] … to compere before us … to beyr leill and suthfast, in ane actioun … of divorce … moved … be [etc.]

c. Reliable, certain, sure. a1400 Leg. S. vi 545.
To the apostil scho brocht me, That has me kend the suthfast vay To Cristis blyse 14.. Reg. Maj. c. 130.
The aduocacone dependis til him or til his antecessouris that fre til haf gevyn throu ony suthfast titil 1455 Acts II 44/1.
Four balis ilkane besyde vther and all at anys as four candillis salbe suthfast knalege that thai ar of gret power and menys 1456 Hay I 65/33.
Augustus … was the first that ever was callit Emperour of Rome be suthfast and trewe histories 1456 Hay II 114/27.
He has ordanyt certane and gude suthefast remedis … to kepe the man in hele 1460 Hay Alex. 483.
King Philip haid maid his orasoun Till his goddis … To send him trew and suthfest certening 1540 Linlithgow B. Ct. 27 Oct.
For trew and suthfast deliuerans in the premisis Robart Scott and Petir Newlandis … hes … sworne … to decyd and sentence gyf on the sammyn

d. Of a judgment: Just, equitable. c1420 Wynt. viii 5306.
The dome wes suthfast and worthy 14.. Acts I 379/2.
Ilke soytour in court is … bundyn be the gret athe swthfast dome to gyff and lawchfull at his cunnyng

3. Of persons or things: Truly that which the name implies; true, real, genuine. Also (once) inflected in agreement with the noun.(1) a1400 Leg. S. iii 495.
Gyf thu wil tru In Criste, … suthfaste God to be a1400 Leg. S. vi 121, etc. 14.. Acts I *89/2.
To gethir a falouschip sekyr and a suthfast frendschip bot dyssayt 1456 Hay I 261/22.
The quhilkis ar ofttymes blamyt for envy and despyte, but caus of crime, mare na is blamyt for ony suthfast crime a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 1045.
I swere be suthfast God, that settis all on sevin 1513 Doug. iii v 56.
Is that thine awyn face, and suythfast thyng? … Levis thou ȝit, son of the goddes?(2) a1400 Leg. S. i 357.
Thu May knaw be pruf richt weil now, Me suthfastis Goddis son to be