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

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Oppone, v. Also: oppon, oppoun, oppoin; opone; obpone, obpoin. Pres. p. and vbl. n. also oppo(u)neing, -ying. [e.m.E. oppone (c 1555), L. oppōnĕre. Cf. also Appone v.¹ (and Oppos(e).] To oppose.

1. reflex. To set oneself in opposition to or contrair, to take a stand against or at, to oppose or resist, a. a person or group of persons, b. an action, state of affairs, etc.a. 1562-3 Winȝet I. 32/20.
Quhen thay dar oppone thaim sa proudlie … to the haill Kirk of God 1567 Anderson Collect. Mary II. 282.
Quha wald not for feir oppone thameselfis but rather sharpit thair tongues agains me 1573 Reg. Privy C. II. 315. 1594 Misc. Bann. C. III. 168.
[He] did … oppone him selfe maist strangly aganis Inglishmen 1596 Dalr. I. 78/12.
Excepte he, I say, prudentlie and wyselie had opponed him selfe to the multitude 1604 Melvill 559.
Oppouning a1597-1617 Hist. Jas. VI (1825) 298. 1611 Reg. Panmure I. xxxi.
And opponinge him self to them vos ewil wonditb. 1531 Bell. Boece II. 16. 1533 Id. Livy I. 228/1.
How the faderis opponyt [B. apponyt] thame aganis the law made be Volero 1533 Ib. /22.
Nane … that durst particularly oppone thame thareto 1559 Q. Kennedy in Misc. Wodrow Soc. 265.
I wes constreinȝit … to oppone my self to this wickit lymmaris heresie 1558-66 Knox II. 164. 1558-66 Ib. 458.
Opponying thame selfis to the punischement of vice 1572 Ib. VI. 479. 1572 Satirical Poems xxxiii. 246.
Thay tyne thair tyme at sic things to opone thame 1584 Cal. Sc. P. VII. 219. c1590 Fowler II. 37/3. c1590 Ib. 124/5.
By opponing thy selfe maliciously contrair the veritie 1599 Rollock Wks. I. 303.
Opponing thy self to deith, saying I will not die a1597-1617 Hist. Jas. VI (1804) 184.
He desirit … that thai should neuer oppon thame-selues in word or deed againes the Queene's authoritie 1607 Calderwood VI. 670.
Oppouned 1608 Glasgow B. Rec. II. 555.
The foirsaidis personis … intysis … sindrie of the inhabitantis … to oppoin tham self against the said sukin c1630 Scot Narr. 20.

c. Also without complement: To take a contrary stand. c1590 Fowler II. 72 n. 3.
No other opponed him self bot then

d. Also const. to resist (a person or thing). 1513 Doug. xii. xiii. 191.
Be quhat slycht May I oppone me to resist or stryve With sik a monstre? 1533 Bell. Livy I. 228/20.
The faderis … opponit thame ferslie with vtir power to resist the said law

e. tr. Of God: To oppose (His power) to or against. c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace i. 14 (1570).
Thocht all leidis wald haue this land in thrall, Oppone His power God can aganis thame all 1569–70 Knox VI. 570.
Oppone Thy power, O Lord, to the pryde of that cruell murtherer

f. To oppone (oneself) unto, to be at variance with. c1590 Fowler II. 44/34.
& thairfor be this word … they opponit them vnto the prophets

2. intr. = 1 b above.Also passive, (to be) resisted (to, unto). 1527 Dunferm. B. Rec. I. 155.
Gif ony party likit to oppone or obiek aganis the forsaid priuileig 1565 Perth B. Ct. 283 (27 March).
The said Adame McBaith … suld haue na place … to obpone agains the breiff [etc.] 1572-5 Diurnal of Occurrents 236. 1582 Perth B. Ct. 3 Apr.
That the said Oliuer Cragy hes producit na thing … releuant to mak him to haue enteres to oppone agains the breif 1600-1610 Melvill 762.
Alsewel as in oppouneing thairto a1651 Calderwood VI. 273.
To the which the court clawbackes oppouned profanelie and ridiculouslie 1666 Rothesay B. Rec. 112.
Oppounitpassive. a1651 Calderwood VI. 20.
Which [danger] was, notwithstanding, seene of manie and oppouned unto

3. passive. (Of one thing) to be set in opposition to or till, or at variance or in contrast with, (another), (of two things) to be mutually opposed or at variance. a1538 Abell 1 a.
Twa contrius [sic] thingis opponit till othir ar maire kenspekill in thare awne kynd 1587-99 Hume 105/78.
But ignorance is opponit to knawledge a1599 Rollock Wks. I. 448.
Thir twa ar ever opponed, grace and merit

4. tr. a. To oppose or resist by argument, to speak against. b. spec. To object to on legal grounds, to contest the legality or validity of (a person in an official capacity, a legal act, etc.). c. absol.a., b. 1500 Acts Lords of Council II. 440.
That the Maister David … opponit him, allegiand [etc.] 1520 Fife Sheriff Ct. 199.
That he micht hef lauchfull cause … to oppone & declyne the juge 1561 Cal. Sc. P. I. 586.
[Whereto you have in your letter] opponed [such a just & necessary assembly of ambassadors] 1561 Admir. Ct. Bk. (St. S.) 208.
He usit his office nane opponand or ganesayand the sam 1573 Elgin Rec. I. 140.
That na persone nor parteis comperit this day to oppoun or gainsay the pointis of the breiff indorsatioun 1616 Criminal Trials III. 412.
I oppone the daylie custome of this judgement 1622-6 Bisset I. 203/12.
That quhatsumevir persone … opponis payment of the saidis summes 1622-6 Ib. II. 98/28.
Oponed 1631 Justiciary Cases I. 162. 1655 Aberd. Council Lett. III. 252.
According to your powar … stryve to oppone or stop any such procedur 1673 Justiciary Ct. Rec. II. 165.
The indytment is opponed 1679 Morrison Dict. Decis. 3695.]
[That the execution is opponed … requiring only six knocks when the executor gets not entryc. c 1560 Old Ross-shire i. 14.
The saids inhabitans of the said toune … knew the samyn and not opponand 1576 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. I. 25.
In respect of the brief producit be hir deulie execute … and na man opponing in the contrair 1612 Misc. Maitl. C. III. 118.
My lord commissionar inquyred if any man wald oppone, and all being silent [etc.] 1638 Acts of Assembly (1843) 2.
The moderatour desired that if any of the assembly had any thing to say against the said testimonie for the books, that they would declare it, and finding none to oppon, yet he appointed the day following to any to object any thing they could say

5. To oppose by force. 1629 Mure True Crucifixe 3014.
To suffer rather than by armes oppone The lawfull magistrat

6. To put forward (something) in opposition (to or against something else); to put forward in defence; to advance as an objection, in refutation, by way of contrast, etc.Appar. rare in this sense before the late 16th c. 1463 Wemyss Chart. 82.
That I sall … defend … the said Johne … off all chargis, clame, questione [etc.] … that I ma pretend allege or oppon agane the said Johne 1586 St. A. Kirk S. 568.
Opponand na thing aganis thame c1590 Fowler I. 90/120.
Not leving of your chaistlye wayes nor honest interpryse, Whiche you wer wont for to oppone aganis my rauthfull cryes c1590 Ib. II. 13/21.
In placing first his propositioun, to the quhilk directly I oppone a contrair plat 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 19/18.
I haue no targe to oppone but plainnesse 1606 Inverness Rec. II. 34.
And na partie compeiring to obpoin or obiect in the contrair 1650 in J. F. S. Gordon Chron. Keith (1880) 79.
Possession … by delyverance of earth and stone as vse is, no man opponing the contrair 16.. Analecta Scotica II. 159.
Yea, tho the battrie were proven, yet oppons great and daring provocations 1671 McWard True Nonconf. 62.
You proceed to oppone to us our Saviour's sermons 1697 Fountainhall Decis. I. 783.
Answered, he opponed his clear liquid bond

b. Const. noun clause: To object (that, etc.). Also passive and impers.(1) 1557 Inverness Rec. I. 9.
[He] nayit … the breking of the arrestment, opponing thair was na arrestment(2) a1633 Hope Major Pract. I. 190.
In ane action of reduction persewed be … Creighton of Cluny … it wes opponit contra the decreit of removeing that [etc.] 1626 Antiq. Aberd. & B. IV. 286.
It aucht to have bene opponit that the King could not [etc.]