A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1986 (DOST Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1500-1623
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Poiso(u)n-, Poysonit, Poyso(u)nd(e, ppl. adj. Also: poys(s)on(n)it, poysonet; poysand, poysoned, poysned; poysont; puisonit; pyssonit. [ME and e.m.E. poysoned, puisund (c 1300), poysenyd (Prompt. Parv.), poysond (a 1485), f. Poisoun v. Cf. Puso(u)nit ppl. adj.] Poisoned, in various senses.
1. Of persons and animals: Affected with or killed by poison. a1561 Q. Kennedy Breif Tract. (ed.) 139/28.
Of learnet men medicinaris quha persauand ony man intoxicat or poysont be contra poysone curis the pacient 1562-3 Winȝet II 19/27.
Bot that he præfer the helthe of the haill body to ane poysonnit or corruptit membre 1599 Glasgow Barbers 10.
Everie hurt, murtherit, poisonit or onie other persoun tane awa extraordinarly
2. Of things or places: Impregnated, charged or imbued with poison; containing poison, poisonous.
b. Freq. in fig. contexts.(a) 1528 Lynd. Dreme 189.
In to this painefull poysonit pytt of hell 1573 Sempill Sat. P. xxxix 85.
Ane poysonit woll to drink quhat docht it 1590 Criminal Trials I ii 193.
Ane stoup-full of poysonit new aill 1622 Criminal Trials III 514.
Witchcraft can nocht be accomplischet … bot be … poysonet watteris … poysonet oyles … poysonet herbis [etc.](b) 1572-5 Diurnal of Occurrents 248.
For the maist pairt thairof wes schot with puisonit bullattis(c) 1580 Digest Justiciary Proc. K. 1.
Schott with ane pyssonit bullattb. 1560 Rolland Seven Sages 10726.
O poysonit paddokis pule 1570 Satirical Poems xxii 93.
Thy poysonit edder stangis a1585 Maitland Quarto MS lxv 76.
Intoxicat with sorrowis poysonit lance a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 612 (W).
Thrie prechours, to perswad The poyssonit [Wr. poysonde] slae to pow 1581-1623 James VI Poems II 111/20.
Shall coloured knaues so malapertlie lie And shamelesse sowe there poysoned smitting seede 1619 Garden Elphinstoun 577.
A peruerse poysned platt Of wraethe and wyld enuy 1622 D. Lindesey Heavenly Chariot 67.
The blinde blooddie restlesse seminarie … sowing always where he commeth … his poysoned and poysoning popple
3. fig. a. That has been affected by moral or spiritual poison; corrupted; corrupt. 1567 Gude and Godlie Ballatis 9.
Our poysound nature … Can neuer mair this law fulfill 1567 Ib. 52.
For poysand all ar Adamis seid And can not sin refraine 1567 Ib. 211.
Proude, poysonit epecuriens c1568 Lauder Minor P. i 38.
For poysond pepill with infidelytie
b. Of a thing: That is imbued with moral or spiritual poison; tending to corrupt; spiritually poisonous. c1550 Rolland Court of Venus iii 616.
Ȝour [sc. Venus'] luif … The poysonit vice thairof and turpitude Was the maist caus in cumming of Noes flude 1560 Id. Seven Sages 5480.
It is ane poysonit pestilence For to giue ouir haistie credence To ane taill not worth audience 1567 Reg. Privy C. I 537.
That the youtheid be nocht infectit be poysonit doctrine a1605 Montg. Flyt. 293 (T).
And all the plaigis that euir wes put in Pandorus poysonit purs c1590 Fowler I 116/120.
With thair knawlege … Arayse lykwyse that poysned spark within thair bowdned hartis
c. Of a person: That is full of moral or spiritual venom or of malignancy; venomous. c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyt. 70 (B).
It salbe blawin owt How that thow, poysonit [M. posonit] pelour, gat thy paikis 1560 Rolland Seven Sages 3201.
Fals gyglot gangland gill, thow poysonit spewand spout 1562-3 Winȝet I 118 n.
The auld serpent and his poysonit kenling Juliane the Apostate 1587-99 Hume 72/121.
So poysoned breasts with … invy Sum deadlie haitis
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"Poysonit ppl. adj.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 15 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/poysonit>
