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

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

Suppris(e, Surprise, v. Also: supprys(e, supprysse, supprice, -yce, -yis, suprys(e. P.t. supprissit, supprysyd, supprysed, surprised. P.p. also suppryst, surpryset, surpryzed. [ME and e.m.E. suppris(e (Chaucer), supprys(e (1426), suprise, supprys (both c1450), surpryse (1474), surprise (a1548), AF, OF supris(e (OED), var. of sorpris, sourpris, surpris (c1210, c1260 and 16th c. in Larousse), p.p. of surprendre.There is some degree of confusion, and overlapping of senses, with Suppres(s v.

1. tr. To make a surprise attack upon, to attack without warning; to take, or capture, by surprise. Also transf.pres. 1375 Barb. ii 563.
Assemblit thai thar ost in hy And thar him trowit to suppris
1375 Barb. vi 527.
For Jhon off Lorn full sutelly Be-hind thocht to supprys the king
1375 Barb. xv 119.
Thai thoucht in the mornyng Till ysche, but langer delaying, And till suppris thame suddanely
c1420 Wynt. iii 323.
Thai … set thare wachys for to se Quhen wnarayid all was he, That swa thai mycht hym best supprys
(b) a1400 Leg. S. xl 876.
For a gret oste of Ingland, For to supprice hym, var cumand
(c) ?1438 Alex. ii 1705.
Thay do great harme that sic supryses! Delyuerly on fute he ryses … And routes rude about him threw
a1500 K. Hart 544.
Suppryse
(d) 16.. Herries Mem. 130.
The lairds of Lochinvar and Fernihurst convyned to surprise the toune of Edinburgh
p.t. 1514 Gordon Geneal. Hist. 90.
Donald in the absence of his brother, John, supprysed his two cusin germanes vnder silence of the night … and killed them both
p.p. 1375 Barb. xviii 426 (C).
And left schir Thomas manfully Defendand … the plas, Quhill that he swa supprisit was That he wes tane
?1438 Alex. i 2800.
Supprysit thow hes vs all neir-hand
?1438 Alex. ii 4464.
Bot quhen he saw that he was sa Supprysit allane, withowtin ma His hart in to his body grew
c1400 Troy-bk. ii 2799.
Supprysed
c1475 Wall. iii 406.
His men supprisyt agayne to him relewyt
c1615 Chron. Kings 16.
They wes supprissit, winqueist and cheassit be Galdus in ane battall
1625 Garden Kings 21.
Suppris'd unvarrs, not vanquished nor slain
1632 Lithgow Trav. iii 94.
When Nigropont and diuerse other iles were surprised from the Venetians
(b) 1602 Bk. Arran II 102.
His house … wes violently surprisit and tane be sum brokin Hieland men
transf. c1540 Lynd. Syde Taillis 46.
Thare gownis, Four inche abone thare proper heillis … Quhare throw thare dois na poulder ryis, Thare fair quhyte lymmis to suppryis

b. To dishonour, injure or rape (a woman). a1400 Leg. S. xli 142.
For-cause scho wes freborne … Of hire kyne he had dred For to supprice hir as of ded
a1400 Leg. S. xlix 157.
Scho, … Cryit hye: Supprice me nocht Na haf nocht foly in-to thocht!
c1420 Wynt. i 310 (W).
Sindry spretis on thare wis Slepand women wald suppris With maistry quayntis or with slicht
c1420 Wynt. v 1690.
That he wald have lyin hyr by And … supprysid hyr vyleusly
c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 196/71.
Sic ladyis wyis Thay ar to pryis … Swa can devyis And none suppryis Thame nor thair honestie

2. Of something non-material: To come upon (a person, his senses, etc.) unexpectedly, to take unawares, seize. Also with or of the emotion, etc. involved.(1) 1375 Barb. xii 280.
Ye … Sall fall giff ȝe lat cowardys And wykytnes ȝow suppris
?1438 Alex. ii 10484.
Bot pitie sa supprysit thé That [etc.]
c1420 Wynt. ii 92.
Thai had na dowte Off inwy, … Na falshede that thaim mycht supprys [C. supprysse, W. suppris]
1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 1652.
And eik I saw quhat wise All his [sc. Aeneas's] nauie greit hounger did supprise
1533 Boece 44.
That this trubill of instant weris suld nocht haistelie supprise the pepill without ane cheif
1611-57 Mure Early Misc. P. i 60.
Ȝouth then, with courage and desyer … With fervent mynds assayed My sences to suppryse
1611-57 Mure Sonn. vi 5.
Thy beutyes did my sensses suire suppryse
(2) ?1438 Alex. ii 2269.
Quhen I will lufe, bot gif I be Supprysit with lufe or strenth or list, That I sall lufe the all-thir first
c1420 Wynt. iv 879.
And wyt wytht wyle thare yhe supprys And honeste defowlyt lyis
c1420 Ratis R. 1076.
Befor that sicht supprisit bee Of swet seruice and gret bewtee Vith gud continans of gud havinge, With [etc.]
a1500 Lanc. 1236.
Of hie worschip our mekill have ȝe sen So sone to be supprisit with o thoght
(b) 1648 Dalkeith Presb. in Butler Leighton 229.
Quhen he came home he was surpryset with seikness

b. With personal subject: To come upon unexpectedly. a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xliv 26.
Wo to the spyis first did suppryis My hairt within ȝour hald!
1641 Passionate Remonstrance by his Holiness upon the Covenant of Scotland.
None could well discover at the first glance, the girnes of our holy treason, by which we would have surprised the heretik soules
a1651 Calderwood II 388.
The regent … surprised fourtie-three theeves in Hawick, upon the mercat day, the 30th day of October
1678 Edinb. B. Rec. X 348.
The saids clerks … [have] had a competent tyme to … deliberat upon there defensses and not surprysed and taken onawarse

c. intr. a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 1259.
Of all this warld I wait na thing bot wa. My panis supprice, for doloure neir I de

3. tr. To overpower, defeat, subdue (a person), to force to submit. Also, with non-material object.(1) ?1438 Alex. ii 1283.
Mysfall vs ocht, we are bot tane, Or ellis supprysit, or ellis slane
?1438 Alex. ii 4488.
The ax in his hand of steill, With his vndemous strakis geuing, Him semyt supprysit in na kin thing
c1420 Wynt. ii 1372 (W).
Thame thocht it wranguise thing … Agane sa symple folkis to ryse, Or faynd in weir thaim to supprise
c1420 Wynt. vi 1713.
Schyr Knowt, that wes a wyly knycht, As he saw lykly in the fycht, Dowtyd to be supprysyd sone
a1500 Lanc. 2703.
Sir Gawan so ewill was wondit than, And in the feld supprisit was so sore, That he the wers thar of was euermore
a1500 Bk. Chess 874.
In his weir he was supprisit so That to devocioun schupe this knycht to go
c1552 Lynd. Mon. 3786.
All thir gret mychtie monarchyis, The quhilkis all vther realmes supprysit
(2) 1528 Lynd. Dreme 80.
I met dame Flora, in dule weid dissagysit … With stalwart stormes hir sweitnes wes suprisit
1562-92 Wode's Psalter in Music of Scotl. 155.
O God abufe so weill thou hes devyst Me to be puneist with infirmitye That from the youth the rage I have suppryst

b. fig. a1500 Seven S. 340.
This noble tre stud all disgysit Nakit hurt & ill suprisit

4. To oppress, persecute; to suppress, put down. Also quasi-proverb.Cf. Suppres(s v. 1.(1) c1420 Wynt. iv 1808.
Sum hapnyd to regne throuch malice, And ilkane othir wald suppryce
c1420 Wynt. v 950.
[Nero] made fyrst persecutyown Off Crystyn men, and thare fay Supprysyd he held at wndyre ay
c1420 Wynt. v 1166.
The clerk Plynyus … Wrate tyll hym, [sc. Trajan] … That Crystyn-men, one nakyn wys He suld dysses, or yhit supprys
c1420 Wynt. v 1548.
He his comownys on na wys Wyth imposityownys wald supprys
c1420 Wynt. v 4596 (C).
He fauowryt al tyme Cristyn fay, And herrotikis supprissit ay
c1420 Wynt. vi 86.
Asstulphe than kyng off Lumbardy Supprysyd the kyrk dyspytwysly
c1420 Wynt. vii 252.
Hys le[i]gys supprysand Be gret grewows exactyownys
c1420 Wynt. vii 828.
Wyth wertu he supprysyd syn
c1420 Wynt. ix 1488.
All landis lyand nere yow by Yhe supprys wyth senyhowry
1456 Hay I 156/31.
Ȝit may I lefully defend me agayne othir that wald suppris me wrangwisly
c1475 Wall. vi 925.
For a ȝer a finaill pes to tak. Nocht for my self … Bot for pur folk gretlye has beyne supprisyt
a1500 Colk. Sow iii 70.
Sanctis in hevin quhome sinfull man supprysis
a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 829 (Asl.).
Be wikit ways on mony syndry wys The commoun proffet and pepill to supprys
1540 Lynd. Sat. 3767 (B).
The commoun weill … With singular proffeit … hes bene supprysit That he is naikit, lene and disagysit
a1568 Bann. MS 44b/74.
Thocht a man be keip in presone Be nocht our perte him to supprys
1622-6 Bisset I 123/11.
Rather ȝit for luif … thow manteines thy freind and supprysis thy innimie
(2) a1500 Henr. Fab. 2109.
Ane hardie hart is hard for to suppryis

b. To interfere with, so as to spoil in some way. (Cf. Suppres(s v. 1 c.) c1420 Wynt. vi 1514.
Be yhe noucht sa obstynate Till hendyre or supprys my state

5. To cause (a person) to be surprised; to astonish, alarm. 1657 Conv. Burghs III 448.
Wee … being surpryzed with the vnacquaintednes of thair dyetis

b. intr. c1420 Wynt. iii 970.
In Grece the Olympias … Wes ordanyd ilka fyft yhere. And for this caus it ordanyd thai At tha termys … at the cost sulde les supprys At tha termys than wytht in
a1570-86 Balnaves in Maitl. F. 359/99.
Bot thow be wyis, scho will suppryis

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"Suppris v.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 29 Mar 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/supprise_v>

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