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

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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Twis(e, Twys(e, adv. (adj., n.). Also: twijse, twice, twiss, twyce, twyss(e, twyis(e, twyes, tuis(e, tuice, tuys(e, tuyce, tuyss(e, tuyis, tuies, tuyes, tweis, tweys, twess(e, tueisse, twois, tuois, tway(i)s, tysse. [ME and e.m.E. twiȝȝess (Orm), twise (Cursor M.), twys (Manning), tweis (1377), twyse (a1400-50), tuyes (a1450), twice (1591), late OE twiᵹes.]

1. Two times; on two separate occasions.(a) 1375 Barb. iii 242.
The rayne thus lettyt the fechtyn, Sa did it twys thar-efter syne 1375 Barb. xii 176.
It is a gret discomforting Till our fayis that on this wis Sa sone has bene rabutyt twis a1400 Leg. S. xl 773.
How men fastis it, … Thryse ilke rath of the ȝere; Twise to-giddire, the thrid be skil ?1438 Alex. i 852.
Ȝe now tuise hes prayit me ?1438 Alex. ii 4421.
Tuis 1473 Treas. Acc. I 47.
Passand twis to Sanctandrios and anys to Dunbare c1475 Wall. x 125.
Throw Goddis grace I reskewed Scotland twys 1491 Acts II 225/2.
That … airis be set and haldin twis in the ȝere … anys one the gris and anys one the corne 1569–70 Bk. Univ. Kirk I 165.
He … visited all the kirkes of Orknay and Ȝetland tuice 1572 Sat. P. xxxvi 37.
That, … ane nobill man … Sould have bene coulpit twyise; first be ane theif, Then be Lochlevin 1582 Old Ross-shire I 108.
Tuies 1589–1600 Skipper's Acc. (Morton) 57a.
Twyes 1638 Rec. Kirk Scotl. 49.
Tuysse 1645 Carnock Kirk S. in Row xxx.
I wes not able to teache tuyes every Sabbathe day 1662 Peebles B. Rec. II 52.
For setting ane kowes sowme tuyce over, fourtie schilling Scottes 1689 Acts XII 59/2.
That the members be allowed to speak oftner then twyce if it be done with discreatione(b) 1568 Inverness Rec. I 171.
To … past tweis in the owke trocht the haill buytht haldaris c1600 Pont Cunningham 10.
Its bankes to passe, doth tueiss assay. And tueisse againe reteirs each day(c) 1583–4 St. A. Kirk S. 518.
[He] hed twois to do with hir and na mair 1584 St. A. Kirk S. 541.
William Moir to mak tuois publict satisfactioun, becaus he is relappis and nocht yit satisfeit(d) 1616 Haddington Corr. 130.
I haue yit bot twayis mett with the Queens Maistie(e) 1628 Sutherland Bk. II 150.
I wryt twess to yow, aneis from Aberdein and anes from Dundie 1676 Edinb. B. Rec. X 167.
Twesse(f) 1657 Balfour Ann. IV 5.
The parliaments 10 artickells of instructione to ther commissioners read tysse in the housse

b. (For) a second time, again. Also, to think tuyse, to reconsider.Some examples may be further instances of 1 above.(1) 14.. Acts I 24/2.
Gif ony man or ony woman … be in forfaute of brede or ale nane sall hafe tharof a do bot the borow greffis And gif he faltis twyis he sall be chastyte twyis for his forfaute Gif he faltis thryse [etc.] a1500 Rauf C. 148.
Now is twyse … me think thow hes forȝet 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. i 388.
And now this time is twyis 1503 Reg. Soltre 158.
For the poynting of the kirk twis sand and lyme xxxvi s. c1520-c1535 Nisbet Philipp. iv 16.
Quhilk send to Thessalonyca aanys and twijse into vse to me 1571–2 E. Loth. Antiq. Soc. VII 65.
Johne Thomsoun to gang tuyis to Dirlton [to] get wit quhar Lord Ruthven and the laird of Cleis was and to resave fra him ane writtin a1585 Maitl. Q. 254/34.
I wes bot blunt Till wow a wedow … And namelie ane wha had bene brunt And myndit not to hazard twys a1598 Ferg. Prov. No. 27.
Auld men are twise bairnes(2) c1590 Fowler II 77/16.
Quhatsumeuer of the nighbour nations wald attempt to … invade that province, he sal be forced to think tuyse

c. Anys or (and) twyse, twyse or thryse, once or twice, two or three times; a few times. c1420 Wynt. i 417.
The dow he send furth anys or twyis 1456 Hay I 145/31.
Anys or twis in the ȝere a1500 Henr. Fab. 749.
In the watter outher twyis or thryis He dowkit him a1540 Freiris Berw. 358 (M).
On this wyse he ȝeid the hous about Weill twys or thrys a1568 Bann. MS 141a/26.
Than kissit I hir anis or twyis 1596 Dalr. II 7/18.
His vertuous actes wichtlie wrocht, nocht anes or tuyse, but oft 1602 Dundonald Par. Rec. 10.
Thai haif assayed it tuyss or thryse and hes gottin no buttir 1624 Chron. Perth 26.
Ane grait lymer, quha haid been ains or twyss forgewen 1633 Cochran-Patrick Coinage II 83.
The experience quhairof I have seene twyse or thryse in my awin tyme 1650 Inverurie 313.
If they have bene aftener absent than ance or twysse 1668 Melrose Reg. Rec. II 203.
The said Andro Fischer defendar did tak him tuyse or thryse over the head with a staffe

d. Anis, twise (and) thrise, on the first, second (and) third of three or more occasions. Chiefly in legal usage with reference to the number of times a delay is allowed before a party to a process must appear. 14.. Burgh Laws c. 19 (B).
He that is chalangyt proprely may ryn thrw delay to resonable essoigneis anys twys and thrys And the ferde tyme he sal cum to warand his essoignes 14.. Acts I 375/2.
Bot gif thar be ma dais than xl it is na chargis and the proces apone that aw to ryn anys tuys and tris and the ferd day of xl dayis 1525 E. Loth. Antiq. Soc. V 30.
I command and charge ȝow generalie and ilkane of ȝow be ȝourselff anys twyis thryis peremptorly be the vertew of thir letteris [etc.] 1560 Rolland Seven S. 4626.
Ȝe suld haue thocht on this Anis, twise, thrise, quhen ȝe committit mis 1622-6 Bisset I 98/13.
We requyre and charge, anis, twyis, thrys and peremptourlie coniunctlie and severallie ȝow all 1657 Balfour Ann. III 428.
He refusses to come once, tuyce

2. Double, two times as much as a quantity, size, etc. specified. c1420 Wynt. viii 9.
Thai … ordanyd wardanys twys [C. twysse] thre, … Twa byschapys thai ware, and erlys twa, Twa barownys gret to thame alsua 14.. Acts I 29/2.
Gif the ayr be … in a ferrar kynrik … he aw to byde hym tuyis xl dayis c1475 Wall. viii 128.
The strenth was thik and strang, vij myill on breid, and tharto twys so lang c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 208/9.
Sum gevis for twyis als gud agane 1511 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III 106.
Be consciens I cutht nocht gett ane to by and I wald haue gevin twis the availe of it 1535 Stewart 30075.
The kirkis … the quhilk war fallin doun … Than tuys als weill he biggit hes agane a1568 Sempill in Sat. P. xlviii 22.
The quhyt [cloth] is gude, and richt weill lwid, Bot ȝit the reid is twyis als deir ?1549 Monro W. Isles (1961) 86.
This south part of … Haray is verie fertile … and tways [Balfour MS twiss] mair of delvit nor of teillit land in it 1609 Garden Garden 32.
The twise two elements a1603 Tract. Leg. Naval. 65b.
Ane … box twyse as much and big as ane mermilitt box 1655 Wemyss Chart. 241.
Ane bracelet which goes tuyse about the wrest

3. Modifying a past participle: Having undergone or experienced what is described twice. a1400 Leg. S. iii 825.
We call thai Twyse ded, that fra this flesche Departis, and syne … To that drery ded ar send, That is ay now and neuir has end 1478 Acta Aud. 62/1.
xx bollis of meile twyis schelit gud fyne 1480 Thanes of Cawdor 439.
The land wes twys rydyne of befor time c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 303.
I wes tuyse maryit 1513 Doug. ix x 103.
The twys takin Troianys 1533 Bell. Livy II 106/25.
The commoun weill was twyis betrasit 1573 Edinb. Test. III 30b.
Ane stane of twyis hekkillit lint 1595 Orkney Rentals ii 44.
The mill of Urango payis … xxx meils tweis scheild ait male 1638 Henderson Serm. 166.
Your sins were as scarlet, even twice listed, double dyed 1646 Dunferm. B. Rec. II 201.
Tuyce hecklit lynt 1657 Balfour Ann. II 14.
A roabe of murrey sattin, imbrodred ouer with amber lether, and vpone the lether one euery seame and skirt, twysse imbrodred about with gold

4. quasi-noun. Preceded by a preposition. a. At twyse, on two occasions. b. Be tuyis, by twice as much.a. 1453 Misc. Spald. C. V 49.
To men that brocht the kyngis letteris at tuys, 4 s. 1494 Treas. Acc. I 248.
For a rape to the loche at twys, the quhilk was brokyne wyth towen of the tymmyr 1520 Perth Hammermen 11.
To maister Johne Spens at tweys 1574–5 Haddington Treas. Acc. 16.
Hamebrynging of twa greit geistis at twyis 1664 Household Bks. Archb. Sharp in Misc. Maitl. C. II 515.
To poore people at the loudging 6 s. To poore people at twyse there 8 s.b. a1605 Montg. Sonn. lxii 5.
My trumpets tone is terribler be tuyis Nor ȝon couhorne