A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1983 (DOST Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1562-1610
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Piracie, n. Also: pyr-; pirr-; per- and -acy, -acé, -as(s)ie, -asye. [e.m.E. pyracie (a 1552), med. L. piratia, Gk. πειρατεία piracy.] Piracy. b. An act of piracy.sing. (a) 1564 Reg. Privy C. I. 276.
Ane schip … suspect of piracie 1565 Reg. Privy S. V. i. 605/2.
For ressait, supple and intercommoning with Andro Quhite, Inglisman, pirat, in his piracie 1567 Digest Justiciary Proc. F. 32.
They wer recentlie taine pasand to piracie 1568 Hosack Mary Q. of Scots I. 548.
Boithuile … prepairit to pas to the sea in pyracie 1569 Reg. Privy C. II. 70.
And thair at her to pluk and use piracie [v.r. pyrasye] upoun the trew marchandis [etc.] 1573 Ib. 222.
Intending thair to prepair and rig hir furth in piracy(b) 1562–3 Treasurer's Accounts XI. 254.
Ane schip … passand in perassie 1572 Criminal Trials I. ii. 37.
Be thiftuous resset of diuerse guidis and geir, reft … be way of commoun peracie(c) 1599 Rec. Convention of Royal Burghs II. 48.
Our subiectis … susteneing grit lois … be the pirrace of Ingland 1610 Criminal Trials III. 100.
Pirracieplur. 1580–1 Criminal Trials I. ii. 93.
Dilatit of certane crymes of pirrasis 1610 Reg. Privy C. IX. 19.
Committing divers piracyis and robreis
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"Piracie n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 12 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/piracie>
