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: 1533-1605
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Instinctio(u)n, n. Also: -io(u)ne. [Late ME. instyncyon (1490), obs. F. instinction.]
1. Instigation, impulse, inspiration (esp. of God or the Holy Spirit). 1533 Bell. Livy II. 166/20.
The thing that he has schewin be instinctioun of divyne furie or sprete 1533 Ib. 215/28.
This Camillus, as it had bene be divyne instinctioun, past … to the … Ardeatis 1581 Burne Disput. 8.
Becaus thay vil not follou the motion and instinction of the halie spreit 1573-1600 Id. Cath. Tr. (S.T.S.) 160/36.
Be instinction of God 1573-1600 Ib. 168/32.
Thay teache be instinctione of Sathan 1596 Dalr. I. 305/25.
Machabie, inspiret with sum ill spiret, steiret vp throuch instinctioune of his wyfe … slew that haly King Duncan a1605 Montg. Devot. P. iii. 45.
I mene the godly men and gude, Quha … by instinction vnderstude, Thair saulls resaued his flesh for fude
2. Innate impulse, instinct.1596 Dalr. I. 20/16.
The secund kynde of hunting dog ... nocht onlie oft tymes vses to invade wylde beistes, bot evin the sam men willinglie be the instinctione of nature he vses to invade 1587-99 Hume ii. 129.
He knawes the strange instinctions all of everie brutall beast
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"Instinction n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 13 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/instinctioun>
