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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.

Unplesand, -ing, Unpleasant, ppl. adj. and adj. Also: unpleisand, wnplessand, onple(a)sand. [e.m.E. vnpleasaunt (1535), unpleasant (1551), vnpleasing (Shakespeare); Plesand ppl. adj., Plesing(e ppl. adj.]

1. Unpleasing, unpleasant; disagreeable.(a) a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 338.
Thy voice sa cleir, vnplesand, hoir and hace 1528 Lynd. Dreme 479.
Saturnus … Foule lyke ane oule … Rycht vnplesand he is of portrature 1531 Bell. Boece I vi.
But I no maner couth my mind prepare To set aside unplesand hevines 1533 Bell. Livy II 57/16.
Ȝe wald defend sic thingis vnder coloure of ȝoure rigorus & vnplesand lawis 1533 Bell. Livy II 108/34.
The senate seand the name of consullis vnplesand to the pepill 1549 Lamb Resonyng 91/6.
Kyng Henrie wald nocht haif chargit his guid-brothir with sic ane vnpleisand thirlage 1556 Edinb. B. Rec. II 255.
Maister Thomas Makcalȝeane … said evill heych and vnplesand langage to hir grace a1578 Pitsc. I 224/17.
They counsellit the king to ryse and gang ben to the invart tollbouth quhilk was werie wnplessand to him a1585 Polwart Flyt. 568 (T).
His peild pallat, and vnpleasant pow(b) 1513 Doug. xii xiii 61.
I swer tharto be the onplesand [Ruddim. vnplesand] well Of Stix 1616 Haddington Corr. 133.
I remember the onpleasand lyffe shea hes had

2. Translating L. infelix: Wretched, miserable. 1533 Boece 428b.
Quhen thai jugeit him happy … to him self he was verray vnplesing [L. sibi vehementer infœlix est habitus] fering … the tresonable murthure of Malcolme Duff mycht be revelit