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

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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XI).
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Traist, Trast(e, Trest(e, Trust, v.¹ Also: traiste, trayst, treist, trist, thrist, tryst, trost, truist. P.p. also trust. [ME and e.m.E. truste(n (a1225), treste(n, triste(n (both a1250), traiste (Cursor M.), troste(n (Manning), trayste (Rolle), tryste(n (?a1400), trast (north., c1460), ON treysta to make firm, strong, MLG trôsten to comfort.]

1. intr. To have confidence or faith, to believe or place reliance in (on, to, etc.) a person or thing; to depend upon. Also reflex.(a) 1375 Barb. viii 396.
In-to Schyr Alexander Fraser He traistyt 1400 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 44.
Be cause of kyn and the grete lewtee that I traist in thaim and as I suppose yhe traist in thaim on the tother part ?1438 Alex. ii 382.
Quha treatis gud men, he may effy And traist in thame mare sikkerly c1409-1436 Kingis Q. § 130.
Tak Him … in all thy gouernance … and on Him traist and call 1456 Hay I 178/10.
Gif … sauf condyte vaillis nocht, never man wald traist efter in sauf condyt a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 104.
Thi schore compt I noght ane caik, Traist wele thair till 1490 Irland Mir. III 3/23.
Na thing is mar sur na the wis ordinaunce of the king and his wourdis and to thir men suld traist c1520-c1535 Nisbet Philemonn 21.
I traistand of thin obedience wrate to thee, wittand that thou sal do atoure that that I say 1533 Gau 12/12.
Thay that rewlis thair liff … efter special dais … and traistis efter 1551 Hamilton Cat. 47.
Wariit is that man that traistis and puttis his hoip in man 1551 Hamilton Cat. 59.
Traist upon God 1568 Cal. Sc. P. II 490.
And thairfor traistytt to thair awin force and not to the quenes majestes letter(b) c1420 Wynt. viii 5758.
Na yhowng man wes in the land, That traystyd swa in his awyne hand(c) a1400 Leg. S. x 231.
In his name I traste a1400 Leg. S. xxviii 668.
Trast c1475 Wall. iii 97.
Thai trast mar in Wallace him allane Than in a hundreth 1490 Irland Mir. II 12/7.
Trastand and trowand in Jhesu his faith and law c1490 Irland Asl. MS 8/22.
He that trastis vtherway is ewill Cristin man and synnis hevely in heresye(d) a1500 Henr. Orph. 548.
Thai … quhay will trest or confyd Into this warldis vane prosperitie(e) c1600 Montg. Suppl. xxxiii 2.
Quha so dois put thair confidence, And treistis in me(f) 1548 Corr. M. Lorraine 225.
I tryst to God to be with your masterschip schortle(g) 1619 Garden Elphinstoun 180.
Trust not into such toyesreflex. c1420 Ratis R. 788.
To thar awys thow may thé trest

2. a. To have the firm expectation, to expect, to believe to do or in doing (something). b. To hope to do (something). Also with omission of to.a., b. (1) 1375 Barb. iv 327.
How mycht he traist on Hym to cry ?1438 Alex. ii 4468.
Vp he drew His scheld vpone his bak … To traist to couer him in the fecht 1456 Hay I 147/16.
He had feit him for all the hale ȝere, traistand to have his service for the tyme 1463 Acts XII 28/1.
Trastit a1500 Henr. Fab. 1424.
Now am I tane ane wofull presonair And for my gilt traistis incontinent Off lyfe and deith to thoill the iugement a1500 Seven S. 590.
Maxillas … prayit the tormentouris to tary For he trastit that tryst to wary a1500 K. Hart 372.
Full weill is me said Disport of this chance For now I traist gret Melody to ma c1500 Halyb. xxii.
I swer that throw na … haterand … I begyne … thys pleye … bot trastand me to haue ane gud caus 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 742.
I traistit sa for till haue bene mischaip That oft I wald my hand behald to se Gif it alterit 1511 Elibank Charters in Orig. Par. I App. 518.
Johnne of Murray … and all vtheris havand or traistande to have interes in … the landis … of Haltoun 1518 Acta Conc. MS in Armstrong Hist. Liddesdale I 211.
Nochttheles I am laborand and traistis to gett thare plegis 1531 Bell. Boece I 84.
He wes slane be ane young child, quhilk traistit … to get reward for his slauchter 1531 Bell. Boece (M) I 343.
Vortigern, traisting daylie to dee be … mannessing of Saxonis 1544 Corr. M. Lorraine 100.
I sal do the sammen at mi powar and trastes to opten som fawer 1548–9 Corr. M. Lorraine 292.
This last rad … has … bot maid our inimeis harde, and quhill it be mendit the Inglis men well never trast to geit skath 1560 Rolland Seven S. 8812.
Alexander said, the treuth I traist to ges a1578 Pitsc. I 120/7.
He … reteird his armye hame … trastand to instruct thame and to gif thame bettir curage … nor thay had befoir(b) 1540 Lynd. Sat. Proclam. 201.
Adew, crakkar, I will na langar tary; I trest to see thé in ane firy fary a1568 Scott xxxiv 40.
Ȝe trest to find thame trew That nevir wes be forrow(c) 1533 Boece 627b.
King Hary … come with ane new army into France … tristing to draw the Scottis out of France be his autorite(d) 1548 Corr. M. Lorraine 264.
I trost to be with yow or yt be longe(2) 1513 Doug. iii vi 54.
Italy, Quhilk thou trastis be at hand 1560 Rolland Seven S. 4494.
Sa forȝetfull ane wife As I am now I traist be not on life

3. To have confidence, expectation; to believe that (something is the case). Freq. with omission of that. Also, once, const. quhen. Also reflex. and ellipt. or absol.pres. c1405 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 59.
For I trayst he has saide mar in myn absence than he dar awow in my presens c1405 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 59.
I gert cry in diuerse placis the trewis to be kepit, traystand that it suld be sua done on the tother part 1424 Edinb. Chart. 213.
Traiste 1460 Hay Alex. 2358.
Traist [: past] 1473 Treas. Acc. I 67.
His schip … was eschetit … traistand at the said Inglisman had na saulf conduct a1500 Rauf C. 55.
Said the king ‘ … Thow semis ane nobill fallow … ' ‘Forsuith,’ said the Coilȝear, ‘traist quhen thow will’ c1475 Wall. v 214.
Traistis rycht weill all this was suth in deide 1488 Acta Aud. 117/2.
The citineris … has … meid dikis … quhare nane wes maid as he traistis of before 1525 Douglas Corr. 105.
As I traist ȝoure said ambassiatoure has writtin to ȝoure hienes 1533 Bell. Livy II 214/23.
Thai sufferit the inemyis to ascend … traisting the more hie that thai war clummyn vp, thai mycht the more eselie be dung doun agane a1538 Abell 84b.
Hew Morwel fundit the abbay of Dribrouth … & sa I traist he wes a Scottis man c1552 Lynd. Mon. 1263.
I traist, quod he, that wyckitnes Generith, throw sleuthfull ydilnes 1568 Anderson Collect. Mary IV i 118.
I am ready to gif accompt at all tymes, and traistis I sall be able to discharge my selff sufficientlie a1570-86 Maitland in Maitl. F. 34/11.
I traist to God this regioun sall stand(b) 1460 Hay Alex. 3751.
Bot as I trest, that help wil bid to lang a1500 Henr. Deth & Man 30.
Trestand ay ȝowtheid wald with me abyd a1500 Colk. Sow Prol. 54.
I trest I will cast cais vpoun caisis And so lat se quhat cais ȝe think most nyce a1540 Freiris Berw. 431 (B).
Trest ȝe weill [M. traistis weill] I sall do diligence 1545 Douglas Corr. 155.
Treste 1549 Compl. 27/21.
Treist 15.. Lichtoun Dreme 74 (B).
Trest weill this pundlar thocht him no manis pege(c) a1568 Bann. MS 272a/253.
And trust ȝe weill that it is no mervell 1570 Cal. Sc. P. III 531.
Truistitp.t. ?1438 Alex. ii 9061.
I hecht, He traisted that he was wounder wicht! 1456 Hay I 235/13.
That thai traistit wele do na nocht distroublit the kingis ambassadouris 1498 Acta Conc. II 270.
[The said Christian] allegit that scho traistit scho wold not haf bene callit and for that cause scho brocht nocht evidentis 1515 Fife Sheriff Ct. 16.
He trastit he had just cause to propone the said excepcione 1518 Edinb. B. Rec. I 179.
He answerit that he … had in tymis bygane vsit siklyk, and thairfor he traistit he had done na wrang thairintill 1549 Lamb Resonyng 33/20.
Oure souerane kyng [sc. Henry VIII] traistit and belevit that [etc.]p.p. 1474 Treas. Acc. I 49.
Gevin to the trumpatis … at the gadering quhen it wes trastit the Duc of Glosister suld haue cummyn in 1531 Bell. Boece I 73.
It is nocht to be traistit that Romanis sall be more propiciant to us Albianis, gif we be vincustreflex. a1500 Colk. Sow ii 202.
He trestis him for such fowll affectioun Most in surty, suppressit sone salhe beellipt. or absol. 1490 Irland Mir. II 72/20.
God promittis to ws remissioun of our synnis … and has put that in the articlis of the faith that we suld traist and trow without ony maner of dubitacioun 1531 Bell. Boece I 251.
The Pichtis … began [etc.] … nochtheles soner than thay traistit, the Romanis [etc.] 1531 Bell. Boece II 291.
Robert … refusit the croun of Jowry, traisting mair expedient for him to have the empire of Ingland c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus iii 201.
Think ȝe it speidfull Venus mother be thair? To quhat effect traist ȝe, or to quhat fine? 1568 Q. Mary in Ellis Orig. Lett. II (1824) 253.
Y sey nething bot trests weil 1622-6 Bisset I 53/21.
Kenneth traisting the realme stabill to him [etc.](b) a1570-86 Maitl. F. 288/26.
The sureast way that I can find Is first to prufe and syne to trust

4. ellipt. a. In parenthetic use as a confirmatory phrase: I (we) believe.(a) a1500 Seven S. 1867.
Ȝe sall knaw The suth I trast within thre dayis 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 779.
Quhilk intercessioun maid, I traist, for me 1502 Treas. Acc. II 350.
To the clerk with him—I traist the Dene of Paules or Doctour Babingtoun 1505 Treas. Acc. III 157.
To Carnavale, clerk of the quenis closet … vj Franch crounis … I traist quhen he maid ane dans 1505 Perth Guildry 470.
We beseik ȝur maisterschippis … that we may haiff the said seruice befor ony vtheris quhilkis we traist is comovn profit 1513 Prot. Bk. J. Young 423.
Thomas Scott … has … biggit twa archar wyndois in the syd wall … quhilk we traist and understandis he may nocht do c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus ii 197.
Furth can he fair … Throw wildernes … Richt desolait I traist(b) a1500 Colk. Sow ii 140.
Bot for to say the suth, In to hir heid I trest was nocht a tuth 1570 Sat. P. xvii 183.
He may, I trest, set vs at rest(c) 1558-66 Knox II 169.
Quhilk I trust sall not be lang a doing

b. As a parenthetic injunction to accept the verity of the information offered: Believe (me, us).(a) 1375 Barb. xi 309 (C).
In his hye cheuelry Thai had assouerans, trast trewly c1475 Wall. viii 1089.
Trastis, in treuth, will God, we sall nocht faill c1475 Wall. ix 1208.
It sall ye se, trast weill, in werrament a1500 Seven S. 2544.
For traist ȝe weile & I had previt [etc.] 1513 Doug. i Prol. 171.
So that … The twa part of his [sc. Caxton's] volume doith conteyn, That in the text of Virgill, trastis me, The twelt part scars contenys 1513 Doug. i Prol. 191.
Bot trastis weill, quha that [etc.] 1513 Doug. i Prol. 243.
Caxtoun … Crispina clepis Sibilla Cumane, That in the text of Virgill, trastis ws, Hait Deiphebe 1535 Stewart 4535.
‘Traist weill,’ he said, ‘as ȝe ma eth considder [etc.]' a1570-86 Maitl. F. 171/55.
Vnkyndnes, traist sickerlie, Is mother till all tratorie(b) 1632 Lithgow Trav. iii 85.
Trust me, I told … at one time … some 67 villages

5. tr. To trust (a person) (to do something); to put one's trust in, believe in (a person or thing). Also reflex.pres. 1375 Barb. vii 179 (C).
May I trast thé [E. traist in thé] me to valk? 1456 Hay II 149/20.
Lat thame never wit quham thou traistis … for that sall rais envy and despyte c1460 Consail Vys Man 207.
Traist nocht al men that consalis thé a1500 Henr. Fab. 451.
Quhame suld ȝe traist bot me, ȝour seruitour? 1490 Irland Mir. I 21/17.
Fadere of hevin, that we trow in, that we luf and traistis oure all thing 1490 Irland Mir. I 136/3.
The virgin consauit [etc.] … And that this lady suld traist this weraly and gif ferme credens and faithe thar till, the angel [etc.] 1490 Irland Mir. II 59/15.
Thaim that traistis nocht na dredis nocht the rigorus iugement of God 1513 Doug. v xiv 43.
Byddis thou … I suld mysknaw This calm salt watir … Wilt thou I traste this monstre perellus? c1520-c1535 Nisbet Rom. ii 18.
Traistis thi self to be a ledare of blindmen 1530 Lynd. Test. Pap. 595.
He stude vpon the heychest gre, Traistyng no thyng bot perpetuitie 1538–9 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 203.
And fand Thomas Hendre … cautioun … to restoir … the foirsaid sowm … in cais the said Jhone Hawe … beis nocht present to traist, or deceis unmareit 1567 G. Ball. 15.
Quha will beleif, and traist my wordis sure … new agane is borne(b) c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 199/11.
Is na man thair that trestis ane uther(c) a1578 Pitsc. I 231/19.
Na couerttis nor pykthankis sould be trust in his companie 1587-99 Hume 72/118.
The mar they heght, the wors to trust they bep.t. 1460 Hay Alex. 2644.
By drinking of poisone Off thame he traistit maste be fals tresoun 1515 Douglas Corr. 67.
Be caus that I se ȝour guyd grace traistyd me 1533 Gau 4/15.
I traistit mekil of siclik orisons be for in my ald blindnesp.p. 1533 Bell. Livy I 38/4.
He [sc. Romulus] renewit pece betuix Lavyne & Rome, quhilk mony ȝeris eftir continewit, how beit the samyn was nocht traistit(b) 1572 Sat. P. xxxiv 24.
Lordis and lairdes ar nather just, Nor ȝit the commounis to be trust a1578 Pitsc. I 98/10.
The Earle of Crafurde seing him self destietut and spetiallie of them quhome hie maist trustit compellit him to flie for saiftie of his lyfe 1586 Rait & Cameron King James's Secret 75.
I humblye pray your Majestie to examinat onye ill reportis befoir thai shalbe trusted 1614 Innes Sketches 538.
His Maiestie hes trustit yow with this charge

6. To expect, look for (an outcome).(a) 1460 Hay Alex. 3315.
Becaus the toun traistit reskew without Thay wald nocht ȝeld c1475 Wall. iii 158.
Thai traistyt na liff bot the lettir end c1490 Irland Asl. MS 59/21.
And a persoun syn … and traist of it forgevenes c1515 Asl. MS I 222/23.
Thair was in his company … Master Herculis Skrymgeour [etc.] … & nane vtheris for the lord come for gud trety and trastit nain evil 1518 Peebles Chart. 46.
Thai haue broukit thar saidis landis peceabilly … quhil now laitly … the said Johne, traisting trubill in the cuntre [etc.] 1529 Rec. Earld. Orkney 57.
Keping of gud rewle … traisting na troubill of ony personis 1533 Bell. Livy I 42/32.
The faderis began to haue grete fere … traisting sum extern and vncouth violence 1533 Gau 17/7.
Our Salviour sais … len ȝour layne traistand na thing thairfor 1567 G. Ball. 146.
That we, in hartis, may sauour Thy mercy and thy fauour, And traist efter no mo 1587-99 Hume 69/21.
I traisted not, beleeue me weill … The bitter paines … quhilk daylie dois betide(b) c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 65/34.
Now haif I confort … I trest rewaird and thankis

7. To entrust (something) to (in) someone. c1460 Consail Vys Man 395.
Traist nocht thine honore in a fulle 1456 Hay I 179/9.
He wald … nocht traist his persone in it 1456 Hay II 154/29.
Or thou traist thy persone or thy realme in thair handis

8. To trust (a person) (to pay for) goods, to trust that payment will be made; to supply (goods) on credit. 1575 Edinb. Test. III 365b.
Sauld be Jonet … relict of the deid quhairof part scho hes ressauit payment & part hes thristit 1584 Sempill in Sat. P. xlv 1046.
Forsuith my siluer is done … Ye wald doe weill gif ye wald thrist me, … Ye salbe payit … Your tristene sall not be for nought 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. i 136.
Browsters, fleshers and baikers sall lenne (and thrist) to their neighbours aill, flesh and bread sa lang as they buy fra them. And gif they pay not, they are not halden to lenne (or thrist) any mair 1643 Sharpe Witchcraft 115.
The said John being offended because ye would not thrist his wife a 12-pennie caik