Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

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

Fleme, v. Also: fleyme, fleime, flieme, fleem, flame. [ME. fleme, flemen, OE. Flíeman, flýman.]

1. tr. To drive (a person) into exile; to banish. c1420 Wynt. iii. 512.
Owt off that cuntre Fra kyth and kyne wes flemyd he ?1438 Alex. ii. 2663.
To fleme thare awin men, oft-sys Tynsall fallis in mony wys 1513 Doug. viii. vi. 47.
Me also … Banist and flemyt of my native land 1533 Boece xi. xvii. 439 b.
Sweno … be continuale invasioun and trubill being ouresett exul and flemyt 1546 Lynd. Trag. Card. 175.
He … was, within schort space, Forfaltit and flemit 1570 Sat. P. xviii. 52.
As war thay bouchers … Quha flemit ar for thair deuillische deuysis a1578 Pitsc. I. 212/7.
He flimed the duik and pat the erle to deid 1540 Lynd. Sat. (1602) 1664.
That ȝe wald … fleime from him ȝon Ladie Sensuall 1626 Garden Worthies 54.
I misfortoun'd fell, confyn'd, & fleem'dfig. a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 458.
Ire is thair gid, feid flemes him fra ressoun c1590 J. Stewart 19/167.
As sensles vycht from all guid fortoune fleim'd

b. transf. or fig. with non-personal object. c1450-2 Howlat 696.
In flesche tyme quhen the fische war away flemyt 1456 Hay II. 26/29.
Quhen foly … is with the order of knychthede, wit and resoun … ar flemyt tharefra a1500 Henr. III. 106/13.
Fredowme is flemyt al the lordis fro 1513 Doug. viii. Prol. 8.
Frendschip flemyt is in Frans and faith hes the flycht 1528 Lynd. Dreme 62.
The snaw and sleit … flemit Flora frome euery bank and bus 1535 Stewart 3065.
He flemit law, put justice to the horne 1558 Q. Kennedy Tractive 152.
Geve the Kirk had the auld ancient libertie, … than sulde all hereseis be flemit 1585 James VI Ess. 67.
Were fassons fliemde, they micht be found in thé

c. To banish from (a country). 1456 Hay II. 82/29.
Fule larges, throu the quhilk all provisioun and gude policy is flemyt the realme 1533 Boece i. viii. 53 b.
Vtheris of Pichtis blude … quhilkis war flemit thair native realme Ib. xi. x. 426 b.
Of this murthure Ferleig resauit condigne punycioun, for he was flemyt the cuntre

2. To drive out or away; to expel. c1475 Wall. xi. 1124.
Allace, quha sall the Saxons fra thé flem c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxxviii. 34.
The presone [is] brokin, the jevellours fleit and flemit a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 929.
Now pane, now wo, all confort fra thaim flemes c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxx. 44.
In me wes falsat … ,Quhilk mycht be flemit with na haly watter 1513 Doug. vii. Prol. 140.
I … Schupe with hayt flambe to fleym the fresyng fell 1559 Soc. Ant. XI. 520.
We ar debarrit fra the proffettis of our benefices and flemit of the cuntre quhair the samin lyis 1566 Reg. Privy C. I. 460.
The said James … is flemit fra his awin hous, and dar nocht resort thairto

3. To put away from oneself; to refrain from. c1460 Wisd. Sol. 806.
All men suld fleme ire fra thaim c1475 Wall. ii. 338.
Lat sklandyr be, and flemyt out of ȝour thocht a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 1122.
Fleme fra thé fraude & falss effectioun