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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.

Close, Clois, v. Also: clos, cloise, cloys(e. [ME. close (13th c.), also northern cloise, cloyse, OF. clos-, stem of clore, L. claudere.]

1. tr. To make close; to shut. Also with up.(a) 1375 Barb. xi. 277.
Tharfor is gud we ordane now How we may … to thame the wayis clos Ib. xvii. 444.
The ȝhet thai barrit and closit fast c1420 Wynt. v. 3004.
Wytht yhettys off bras he closyt fast Off that deipe den the entre Ib. vi. 1295.
He closyd this lettyr curywsly 1437 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 5.
That the commoune venell of the burgh be stekit and closit for a time 1442 Ib. 6.
That the towne be closit as it wes wont to be 1471 Acta Aud. 14/1.
The lordis ordanis the deposiciouns of thaim that are cummyn to be tane and closit a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 868.
He braidit vp his ventaill, That closit wes clene 1490 Irland Mir. I. 154/18.
Sche is the schip closit benethe and opin abone 1513 Doug. iii. vi. 174.
Without the cave closyt scho lays the write Ib. vii. Prol. 138.
The schot I closit, and drew inwart in hy 1533 Gau 109/16.
Thay haiff closit thair eyne that thay suld noth se a1540 Freiris Berw. 47.
It is to lait, I dreid the ȝet be closit Ib. 113.
Scho … Closit the trop c1552 Lynd. Mon. 1174.
Remembryng quhow the heuin wes closit Frome hym 1563 Misc. Wodrow Soc. 187.
The mouthes of the wickit … salbe closit 1579 Acts III. 151/1.
The saidis missiues … [are] ellis not to be signet or closit with his hienes caschet a1585 Maitl. Q. lxv. 8.
I prostrat law and thus closit my sicht(b) a1400 Leg. S. xii. 443.
Thai harlyt hyme one to presone, & cloisit it c1475 Wall. vii. 49.
This band thai clois wndre thair seillis fast 1502 Acta Conc. MS. XII. 100 b.
That he may bring the sammyn cloisit vnder this sele a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 1326.
Ane stane, … Fra best and man to clois the sepultur, … befor the graif thai thrang 1513 Doug. i. iii. 80.
Byd Eolus … cloys the presoun of wyndis Ib. vi. 118.
Or 1 maid end, Vesper … suld cloys the hevin 1526 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 114.
To cloise the tovn and bred the portis of the same a1540 Freiris Berw. 220.
Ga clois ȝone burd, and tak away the chyre 1559 Misc. Spald. C. IV. 90.
Ye may not cloys the handis of God 1562-3 Winȝet I. 139/27.
Wther … hes in thare imaginatioun cloisit vp … the samin ȝettis of our hæretage c1568 Lauder Minor P. i. 456.
Ȝe clois ȝour ears, and turnis away ȝour eyis Ib. 490.
As ȝe cloise ȝour girnallis frome the puris 1614 Edinb. Test. XLVIII. 55.
Ane almrie … of aik cloisit in the bak and coverit with fir 1627 Reg. Privy C. 2 Ser. II. 70.
The mouth of the harbourie suld be cloised with ane bomb or chaine 1633 Maxwell Mem. II. 249.
Pervse my letter, and thereftir cloise itt with some stampt that wantis name and armes c1650 Spalding I. 209.
Johnston … causit clois wp the samen [port] stronglie with thik faill 1665 Glasgow B. Rec. III. 61.
To clois their clos footis … for fear of the plague of pestilence

b. intr. To come close together; to fit closely. a1500 Rauf C. 682.
The flure … Cummand fra the cornellis closand quemely a1500 Doug. K. Hart 332.
A wourthy weid, weill closand, and full licht c1552 Lynd. Mon. 6006.
The erth sall close, and frome thare sycht Sall taking be all kynde of lycht 1555 Melrose R. Rec. III. 224.
The quhilk … dyke had quhylum a ȝet closand and opynand for the car[y]ing of the tymmer

c. To close the handis, to refrain or restrain from some action. 1525 Acta Conc. MS. XXXV. 125.
That the … lordis of secreit counsale clois thar handis of the away giffing of ony of the kingis propirte 1588 Soc. Ant. IV. 426.
Not that I wald cloisse your L. handis from writting … unto me before that tyme

2. To shut up in (or within) something; to enclose in some way.(a) 1375 Barb. iii. 534.
Ane opynnyng Off hart, that schawis the tendirnys Off rewth that in it closyt is Ib. x. 221.
Bwnnok, with the cumpany That in his wayn closit he had a1400 Leg. S. vii. 781.
The Jowis fore inwy In til a cawe me closit faste Ib. xxiv. 344.
He … plyit that bil … & it closyt in his nefe c1420 Wynt. i. 852.
Pir is of wertu for to bryn The hand that it is closyd in Ib. vi. 778.
He made a tysstyre … Quhare-in wes closyd the Wangylle 1456 Hay I. 175/13.
Sen he … closis him and kepis him in ferme prisoun c1450-2 Howlat 469.
The hert costlye he couth clos in a cler cace 1490 Reg. Paisley 61.
The lordis of consale … ordanis the witnes now takin to be closit in the mene tyme 1497 Treas. Acc. I. 336.
Gevin to Otho, quhilk the King closit in a bill and send to him, … ane vnicorne a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 380.
It lyis closit in a clout on Seland cost c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxxxvi. 18.
O chaist conclaif of clene virginite, That closit Crist 1513 Doug. i. vi. 177.
Venus … baith tway … With a dyrk clowd closyt rownd about 1531 Bell. Boece II. 391.
Sanct Phillane, quhais arme … , wes closit in ane cais within his palyeon 1549 Compl. 47/25.
The regione celest … vitht in the concauite of the quhilk is closit the regione elementar 1560 Rolland Seven S. 5080.
Four full punsiounis … thay brocht … , Na man knawing quhat thair within was closit a1578 Pitsc. I. 105/15.
[Thenn] sould all kingis wertew be obscurit and clossit wpe 1596 Dalr. II. 473/4.
[He caused him] to be closet in prisone(b) c1420 Wynt. iv. 907 (C).
This was his conssail and his wil, That he gert wryt and cloysse in bil 1530 Soc. Ant. II. 391.
Gilbert Robison sall be haldyn & cloissit in hys house for xx dayis 1562-3 Winȝet I. 52/22.
Ane thing to hef had cloisit in thair breistis 1596 Dalr. III. 468/8.
Tha cloised him in prisone

b. Closit within termes, holding a lease beginning and ending at the usual term-days. 1520 Fife Sheriff Ct. 199.
The saidis Frow & Robert wer closit withtin termes, and aucht noucht to remufe quhil … Witsonday that nixt cumis 1536 Annandale Corr. .
Gif it beis fundin that the said Iohnne … wes in possessioun of the saidis landis as malar closit within termis 1547 Ex. Processes (Reg. H.) No. ii (Martyne v. Halliburton & Lawson).
Scho than being in possessioun of hir said maling closit within termes, and nocht lauchtfullie warnit to remoif thairfra before the terme of Witsonday

c. To close furth, to shut out. 1596 Dalr. II. 175/19.
Quha, closet furth at the castel ȝettis, ludget up and doun the toun as tha mycht

3. To bring to a close; to end. c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 1162.
When Eccuba … Thare closed had hyr latter day c1420 Wynt. viii. 3104.
Hys lattyr day He closyd in gratyows state and pure c1450-2 Howlat 464.
In Cardross that crownit closit his end 1513 Doug. xiii. Prol. 187.
I will … mak vpwark heirof, and cloys our buke 1535 Stewart 15734.
This king … In Christis faith cloisit his latter dais

b. To close of, to stop from. 1463 Peebles B. Rec. 150.
Scho that is fundyng with thir fautis … sall be clossyt of bakkyng yer and day