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 2000 (DOST Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Sap, Sop, n.¹ Also: sape, saup. [ME and e.m.E. sap (? c1377), sappe (1523), OE sæp.]

1. Sap; the vital juice of plants. b. transf. Moisture more generally; specif. the juice in meat.(1) c1420 Wynt. vii 551.
This tre may happyn for to get The kynd rwte … And sap [C. And sape, W. And the sap] to recovyr syne Bath [the] leyff and flewowre fyne 1513 Doug. iv ix 85.
Spryngand herbys … War … cuttit soyn, To get thar mylky sap [Sm. sop] and vennom blak 1560 Rolland Seven S. 1488.
The auld [plant] … That pith inlaikis, sap, sapour and substance a1598 Ferg. Prov. No. 842.
There little sap [MS No. 1311 sop] in dry peis hooles 1640 Rutherford Lett. (1894) 593.
What odds find the saints in hard trials when they feel sap at their roots(b) a1500 Henr. Practysis 29.
Ane medecyne … ȝe cowth mak it With … the sop of the sege c1590 J. Stewart 54/52.
Quhan herbs and flours … dois vpcast Sueit sauorus smell in sop Ib. 171 § 1.
As dewie drops distels … On vallowit veids … That syn vith sauorus sop dois sprout on sprayb. 1531 Bell. Boece I lvi.
Thay eit, for common, flesche half raw; for the saup is maist nurisand in that maner 1595 Duncan App. Etym.
Vligo, the naturall sop

2. fig. Vital energy; goodness (in soil).Sap and sorrow, may be derived from the earlier sop of sorrow (see Sop n.¹ 2 b).(a) 1616 Crim. Trials III 587.
The Scottismen … drinkis out the sap of ȝour cuntrie, and soukis out your merche 1619 Perth Kirk S. MS 31 Aug.
He wes lyk ane dry witherit kill stik and na sap in him 1637 Rutherford Lett. (1894) 466.
Like lying lea of lean and weak land … whill it gather sap for a better crop 1698 J. Kirkwood Plea Before the Kirk (1698) 15.
Take him to you … for much sap and sorrow we have had since he came amongst us(b) a1599 Rollock Wks. I 358.
Being planted in him, than cummis that fresche sop out of him into thee, and transformes thee