Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1983 (DOST Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Perfit(e, -fyt(e, v. Also: -fitt, -fytt, -ffyt; p.p. also perfyt. [ME. and e.m.E. perfit (c 1449), -fyght (1494), f. Perfit(e a. Cf. Perfet v.] To perfect.

1. tr. To bring to completion, carry through, accomplish, fulfill (an undertaking, obligation or intention).(1) (a) 1565 St. A. Kirk S. 250.
Sche wald rather suffer dead than perfyt mariaig wyth hym Ib.
Quhy sche wald nocht perfyt hyr promys 1596 Dalr. II. 395/16.
Quhil fra hame tha war perfyting lycht materis of smal affect 1600 Hamilton Facile Tr. 415.
Jesus … come … to accomplit and perfyt the law 1633 Lithgow Poet. Remains 82.
Let Edinburgh my metropole perfite [: delite] The rest Ib. 116.
Kings against kings … Perfites the prophecy of desolation 1611-57 Mure Psalmes cxxxviii. 8.
Perfitt 1672 Rothesay B. Rec. 231.
John Galie defendar undertuik to perfyte the said bargan with Duncan M'Onlea 1679 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Processes No. 304.
Perfyt(b, c) 1494 Loutfut MS. 6 a.
That tym the office wes honorably … kepit and perfyt 1562-3 Winȝet I. 76/8.
Sin quhen it is consummat perfytit or endit generis deid 1564–5 Perth B. Ct. 273 (19 Mar.).
Ane assedatioun of the landis of Barnhill and the deponar past … for perfiting thairof and perfited the samyn 1568 Skeyne Descr. Pest 18.
The first is perfitit be mundificatioun and corroboratioun of the bodie 1596 Dalr. I. 203/14.
Al things perfyted conforme to the band 1599 Mackie Denmilne MSS. 8.
Perffyted 1614 Aberd. Council Lett. I. 128.
Ȝour conclusioun … will never suffer the mortificatioun to be perfytit 1638 Henderson Serm. 350.
A begun vengeance to them here to be perfyted hereafter 1668 Misc. Hist. Soc. VI. 178.
And leaves all things thogh not perfited to be followed on(2) 1533 A. Home in 1533 Bell. Livy II. 234/30.
Ilk man perfytes not quhat they ons intend 1600 Beale Fife Schools 114.
Uther [children] that are not able to perfit that they may reid or wret

2. To complete the making, composition or execution of (an artefact or the like), to finish (a particular job).Also, once, const. indirect obj.(1) 1556 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 249.
The said myln being biggit and perfyttit sufficientlie gangand agane the said terme 1581-1623 James VI Poems I. 100/31.
And also such nomber of the psalmes as I haue perfited 1592 Crawford Mining P. vii. 3 Sept.
Anent the marbers perfytit at Edȝel 1597 Crail B. Ct. MS. 18 July.
Ane sufficient ganging knok sufficientlie perfytit and preparit 1615 Conv. Burghs III. 15.
The stane work thairof is almost perfytit 1620 Perth Kirk S. 296. 1622-6 Bisset I. 27/34.
Lyke as the cod of the civile law wes perfytted … be Justiniane 1629 Aberd. B. Rec. III. 24. 1638 Henderson Serm. 134.
Perfyted Ib. 198.
Perfyte 1640 Baillie I. 262.
The fortifications on the south syde being perfyted against a royall seidge 1640 Cuningham Journal .
I have … finished and perfyted my first fruit intitulate Thrissels Banner 1645 Baillie II. 326.
The psalms are perfyted the best … thatever yet were extant 1649 Blairs P. 124.
Perfite 1657 Aberd. B. Rec. IV. 168.
That the great compositions … be not maid up nor perfittit till on or tuo of the phisicians sie that all the simples be fresh [etc.] 1663 Ib. 206.
In drawing the draucht of this brughe … by way of card with the discriptioun theroff which now is perfittit and closit c 1670 Gordon's Aberd. 14.
Perfytted 1676 Cramond Presb. Fordyce 42. 1679 Culross II. 198.
That the kirkyeard dyke should be perfyted by the workmen in all haste 1679 J. Somerville Mem. II. 412.
Perfyte(2) 1576 Dickson & Edmond Ann. Sc. Printing 285.
We sall wirk end and perfyte the said werk of imprenting of the Bybill 1616 Aberd. Council Lett. I. 141.
Becaus this work will … require lairge sowmes of money to perfytt the same 1622-6 Bisset II. 235/30.
Quhill the weyaige be perfyted 1611-57 Mure True Crucifixe 2088.
Behold thy Lord how not without delite The worke of man's salvation to perfite [etc.] 16.. R. Gordon in Macfarlane's Geog. Coll. II. 401.
What could not be perfyted that day wes remitted to the nixt(3) 1567 Reg. Morton I. 28.
To … perfyte and fute the saidis comptis 1579–80 Reg. Privy C. III. 270. 1595 Conv. Burghs I. 465.
The commissioneris … to … tak in the haill comptis … and to perfyte end and subscryue the samyn(4) 1611 Crim. Trials III. 165.
Till the agrieance wes perfytted betuix Cullayne and Drumvrquhie 1623 Breadalbane Doc. No. 460.
Ane contract … maid endit and perfytit 1625 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. II. 303.
In the contract past and perfyttit thairanent 1637 Elphinstone MSS. 25.
Ane contract and apointment … perfyttit betuix thame thairannent 1641 Acts V. (1817) 614/1.
Perfyteit 1645 Falkirk Baron Ct. 3 Jan.
George Waddell … ordanit to perfyte and give suretie to Robert ȝung … for fyftie aught pundis — 1661 Aberd. Council Lett. IV. 147.
His lordship wes bund to perfite us ane right of the customs of this burgh

3. a. To make perfect or faultless; to bring to full perfection. c1490 Irland Asl. MS. I. 56/13.
Grace & werteu folowis nature … and perfitis it 1531 Bell. Boece I. xii.
Siclik my werk perfitis every wicht In fervent luf of maist excellent licht 1562-3 Winȝet II. 44/1.
This vnitie of persoun in Christ … in the self wombe of the Virgine wes coniunit and perfytit Ib. 54/17.
Manlie doctrine quhilk may nocht bot be daylie mending … be perfitit Ib. 61/4. 1581-1623 James VI Poems I. 69/6.
Nixt efter Pan had found the quhissil syne Thou did perfyte that quhilk he bot espyit c1590 Fowler I. 94/208.
This onely did inlake For to perfyte that perfyte lowe which did not thyne forsake

b. To make up (a sum) to the full amount, to complete. 1673 Lauder Jrnl. 269.
To my wife … to perfit the price of hir black fringes to hir goune