A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1498-1606, 1679
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Insolence, n. Also: insolens(e, -solance, -sollence. [ME. insolence (c 1386), L. insolēntia.]
1. Immoderate or unbridled conduct; licentiousness. a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 319.
I change … Thyne insolence, thy play and wantones, To greit deseis a1499 Contemplacioun of Synnaris 1123.
Fleme fra me fraude & fals effectioun With the sowre surcharge of carnale insolens 1533 Boece ix. ix. 306.
Quhen Britouns be lang pece … grewe to insolence and plesuris c1550 Lynd. Test. Meldrum 224.
Ȝe suld haue bene my spous and paramour … Quhilk I refusit, throw ȝouth and insolence c1550 Rolland Court of Venus i. 339.
Thy barnelie insolence Contrair sall turne quhen thy lust is asswage 1554 Duncan Laideus Test. 151.
Quhen … Youth with Insolence maid acquentance
2. Overweening or overbearing conduct or disposition, arrogance. 1531 Bell. Boece I. 22.
To se gif ony proud insolence micht gener new divisioun amang thaim 1531 Ib. II. 93.
The fury and rage of insolence ilk day more incressing a1578 Pitsc. I. 26/13.
He sould haue grettar difficultie to repres thair insollence and tyrannie 1596 Dalr. I. 171/26.
Oft chances, that quha in gret prosperitie aboundis followis gret insolense and baldnes 1600 Bk. Arran II. 101.
The haill cuntrey salbe disquyetit be the insolence of that clan
3. Action of this sort. = Insolency 2. 1570 Satirical Poems x. 407.
Quhat mouit thé to do this insolence? 1606 Edinb. B. Rec. VI. 21.
[The jailor not to put the prisoners in irons] except upoun ane suddane insolence fall out in the nicht 1679 Ib. X. 385.
All your inhabitants whoe shall be found guilty of that insolence
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"Insolence n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 14 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/insolence>
