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 2000 (DOST Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Sens(e, Sence, n. Also: senss-, senc, since. [Late ME and e.m.E. sense (c1400), cense (1509), sence (1513), sens (1530), OF sens (1080 in Larousse), L. sensus perception, feeling, faculty of perception, meaning.]

I. Faculty of perception, feeling or sensation.

1. (One of) the five senses or faculties of sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch. a1561 Q. Kennedy Breif Tract. (ed). 118/16.
Ane certane of His discipulis … quha lenit to the jugement of the flesche, outwart vittis and sensis a1561 Q. Kennedy Breif Tract. (ed). 130/24. a1568 Bann. MS I p. 8/41.
Quhen that my sensis ar all gone And wordis dois faill 1583 Cal. Sc. P. VI 687.
A sone which leveth in great debilitie and miserie for want of his fyve sences a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 847 (Wr.).
There be more senses than the sight … To wit … Smel, hearing, touch, and taste 1597 James VI Dæmonol. (STS) 15/40.
Moyses rod … was turned in a natural serpent: where as the Deuill … counterfetting that by his magicians, maid their wandes to appeare so, onelie to mennes outward senses 1587-99 Hume 144/39.
There is no doubt, but our bodies shall arise at the last day perfit in all the senses

b. A particular sense indicated by the context. a1578 Pitsc. I 359/27.
Sueit odouris quhilk was werie costlie and delictabill to the sence of men

c. A representation of these senses. 1683 Inv. in Donibristle Mun. (Earl of Moray's MSS) 2 (9-10 May).
Fyve large pictures and fyve small ones of the fyve sensses in a black frame

d. Under sence, identifiable or perceptible by the physical senses. 16.. Rudiments fol. 1a.
A name … is a pairt of orisone, quhairby everie thing is called, whither that thing fall under sense, as, a stone, a hand: or whither it falls not: as, God, ane angell

2. pl. The perceptive faculties more generally, encompassing the five senses as in 1 above, that permit physical or emotional awareness and comprehension of events, etc. Also contrasted with wittis.(1) 1562-3 Winȝet I 21/10.
The seueir punisment of Core, Dathan, and Abiron … thunderis swa throw al our sensis, and peirsis with feir oure heartis 1567 Anderson Collect. Mary II 211.
Not only is our body, spirite, and sencis sa vexit, brokin, and unquietit, that [etc.] 1588 King Cat. 81b.
That sho may ingir to the sight and sensis of the peopl a maist vive representation of our lords death 1597 James VI Dæmonol. (STS) 15/29.
He [sc. Satan] will guard his schollers with faire armies [etc.] … which all are but impressiones in the aire … As in like maner he will learne them manie juglarie trickes … to deceiue mennes senses thereby … And yet are all these thinges but deluding of the senses and no waies true in substance 1611-57 Mure Early Misc. P. i 60.
Ȝouth then … All flaming in voluptuouse fyre With fervent mynds assayed My sences to suppryse Esteiming me wnwyse To ressoune to be tyed, So that by only his adwyce … My actiounes all must be directed still a1649 Drummond I 35/8.
A sweet melancholie my senses keepes(2) 1562-3 Winȝet I 88/3.
To geue credit to the expres Word of God, albeit it appere contrare our wittis and sensis 1593 Conv. Burghs I 395.
Lichtin oure dark and dwll senses and witts with the licht of thi Haly Spreitt from aboue

b. The perceptive faculties, with respect to sensual desires or urges.(1) a1568 Scott xv 25.
Sweit maistres … Steir, rewll and gyder of my senssis richt 1570 Sat. P. xxiv 28.
Crabit but cause, and caryit by thy sensis Throw sorcerie and vther vain pretensis c1590 Fowler I 22.
A sensuall appetite … haveing soveraintie in his youthe at that tyme when the senses hes most force and vigeur 1611-57 Mure Sonn. vi 5.
Thy beutyes did my sensses suire suppryse

3. pl. Those faculties of perception in general which do not function during sleep or unconsciousness. 1633 Orkney Witch Trial in Reg. Privy C. 2 Ser. V 552.
Sho wes quyt bereft of all hir sences for ane long space

4. The mental faculties or faculty of reason or rationality, the power of reasoning, esp. as apparent in a sane person; wits; judgment; commonsense.pl. 1554 Misc. Bann. C. III 82.
Maist excellent prince, as we promittit … ȝour … maiestie will hawe us efter the mener of our ingine and capasite of oure sensis rude and onlernit but science rethoricall but … eloquence and our tong … inornat throw the dirknes of ignorance excusit 1591 Edinb. Test. XXIII 331b.
The said Johne Wode … haill in mynd perfyte in sensis and vnderstanding 1593 Brechin Test. I 115.
Margrat Clerk … heall in spreit and in sensis Mackis her legacie … and letter will a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 1807.
Ye have tint your senses, ye claw the stule in steid of your taill 1684 Kirkcudbr. Test. (Reg. H.) 18 Nov.
Being for present visitat (by God) with sore sicknes yet haveing my sences and memorie in full vigor(b) 1616 Orkney & Zetl. Sheriff Ct. in Rogers Social Life III 301.
Sche tuik seiknes and lost hir heall sincis … she laying handis on hir she convaleshit and receaveit hir sinces aganesing. c1590 Fowler II 62/8.
He wald giue mair credence vnto his awin sense and iudgement nor to Christs infallabill words c1600 Montg. Suppl. i 6.
Luif still in hope with pacience My gentill hairt for all thy woo … Quhy is all plesure past ȝe fro? Quhy art thow so dismaid but sence? 1618 Edinb. Test. L 90.
The said James … perfyt in sence and memorie 1630-1651 Gordon Geneal. Hist. 444.
What sence or shew of reason hath the Earles of Catteynes, thus to contend for precedency with the Earl of Southerland 1635 Dickson Wr. 3.
Here also, beside the voice of sense and faith, infirmity kythes, and utters a voice 1644 Douglas Corr. 255.
All the nouels which comes … I do bourne them, only I keip the copy off the lettre, becaus itt hath good sence, and weill penid 1693 Cramond Kirk S. III 17 April.
The warrand to cite his [sc. Cramond's] tutors … is absolutely voide & null, not only by the principalls of law, … but likewayes by common sense and reason

5. The feeling or sensation (of an emotion, etc.).(1) 1581 Hamilton Cath. Tr. 154b.
Thai fall sua deip in the pit of desperation, & sik sensis and feling of dredor, that [etc.] 1611-57 Mure Early Misc. P. xi 32.
Lyf giwes no more To cuir my inward soare, Bot ȝeilds the greatter sence of pain(2) 1590 Burel Queen's Entry 115.
Tennowr, and trebill with sweit sence, Ilkane with pairts gaif notes agane

II. Actual feeling, perception or sensation.

6. A mental perception, realisation or understanding (of a state of affairs).(1) ?1613 W. Alexander Doomes-day v lxxxiv 680.
Marke what of theirs may once upbraid your shame, Who have no sence of sinne nor care of fame 1621 Denmylne MSS in Highland P. III 310.
To sie if ȝet he was cum to that sence of him selue as to wisch a retrait from his euill wayis 1611-57 Mure Sonn. xi 5.
A sensual slaue, quho sence of schame hath loosit 1639 Rec. Kirk Scotl. 265/1.
This Kirk rejoyces under the sence of receaved favours 1645 Kirkcaldy Presb. 287.
The presbytrie … did appoynt 3 of thair brethren … to bring him to the sence of his eschaps 1648 Fife Synod 163.
Wee thought it incumbent to ws now assemblit togidder to signifie vnto you our deip sence of such courses in vtheris 1648 Rec. Kirk Scotl. 515/2.
Hoping that the Lord will incline your royall heart from the sence of the evil which hath befallen you 1664 Conv. Burghs III 570.
Ane missive … to the Earle of Lauderdaill caryeing the great sence they haue of his maiesties gracious respectis to this his ancient kingdome 1676 Douglas Corr. 277.
Sence of your honour and myn oun 1676 Edinb. B. Rec. X 287.
[To] evidence our sence of these manie renewed acts of kyndnes 1701 Rothesay Par. Rec. 141.
To bring him to a sence of his sin(2) c1590 J. Stewart 217 § 69.
As beists but reson beistlie is thair sens 1600-1610 Melvill 23.
I receavit the comunion … first at Montrose with a graitter reverence and sence in my saull, then oft thairefter I could find 1675 Edinb. B. Rec. X 213.
That sence and acknowledgement which we owe to your graces signall kyndnesse

7. A view, judgment or opinion held by a number of persons; a consensus. 1562-3 Winȝet II 70/22.
Quhatsumeuir thing thai al, or moniast be ane and the samin self sense and mynd … hes … confirmit 1562-3 Winȝet II 74/7.
And quhateuir thai in ane sense and consent mot be found to hef haldin a1686 Turner Mem. 41.
His majestie … bade me tell him the sence of our armie concerning him

III. Meaning, signification.

8. The meaning, signification or interpretation (of something, freq. a word, phrase or passage).(1) 1490 Irland Mir. I 77/5.
Of this paradice was thre opyniounis. Ane … that exponis the writt of the erdly and bodely paradice and na wthire way … and that is a gret caus of … erroure for, as Sanct Paule sais … the litterale sense and significacioune is caus of perdicioune 1549 Compl. 84/32.
Ferrand exponit the ansuere of his augure til ane vrang sens c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus Prol. 284.
The ofter that ȝe it reid, Ȝe sall the better tak baith the sence, and leid 1561 St. A. Kirk S. 91.
Schyr Jhone … declaris in quhat sence he spak the saidis articlis, be explicacione tharof 1563-72 Ferg. Serm. iii Malachi in Tracts 68.
Quhairin he conferris him self with the idolis of the natiounis and the ingrate behauiour of Israell to him with the … fidelitie of the gentiles to thair fals godis … In this sens also dois the Prophet Jeremie aggrage the inconstancie and defectioun of thair fatheris from God 1581 Bk. Univ. Kirk II 488.
The kirk of God sumtymis is … takine for all thame that professis the evangell … And sumtymes for thame quho exerce the spirituall functioun amangis the congregatioun … The kirk, in this last sence, hes [etc.] 1586 Jurid. Rev. IV 298.
That na man sould interpret the kingis lawis and the lawis man be understand[i]n according to ane [gap] and effectual sens a1599 Rollock Wks. II 295.
We must not think … that this is any … wresting of the Old Scripture by [= outside] the own sense a1633 Hope Major Pract. II 270.
Interlyneing … not altering the sence, vitiats not the wreitt 1638 Spalding I 100.
And what wes my sens and speiche to those that did delyuer it 1640 Anal. Scot. I 388.
All our actiounis shall tend to that which is just and right. So we could wish they wer so interpreit to a trew sence and what ever be the event of bussines, we hope the blame shall not ly upon ws 1642 Ancram & Loth. Corr. I 136.
Trewly, trewly and ingeniwsly, I do confesse my awne wordis or sense was to this effect 1652 Nicoll Diary 85.
Heir followes the ansueris of the severall commissioneris of burghes and schyres … in these wordis following, at the leist to the same sence 1685-8 Renwick Serm. 210.
It is that Christ may manifest his attributes to his church; for his infinite power would not be seen, in raising them up, were they not brought a to hopeless-like case, as to sense. He would not get all the praise if they were instruments for it(2) 1549 Compl. 83/8.
Ȝit nochtheles I hope in God that the rycht sens of there prophane prophesye sal be fulfillit in this generatione 1551 Hamilton Cat. 45.
How may ye knaw the trew sence of the scripture? 1560 Rolland Seven S. 6302.
The doctouris taill farthermair or we heir, Sum morall sence of the last let vs leir 1562-3 Winȝet I 119/10.
Bot giue ȝe appreue nocht the samin with ws, bot inuentis a new sense thairof [sc. of Scripture] 1596 Dalr. II 268/1.
With lettres to the gouernour and to the rest of the nobilitie; quhairof this was the sence, that [etc.] 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 140/5.
Thairfore the lau man be interpretid according to the meaning & not to the literall sence thairof 1602 Colville Paraenese 15.
Souking vp the treu sens tharof out of the blessed paippes of ancient approued doctours 1631 Justiciary Cases I 193.
And quilk last act being the last in tyme as it ratifies so it explaines the trew sence of the former actis 1639 Rec. Kirk Scotl. 212/2.
To write to his majestie to the same sence of the letter now sent 1655 Brodie Diary 166.
That he would not preach a doctrin … but first labour to haue the senc, vic, and experience of it in his own hart 1681 Rothesay B. Rec. 387.
This our solemn oath is given in the plaine and genuine sence and meaning of the words without any equivocation mentall reservatione or evasione quhatsomever

b. The meaning or significance of something cryptic or symbolical. c1590 Fowler II 174/11.
A lyons head … which signifieth after a mistique & hierogliphique sence, fortitude and uigilancie c1590 Fowler II 188/29. 1594 Warrender P. II 261.
Some busses of chesbolles, quhilk under ane hieroglyphicque sence represents bredenes

c. To mak sens out of, to decipher the words or meaning of (a writing). 1666 Laing MSS 354.
I feir your lorship sal not be able to maik sens out of my skriblen