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

Surfet, -fat, -feit, n. Also: surffet, surfett, -fatt, -phat, -fute, sorfet. [ME and e.m.E. surfait (Cursor M.), surfeyte (Manning), surfet, sorfete (Piers Plowman), surfettes pl. (1387-8), surfeit (1612), OF sor-, surfait, -fet excess, surplus (OED).]

1. Over-indulgence in food or drink; gluttony; intemperance. c1420 Ratis R. App. ii 23.
Tak kep to prowerbis quhare thou heris; And se thow ses of surfat syne c1460 Dietary 76.
Modreth fude giffeth to a man his helth, And all surfat doith fra hym remew c1490 Irland Asl. MS 67/24.
Be surfet and delicious metis and drinkis enclynand me to syn c1500-c1512 Dunb. (STS) xxvi 96.
Him followit mony fowll drunckart, With can and collep, cop and quart, In surffet and exces 1513 Doug. iv Prol. 99.
Hant na surfat [Sm. surphat, Ruddim. sorfet], drynk bot quhen thou art dry 1531 Bell. Boece I xxiv.
Thow sall find thaim throw thair intemperance and surfet diet sa fowsumlie growin … that [etc.] 1567 G. Ball. 74.
Ane gredie stomokis appetyte, And all surfet thow tak from me a1568 Bann. MS 72b/39.
For surfett puttis fer ma to deid Nor swerd or knyf withowt remeid a1598 Ferg. Prov. No. 763.
Surfeit slayes mae nor the sword

b. An instance of gluttony. c1460 Dietary 49.
Suffer no surfattis in thi hous at nycht, Be war with reirsuppers & of gret exces 1531 Bell. Boece II 108.
He tuke plesoure, thris ilk day, to fars his wambe with all surfettis and delicius cheir 1639 Fugitive Poetry ii xvi 2.
I with the Scribes doe not command A dyett when I surfetts tak

2. An excessive amount (of something); excess, extravagance (in behaviour, expenditure, etc.).(1) 1546 Perth Guildry 231 (12 July).
Haueand consideratioun of the surfat and gret expens mayd be Johne Walcar als hatmaker apon gemmys … making and plaing in tymes bigane for our pleissur [etc.] a1568 Bann. MS 71b/13.
Exclud surfatt and spend with discretioun 1571 Bk. Univ. Kirk I 239.
That the Colledge and brethren forsaids be not put to surfett and expensses in seiking remedy befor vther judges 1600 Elgin Rec. II 85.
Sic as beis deprehendit in surfet [ed. surset] and ryot to be puneist 1611-57 Mure Early Misc. P. xxi 88.
Rejoyce then Scotland; change thy mourning weed … Enjoy with surfet now thy soules desyre(2) 15.. Clar. ii 1672.
If I sould tell ȝow all the long proces I sould ȝow irk be surfat of exces 15.. Clar. iii 757.
Be surfute of travell and hir grit rebute … Hir tyrrit lymis no farther micht hir beir

3. As a nickname, in either or both of the above senses. 1674 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. MS 17 Oct.
To James McCairtney called Surfett proveist Fullartouns halfe skair 1675 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. MS 7 July.
Surfet