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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.

Prisoner(e, -ar(e, n. Also: priss-, prys- and -oneir, -onner(e, -air, -ouner(e, -are, -air; prisioner(e, prisionr; prisonour. [ME (14th c.) and e.m.E. prisoner(e, F. prisonnier (prisonier 12–13th c. in Hatz.-Darm.), med. L. pris-, prizonarius: cf. the (earlier more common) Presoner(e n.]

1. A prisoner of war, a captive. = Presoner(e n. 1. Also fig.(a) 1375 Barb. ii 456.
He … for dispyte bad draw and hing All the prisonneris 1397 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 35. 1456 Hay I 230/20.
Than are ȝe, gude schir, my prisonere Ib. 232/14.
And be the law of armes he may tak, and hald prisounere, and ger pay fynaunce the fader of the barne Ib. 230/12. 1496–7 Acta Conc. II 69.
Or than til pay wolkly for the thre persons prisoneris Inglismen for ilk persone ane angel noble ay and quhil [etc.] 1501–2 Treas. Acc. II 138.
To tua men of Makyis that brocht prisoneris to Strivelin c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 209 (Ch. & M.).
Than was I … yoldyn as a wafull prisonnere [: nere, chere, clere, appere] To lady Beautee 1522–3 Acta Conc. MS XXXIII 125. 1545–6 Reg. Privy S. III 230/2. 15.. Clar. ii 1584.
To go and louse ȝon werie prissoneris [: effeiris] c1575 Balfour Pract. 591.
And gif he happinis to win ane prisoner a1585 Maitl. Q. lxxxviii 6.
Prisoners 1596 Dalr. II 318/27.
The Erle of Huntlei with thame [the English] than captiue and prissouner Ib. 331/3. 1600 Hamilton Facile Tr. 207.
Thow also hes brocht out thy bund prisoners … of the loch whair in thair is na water 1630 Justiciary Cases I 148.
Prissoner 1657 Balfour Ann. I 95.
Prissoner 1667 Highland P. II 47.
Prissoner(b) 15.. Clar. i 519.
We cum ȝour prissoneiris [: feiris] Ib. ii 946.
How they demainit had the prissoneir [: cleir](c) 1456 Hay I 157/19.
Gif a man … may sla his prisounare at his awin will Ib. 179/28.
And takis the said baroun prisonar to him Ib. 234/18.
Bot treuly and a blynd man had bene tane prisoner … he aw nocht to be haldin prisounare Ib. 172/32.
Prysonare Ib. 121/26, etc. 1513 Treas. Acc. IV 509.
To iiij Inglismen, prisonaris, for iij wolkis wagis Ib. 511. 1540 Lynd. Sat. 5 (B).
Replegeing his prissonaris with his pretious blude 15.. Clar. ii 1201.
The guid king thocht bot litill bourd That prissoneris his knichts war so caucht Be sic ane stranger 1610 Crim. Trials III 102.
Thay war slayne … for I wald nocht hald thame as prisounairis 1679 Laing MSS I 418.
Being brought over prisonares by a partie of horse sent to seaze them(d) c1500-50 Brevis Cronica 337.
He … was at last takin and maid prisonour at the battle of Durhamefig. 1456 Hay I 229/23.
All seke man is Goddis prisounare, and sen God has lattyn him to borgh [etc.]

2. A person held in a public prison or in public custody, normally as the result of a legal process. = Presoner(e n. 2. 1580–1 Edinb. B. Rec. IV 195.
Ane bill … anent the prisoneris wairdet in the javellour hous 1600-1610 Melvill 616.
The counsell … remittis the prissouneris to thair wairding-places 1611 Crim. Trials III 153.
Sen the said hoirning, he remanit prissoner dyuerse oulkis in the tolbuith 1618 Melrose P. 315.
We haif gevin directioun … to committ him cloise prisonnair in thair irnehouse 1624 Peebles B. Rec. I 412.
To ryde to Jedbruch with the prissoneris Ib.
To the twa prissoneris that dieit in waird 1625 Argyll Rentals 11 Nov.
With saxteine prissonaris and thair keeparis from Inneraray to Edinburgh 1627 Justiciary Cases I 66.
Prissoner 1655 Dumbarton B. Rec. 69. 1661 Laing MSS I 285.
Shut up both your petitioner and his wife close prissouners in the Castle of Dunnotter 1669 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. III 10.
[John Gordon] was kepped prisoner above tuo year in the Tolbuith of Edinburgh 1670 Inverness Rec. II 245.
Foir holding the prisson doirs opin on the prissoners the space of an quholl day 1675 Stirling Common Good 91 b.
For dressing the lumbes quhair the prisonars lyes 1677 Cunningham Diary 91.
For the prisoners in the Basse 1680 Dunlop P. III 8.
The magistrats of Glasgow is fined … for leting of ther prisioneres go Ib.
Prisionr 1682 Melrose Reg. Rec. III 3.
As jevellar to the saids prissoners