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

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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Bost, Boist, n.¹ Also: boyst, boast. [ME. bost(e, boost (c 1300), of obscure origin.]

1. Proud or arrogant speech or bearing; bragging, vaunting.Frequent in the phrase to blaw bost: see Blaw v. 2 c.(a) 1375 Barb. iv. 122.
The pomp of pryde ay furth shawis, Or ellis the gret bost that it blawis Ib. ix. 231.
Thair bost has maid me haill & fer c1420 Wynt. iv. 1386.
Thai … wencust hym for all his bost Ib. viii. 2039; etc.
Wyth thi swerd thow mais gret bost c1450-2 Howlat 916.
In breth as a batall-wricht full of bost blawin c1460 Thewis Wysmen 423.
Thai ar presumptus, ful of bost c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyt. 7.
Howbeit with bost thar breistis wer als bendit as Lucifer 1535 Stewart 19590.
For all thair brag and bost Ib. 57159.
Rycht bald he wes and mekle bost than blew 1587-99 Hume vii. 91.
[The ships] were cast for all their brags and bost [etc.](b) Brus iv. 122 (E).
The gret boist that it blawis c1450-2 Howlat 332.
Kene knychtis of kynd, … but baret or boist c1550 Rolland C. Venus iii. 341.
Blaw furth ȝour boist busteous, Say quhat ȝe pleis Ib. iv. 306.
Quhen all this brybe and boist is quite ouir blawin a1570-86 Arbuthnot Maitl. F. xxx. 45.
Vane brag and boist is raknit vassalage

2. Threatening, menacing.(a) c1475 Wall. xi. 389.
Scho wald nocht tell, for bost nor ȝeit reward 1490 Irland Mir. I. 125/16.
Our redempcione … is maid be luf & cherite, and nocht be manere of dreid, of boste or of fer 1513 Doug. ix. i. 68.
Turnus … With glave in hand maid awful feir and bost 1531 Bell. Boece II. 17.
Howbeit thay mak gret bost and mannassing 1533 Boece vi. x. 205 b.
Doing all his affaris be angir and ire, … sum tyme with bost 1535 Stewart 2518.
Dowalus … Come at the hand with mekle schoir and bost Ib. 5219.
With bost and schoir, and wordis pungetyue c1568 Lauder Minor P. i. 440.
Sennacherib, for all his bost and schore, Wes put to flycht c 1580 Waus Corr. I. 223.
We ar ay hardlyer and hardlyer socht … and with greit bost c1600 Montg. Suppl. 207/80.
Quhen I offend, ȝe may repruif Me with gryte bost 1600-1610 Melvill 54.
Seing he could nocht be broken be bost, … he essayes to move him be benefit 1612 Glasgow B. Rec. I. 441.
Craifand to be fred of his oppression, bost, and bangstarrie in tyme cuming 1637 Rutherford Lett. (1862) I. 258.
Slip not from it [sc. the truth] for any bosts or fear of men(b) 1484 Acta Conc. *89/2.
With boist and manasing compelland the said sir Dauide to mak assedacioun of his kirk 1513 Doug. v. viii. 71.
He … with fury and mekil boist Gan Darhes kach and dryve 1533 Boece iii. v. 98.
Nocht … be his terrouris and boist … affrayit Ib. vi. i. 185.
Mare be boist nor lufe 1535 Stewart 17698.
All thai landis … to bruke … Without debait, bargane, boist or schoir 1561 Kennedy Oratioun 4.
Quharfra … for bud nor boist … I intend nocht to desist 1567 G. Ball. 104.
Ȝour bludie boist na syith can satisfie 1571 Sat. P. xxvi. 164.
[The] only caus … Quhilk garris him mak this boist & manassing(c) 1569-73 Bann. Memor. i.
Lethingtoun … vpoun the boast of the said capitane, was delyuerit to him in keiping 1587-99 Hume v. 64.
The wise and loving father … with awfull boast layes on the byting wand