A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1971 (DOST Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1456, 1549-1650
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Misprise, v. Also: -priss, -pryse, mysprise; mesprise, -prys. [e.m.E. mesprise (Caxton), misprise, -prize, OF. mesproisier, -prisier, -priser.] tr. To despise, contemn, scorn; to fail to value or appreciate.(a) 1456 Hay II. 56/32. 1456 Ib. 89/24.
Thame … that mysprise His commandementis and mystrowis Him 1549 Complaynte of Scotland 28/22.
He that misprisis the correctione of his preceptor a1586 Lindsay MS. 65.
He misprysit and haittit vthir ordour c1554 Makeson Genesis 4.
Abraham … misprissit Sara for hir greyt barrentnes 1600 Hamilton Facile Tr. 204.
Sathan … hes intysit thame … to mispryse, contemne and cast away fyue of the seuin [sacraments] 1650 Rutherford Lett. (1891) 655.
Set your shoulder under the glory of Jesus that is misprised in Scotland(b) a1586 Lindsay MS. 65 b.
To mesprys and to leif that custome a1586 Ib. 73 b.
Be suretie bene mesprisit mony cowartis
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"Misprise v.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 14 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/misprise>
