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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.

Jelousy, Jealousy, Jelusy, Jelosy, n. Also: jeloussy, -ous(s)ie, -ousé, -owsye, -owsie, gelousy; jealousie; jelusie; jelosie, -ozie; jelewsye; gellisie. [e.m.E. and ME. ielousie, -usye -osy, e.m.E. iealousie, ME. ielacy (c 1425), -esye (14th c.), ME. and e.m.E. gelousy, -osie (14th c.), ME. gelusie (a 1225), OF. jelousie, gelousie, gelosie. Cf. Jalusie, Jolesy.]

1. Jealousy, espec. amorous or marital.(a) ?1438 Alex. (c 1580) ii. 3551.
It was ane ill of ieloussy That Fesonas had a1500 Quare Jel. 241.
The cruelteis … that lyis In jelousy and false ymagynyng Ib. 386.
How one of tho His lady sleuth [= slew] … withoutyn ony quhy Bot onely for his wickit gelousy Ib. 457.
Thir jelousyis full diuerse ar of kynd a1500 K. Hart 264.
Jelousy ran out, he wes never trew c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 1185.
Jelousie and fals inuie Did him persew 1584 Sempill Sat. P. xlv. 412.
His wyfe, conceaving jelowsie, Cryed out his deid when it was done a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xxvii. 4.
I wot ȝe never kneu A harte more treu … Till tym the prik of jelousie it sleu(b) ?1438 Alex. (c 1580) ii. 2222.
The King saw … That ielusy gart hir speik ilk deill a1500 Quare Jel. Title.
Here beginnith the quare of jelusy c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 121.
I dar nought luk to my luf for that lene gib, He is sa full of ielusy 15.. Clar. ii. 620.
Hot jelusie ower love does dwell at all(c) a1500 Henr. Fab. 509 (B).
He was angrye and held ws in grete aw, And woundit with the speir of ielosye c1500-c1512 Dunb. xlvii. 43.
Quhair I wes hurt with jelosy, And wald no luver wer bot I 15.. Clar. iv. 1480.
Jelosie(d) 1570 Leslie 145.
[Henry VIII,] apoun sum suspicione of gellisie quhilk he tuik aganis the Ladye Anne [Boleyn], he caused her to be headed

2. Suspicion, mistrust, apprehension of treachery.(a) 15.. Clar. iv. 105.
The King had ȝit ane litill jeloussie, This taill could nocht his mynd all satisfie 1583 A. Hay Nobility 34.
He is fallen into some jelousie with the better sort 1623 Blair Autob. 42.
I having formerly a jealousy that there was a snare lying in the frequent inviting me to dispute 1633 Aberd. Council Lett. I. 389.
Yow sall not neid to conceave the least jealousie or suspition of oure careage in the busines c1650 Spalding I. 222.
Yit we now wnderstand that … the grytest pairt of these expressionis verball ar denyit, quhilk … giveth ws gryte causs of jelousie 1687 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. XIII. 116.
Which did still increase Sir Allexanders jealousie that all this was a contrived jest(b) a1540 Freiris Berw. 168 (B).
Freir Robert had ane littill jelosy, For in his hairt he had ane persaving a1578 Pitsc. I. 166/33.
His … consall … augmentit him daylie in that suspitioun towart his brether and was content of jelozie towartis his brether 1585 Acts III. 385/2.
Our souerane lord … , be removing of all occasionis of further ielosie and diffidence betuix his hienes, his nobilitie and people [etc.] 1595 Highland P. I. 191.
My lord haiffing apprehendit ane jelosie vpone the said umquhill Johne Oig subtill and fals despositioune 1664 Nicoll Diary 423.
Considdering … the jeloseis and divisiounes in Germany itselff 1664 Rothesay B. Rec. 86.
Major David Ramsay … hes had ane hand in keiping up jelosies betuix the said Shereff and the said brught(c) 1586 Warrender P. 220.
I culd not suspect any … jelewsyes culd be consaved of me