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

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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Signify, v. Also: -(i)e, -ye, signyfy, -(i)e, sign(i)efy, -(i)e, sygnyfy, singnif(i)e, -effye, segnify. Pres. t. also singnifice. [ME and e.m.E. signefie(n (c1250), sygnifye(n (Rolle), signifi (Cursor M.), signifie(n (14th c.), signify (1533), ME also singnefie (1297), F. signifier (12th c.), f. L. significāre, f. signum Sign(e n.] tr.

1. To be a sign or symbol of, to symbolise, represent, betoken, to ‘stand for’ within an allegorical or metaphorical system.Also const. till, to (a person) and that (something is the case).(1) c1420 Wynt. iv Prol. 20.
The grene hew … plesance signyfyis a1500 Henr. Fab. 1574 (Bann.).
This mychty gay lyoun May signify a prince, or empriour 1490 Irland Mir. I 130/9. 1494 Loutfut MS 11a.
This stane signifiez … loiaulte a1500 Bk. Chess 2041.
The warld & all that is thairin suthlye The chekker maye in figour signifye 1513 Doug. iii viii 68.
A fatale takyn, fowr horssis … Weir and debait thir stedis signyfyis a1538 Abell 87b.
Thre sonnis wes seyn … and eftir tua howris thai turnit in ane signifein 3 personis in the trinite and a substance c1552 Lynd. Mon. 3763.
The myxit feit with irne and clay, Did signifye this letter day 1561 Q. Kennedy Compendious Ressonyng (ed.) 180/1.
The alb signifeis the clayth quhairwith he was cled — 1456 Hay I 10/22.
Be the first angel is signifyed till us Sanct Johne the Baptist a1578 Pitsc. II 79/26.
Ane great fyre … quhilk signiefieit to him the wraith of God(2) 1456 Hay II 47/15.
Thare is gevin to the knycht his lytill schort suerd … in signifyand that [etc.] 1490 Irland Mir. I 130/17.
He come … to the Virgin and nocht to the tempil, for to be takin and signifye, that the blist sone of God tuk humanite for the saluacioune of … all the pepill 1494 Loutfut MS 42a.
Armyt with bestis clwkis and signifies that neuer be werkis of his hande … had he dishonour a1586 Lindsay MS 23b.
The hermyne … signifyis he that bur hir first in armes wes ane man of peax

b. To be related symbolically to; to find symbolic expression in.(1) 1456 Hay I 284/2.
The quhyte colour … is signyfyit to the vertu of puritee … . Ane othir colour … is blak … be it is signifyit dolour(2) c1520-c1535 Nisbet I 17.
The manhede of Crist is signifyit in man: presthede is signifiet in the calf. Realme is signifyet in the lioun, and the sacrament of godhede … in the egile

c. To betoken, foreshadow, indicate as a coming event. c1400 Troy-bk. ii 492 (C).
The scycound syngne sothly The tokyn for to signifye [D. signyfie] Inne-to schort tyme for the cite c1400 Troy-bk. ii 2865.
Throw it that dreme can signefy Suld … to exile … or to deid be done 1513 Doug. iii vi 16.
Gentil Troiane … That vnderstandis the cowrs of euery star … Quhat thai betakyn and quhat thai signyfy c1520-c1535 Nisbet John xii 33.
He said this thing, signifiand be quhat deid he was to dee 1531 Bell. Boece II 179.
Quhen thir fische fletis in our seyis thay signify gret infortuniteis to mortall pepill

2. To seem (to be), to have the appearance of. c1400 Troy-bk. ii 1712.
Of fyre-flaucht sic flawis fleand That it signifyed the se birnand

3. To mean, to have the import or meaning of, to denote.The meaning arising from the application of rational thought or logical deduction to a set of circumstances.The first two quots. may, rather, belong in sense 1. a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 532.
Quhat signifyis yone schene scheild? a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 778.
‘Quhat signifyis yone rynging?’ said the ryale a1500 Lanc. 160.
Quhat may this meyne? quhat may this signify? Is it of troutht or of illusioune? a1500 Quare Jel. 121.
Quhat may this mene? Quhat may this signifye? I can nocht wit quhat is the cause or quhy [etc.] c1508 Ch. & M. Prints 178/205.
A sentens of a soueraine lord … signifiis sentens superlatife 1549 Compl. 21/18.
Lucan quha said that the vecht of Rome suld gar it ryue in mony partis: the vecht of it signifeit nocht the vecht of hauy vallis, housis [etc.] … bot rather it signifeit the vecht of the inexorbitant extorsions that [etc.] 1562-3 Winȝet II 32/23.
I wate nocht treulie quhattin a grete maister is signifiit a1578 Pitsc. II 65/11.
Heir conffessing signifieit the secreit knawledge of our sinns beffoir God a1578 Pitsc. II 193/6.
Thair was put vpone the kirk dore … ane paintted wreitting witht … ane M. one the on syd and on the vthir … ane H. quhilk signefied that the quenis grace and the erle Bothwell sould be the causeris of the kingis deid

4. Of a word or other linguistic element: To mean, denote. b. intr. To have or bear meaning. c. tr. Of a person: To endow (a word) with a particular meaning; to understand (a particular meaning) by (be) a word. 1513 Doug. Comm. i i 13.
Musa in Grew signifeis an inuentryce … in our langgage 1513 Doug. Conscience 17.
Singnifies [M. singnifices] 1533 Gau 83/30.
This vord sela that singnifeis rest and pece 1533 Boece 397b.
Northman … signifijs ane man of the north c1542 Misc. Bann. C. I 13.
For O' in Eyrische signifiethe a nephew 1549 Compl. 17/17, 18.
This terme homo signifeis baytht man ande voman bot ther is nocht ane Scottis terme that signifeis baytht man ande voman 1549 Compl. 83/31.
This passage signifies nocht that God tynis them that ar learis … bot [etc.] 1549 Compl. 83/29.
This vord perdet is ane verb … it signifies to tyne c1552 Lynd. Mon. 1972.
Declair to me Quhat signifyis one monarchie. … Monarchie bene one terme [etc.] 1561 Q. Kennedy Compendious Ressonyng (ed.) 176/26.
Ite missa est … dois signifie that … the mes was finissit 1563 Davidson Answer in Misc. Wodrow Soc. 243.
Placing this worde burdene for ȝok quhilk signifeis heir baith ane thing 1597 Skene Verb. S. s.v. Annexation.
Annexation … signifies ane fast knitting and binding 1597 Skene Verb. S. s.v. Haimsvken. 1597 James VI Dæmonol. (STS) 42/31. 1630-1651 Gordon Geneal. Hist. XIV.
In the Scottish language but signifeith withoutb. 16.. Rudiments fol. 14a.
Participles falling from neutrall verbs doe signifie neutralliec. 1581 Hamilton Cath. Tr. 92.
As the haill ancientis … signifeit Christis action … be the vord Messe … sa the hail Grecian doctoris signifeis the same sacrifice be the vord leitourchía

5. To make known, announce, intimate; to make evident, indicate. Also absol.(a) c1400 Troy-bk. ii 305 (C).
Anthenor Inne the mater of hys sermoune … signifyed he With the Gregeois to treted be c1420 Wynt. ii 862.
Genealogeys That … sygnyfis As oure kyng suld cumyn be … fra Noe 1456 Hay II 76/3.
Till ane … worthy lord … I signify to thy prudence that [etc.] c1460 Regim. Princ. 137 (Marchm.).
Oure al this erd thai war lordis and victouris And tuke tribut for souerane signify c1515 Asl. MS II 258/335.
Hercules … set pilleris … for to signify That no man mycht him pas in chevalry 1513 Doug. vii iv 141.
The self stranger, quham fatale destanee Signyfeit [Sm. Signifyit] tocum furth of ane vncouth sted Tobe his son in law c1520-c1535 Nisbet Acts xi 28.
Aan of thame raase up, … and signifijt be the spirit a gret hungir tocumming in al the warld 1531 Bell. Boece II 260.
King Duncane maid his son Malcolme Prince of Cumbir to signify that he suld regne eftir him 1673 Red Bk. Grandtully I cxii.
I have … had leteres from very good hands signifieing ther esteeme(b) 1646 Dunferm. Weavers 141.
To stand at the Cross … with a paper on her head segnifying her cursing and blasphemiesabsol. c1420 Wynt. v Prol. 25.
Sa, as Oros[ius] signifyis The west kynryk begouth to rys

b. Const. to a person. Also absol. c1420 Wynt. viii 2385.
This Kyng … sygnyfyid to the Pape … Quhat he … gert be dwne 1548–9 Cal. Sc. P. I 172.
My lord … this shalbe to singneffye unto you the gret unnaturallnes wiche ye showe me daylye 1584 Cal. Sc. P. VII 167.
And this to be signefeit ather wnto the governor of Berwyk or wnto the warden of the Est Merch 1585 Misc. Bann. C. I 112.
Quhilk being signifyed to the brethren off the Ministrie he was 1593 Warrender P. (SHS) II 207.
That it mycht pleis your Majestie to signifie to me … the cause of my offence 1596 Dalr. II 391/25.
That tha suld signifie to the Scotis how weil inclynet war the Dolphine, and his father to … al the inhabitans of the realme 1629 Justiciary Cases I 125.
Unto the tyme he signifeit the premises to the lordis of Secreit Counsall 1640 Spalding II 493.
Whair he is bot latelie planted, quhilk he hes also signifeit to ws be his awin letter 1653 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. III 62.
That he … signifie and give notace to the shreff … that he is returned 1653 J. M. Beale Fife Schools 132.
The laird … did signifie unto my Lord Balmerino that [etc.] 1672 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. MS 2 March.
Quhill they or any of them signifie to the magistrats … that they doe give over the samyn brewing a1686 Turner Mem. 29.
The marques … signified by a trumpet to us the cessationabsol. c1420 Wynt. v 304.
As Josephus Signyfyis in tyll hys buk till ws

c. To make (a person) known, to mark out or cite (a person or persons). 1570 Sat. P. x 419.
Ȝe wer anis all in his will signifeit At the Langsyde c1630 Scot Narr. 141.
They conveened … contrary to his expresse command, and wer signified by the commissioners in their letter