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

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First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Distroy, v. Also: distroye, dystroy; dystrw(y, distruy. [ME. distroy(e, -truy(e, etc., var. of Destroy v.]

1. tr. To destroy (in various senses).(1) 1375 Barb. v. 164.
Thai nobillmen and thai worthy Ar distroyit so vilonisly a1400 Leg. S. ix. 43.
He … here will leynde Fore til distroy ȝowre goddis all ?1438 Alex. ii. 202.
To distroy thame that auld hes thret c1420 Ratis R. 1510.
God sall Distroy thé our rycht to the end 1492 Myll Spect. 294/6.
Quhare … all the floure of the knychtis of Bartane ware distroyet and slane c1500 Fyve Bestes 381.
Schepe and nolt distroyit ar & deid c1515 Asl. MS. I. 231/10.
His entent was to distroye him that he mycht haue succeedit to the heretage 1517 Acta Conc. MS. XXIX. 21.
Quhen he ondirstandis that it is my lord gowernouris wyll to dystrw the wykyt blud of the Ylis 1533 Boece ii. xi. 78 b.
Thinking be tresoun to distroye the conspiratouris 1567 G. Ball. 179.
King Achab and Helyas The fals prophetis distroyit hes 1578 Aberd. B. Rec. II. 32.
It sall be lesum … to distroy the samen [swine](2) 1375 Barb. xvii. 538.
Quhen the men of that cuntre Saw thar land sa distroyit be Ib. xviii. 557.
Thai … distroyit … The vale haly of Beauvare c1420 Wynt. v. 5656.
Ierusalem, and othir sere Placys … He brynt up … And dystroyd wyth fellown fyre ?1438 Alex. ii. 2324.
Ȝe haue mare conquerit … Than Priam … Tynt, quhen distroyit was Ylion Ib. 7086.
That I haue distroyit thair land c1500 Fyve Bestes 298.
The tovne of Tyre That was … wtterly distroyit & cassyn dovn c1515 Asl. MS. I. 263/21.
His folkis brynt & distroyit the cuntre 1513 Doug. i. i. 37.
Cartage … [to] bryng ontill finale rewyne, And clene distroy the realme of Lybia 1535 Stewart 24155.
Distroyand … Tha boundis braid than baith with blude and fyre c1552 Lynd. Mon. 56.
Declare to thame quhow … God did the warld distroye Ib. 2780.
He restit neuir tyll he distroyit All hoill that regioun a1570-86 Maitl. F. xcvii. 89.
In the mene tyme grit polecie And gud townis distroyit be 1622-6 Bisset II. 351/29.
A Sithian prince … wes deliberate to have cum to the toun of Rome to distroy it(3) 1375 Barb. viii. 514.
He all tumlit doune the vall And distroit the housis all Ib. xix. 192.
Bot Ynglis men apon the se Distroyit … Marchand schippis a1400 Leg. S. xxxiii. 673.
That thar tempil … Sa cleynely suld be distroit That na thing suld remayn of it c1420 Wynt. v. 5394.
The emprys … cald hym a wastore That swa dystroyid the tresore Off the empyre 1471 Acta Aud. 16/2.
To profe that … Ioffray Fleming distruyt hir corne and medow 1490 Lennox Mun. 141.
A part of evle avisit personis … has … wikkitly broikit and distroit certane stanis and hewyn werk 1507 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 437.
That the mettis and mesouris be assait … and quhar thai be fundin unrichtuus be distroit c 1517 Acta Conc. MS. XXIX. 211.
He dystrwyt the castell and heryt the landis unwyttyn of ws 1548 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 259.
The said Andro … hes … distroyit, delapidat, and withaldin the … geir, gudis, and varklummis vnder writin 1571 Fam. Rose 258.
The haill woddis … ar alreddy amest dystroyit 1586 Inverness B. Rec. I. 307.
Johne Neilson … hes … cuttit, distroit, and tane awaye wyth him tuaye horse laidis of the greyne young saplyne [etc.] c1650 Spalding I. 81.
Houssis, killis, cottis, fauldis quhairin beistis war keipit [were] all distroyit(4) a1400 Leg. S. xxxvi. 62.
The haly gaste sal be hym in, That sal kene hym to distroy syn c1420 Wynt. viii. 2396.
Maystyre Baldred … Awnsweryd to thai resownys welle, And dystroyid thame ilka dele 1490 Irland Mir. I. 93/34.
This persoune … distroit all haill the injure, offence and displesaunce that [etc.] 1513 Doug. viii. Prol. 15.
Sturtyn study hes the steir, distroyand our sport 1533 Gau 45/34.
He hes distroyit sine and rasit wp richtusnes a1568 Lynd. Peder Coffeis 42.
Ane dyvour coffe … Distroyis the honor of our natioun(5) 1490 Irland Mir. 118/9.
Strif has distroyit the gret empyre of the Asserianis c1515 Asl. MS. I. 202/1.
Quhar euer he come he distroyit haly kirk 1513 Doug. iii. i. 2.
To dystroy and schent Of Asya the empyre c1552 Lynd. Mon. 1941.
Weir doith distroye realmes and kingis a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. xxvi. 25.
Distroyit is the polecie For the maist pairt of this countre

2. intr. To commit destruction. 1375 Barb. xvii. 531.
So lang thai raid distroyande swa … That thai ar cummyne till Repoune Ib. xviii. 553. c1420 Wynt. vi. 1532.
Qwhen the Denmarkys wes … Wyth fyre and slawchtyr dystrwyand Ib. viii. 2005.
Wyth fyre and wappyn he dystrwyd a1568 Bann. MS. 135/45.
It is esiar to distroy be fer nor till big