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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.

Solist, Solicit, adj. Also: soliste, -yst, sollist, -yst, sol(l)icite, solisit, soliceit. [e.m.E. solicite (c1535), L. sōl-, sollicitus agitated, disturbed, anxious; Solist v.]

1. Characterised by solicitude or concern.(a) 1513 Doug. viii vii 71.
I thé hecht All maner thing with solist diligens 1600-1610 Melvill 7.
It pleased his grace … to twitche my conscience with a solist cear of my charge and flok(b) 1573-1600 Burne Disput. in Cath. Tr. 109/16.
Your M. (be the maist sollicit cair of your darrest mother our souerane … vas maid participant of the sacramentis of baptisme and confirmation 1608 Craven Argyll Diocese 58.
Your highest court of parliament craving, that they … have a solicite respect to the universal state 1644 J. Maxwell Prerog. Chr. Kings Ep. Ded. p. v.
Episcopacie after the most exact and sollicite triall, is onely the crime [etc.]

2. Of persons: Solicitous, concerned. a. Const. about (anent, for, in, of something). Also transf.(1) 1533 Boece 158.
Romanis … solist of the commoun weill 1554 Knox III 148.
I culd gif … a moir apperand cause and derivatioun of that dictioun Missa; but of the name I am not greatlie sollist 1596 Dalr. I 98/10.
Thair castelis and palices ar scheiphouses and luges … of quhais burning thay ar nocht sair solist 1620 Lett. Eccl. Affairs II 621.
Maister Melvine … is sollist of the event of that conference(b) 1533 Boece 497b.
Thareof suld vthir men be sollicit 1533 Boece 539.
Alexander sollicit of his successioun … maryit his eldest son Alexander apoun the Erle of Flandris douchter c1590 Fowler II 195/7.
The king … was sollicite and carefull of honourable and magnifike rewardes to be bestowed on … them 1596 Dalr. I 87/25.
Thay of barnes ar only solicite and kairful(2) 1551 Hamilton Cat. 242.
God is mair sollyst for us thane we ar our self 1569 Ordour Excomm. 31 (1st Printing).
Be not solist for things of this lyfe 1558-66 Knox I 287.
Ye ar so solist for the weall of me and my house 1596 Dalr. I 253/29.
He was verie soliste and kairful for his people 1620 Lett. Eccl. Affairs II 621.
He is also no lesse sollist for yow 1638 Henderson Serm. 422.
O then, says one, what needs me to be solist for my salvation(b) 1596 Dalr. I 307/19.
The peple solicit and sair kairful for the state of the cuntrie 1619 Garden Elphinstoun 2583.
I will soliceit be For wordlie things no more 1639 Baillie I 193.
We were not meikle sollicit for the Marqueis feed(3) c1552 Lynd. Mon. 6276.
Be nocht to myche solyst in temporall thyngis 1638 Henderson Serm. 80.
We should be als careful & als solist in prayer(4) 1549 Compl. 9/26.
He vas solist in his mynde anent the gouuernyng of the public veil(5) 1638 Henderson Serm. 63.
To be solist nor careful about nothing, what the success thereof sall betransf. 1549 Compl. 37/1.
The solist ande attentiue laubirs that I tuke … gart al my body be cum … verye 1549 Compl. 169/11.
Democrites leucht and scornit there foliful conuersatione and solist vanite

b. Const. infinitive.(a) 1533 Boece 314b.
The king hereeftir richt solist to haue his pepill confermyt in gude rewle 1549 Compl. 34/10.
Var ve as solist to considir the vanite of this last varld as Salomon 1549 Compl. 34/20. 1559 Knox VI 102.
The French … ar not verrey sollist to re-enforte the ruptures and daly decayes of Leyth a1570-86 Balnaves in Maitl. F. 356/11.
In mynd solist wele to resist a1578 Pitsc. I 79/2.
Thay war all solist to … send ane ambassadour to intreit peace witht the King of Scottland 1601 Cal. Sc. P. XIII 830.
Soliste 1638 Henderson Serm. 368.
Therefore we need not be so solist what their works and thoughts are towards us; but we should be solist … to know the Lord's works and thoughts(b) 1639 Sc. Ant. III 131.
Ther is great repairing of a fowle, called the erne, and the people are very curious & solicit to catch him

c. Const. noun clause.(a) 1562-3 Winȝet I 75/9.
[He] schawis himself … to feir and be solist, that be the inlake of cheritie … he suld be maid reprobat a1578 Pitsc. I 33/4.
He sped him to Stirvilling … richt solist in his mynd quhat sould be done 1596 Dalr. I 218/20.
That his brotheris barnes be weil brocht vpe, he does al diligence, and is verie solist and cairful 1606 Birnie Kirk-b. vi.
Why … are ye solist what befall a senslesse carrion?(b) 1633 Reg. Privy C. in Innes Sketches 518.
The kings Maiestie is most solicite and desyrous that the tyme of his being at Perth there may be a … mustour mad of hielandmen

d. Without construction. Also transf.(a) 1515 Doug. in Douglas Corr. 69.
Hast ansuere agayne and be solyst as ȝe haf beyne in tymme bypassyt(b) 1644 J. Maxwell Prerog. Chr. Kings 106.
Who knoweth not how ambitious, factious, and discontented spirits are most ingenious and solicitetransf. 1566 Keith Hist. App. 135.
My Lord Cardinall of Lorraine with solisit and hauld hand [etc.]

3. Anxious, perturbed, worried. Also (once) const. with (a feeling).(1) 1533 Bell. Livy I 57/5.
Baith thare voce was rauk, and thare sprete solist and dull 1565 Knox VI 404.
We neid not to be so fearefull, nor so sollist a1578 Pitsc. I 70/17. 1586 Cal. Sc. P. IX 155.
I never fand him so solist as at this tym 1590 Cal. Sc. P. X 464.
The devil apperit unto her in the nicht quhill sche was solist and pensive 1596 Dalr. II 200/20.
The rest verie solist in London byde his cuming 1600-1610 Melvill 64.
I haiff dreamed an unsall dream, and I am sum thing solist efter it(b) 1606 Melvill 634.
Surelie we ar not solicite, neithir cairfull in the mater(2) 1533 Bell. Livy I 131/27.
Brutus, seand the pepill solist with this suspicioun, callit thame to ane concioun