† stouth Sc. and north. Obs.
Forms: 4 stulth, stulþ, 5 stouth, stoutht, stuth, 6 stouith, 6, 9 stowth.
[Northern ME. stulþ, a. ON. stulþ-r (Icel. stulð-r, stuld-r), f. OTeut. *stul- ablaut-var. of *stel-: see steal v.]
1. Theft. Often coupled with reif: cf. stouthreif.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 28461 Stulth o mete and drink did i. 1429 in Cal. Doc. rel. Scot. (1888) 405 Gif..he knew never of the stoutht of the hale gude no[r] of that pert that is fundin with him. 1456 Sir G. Hay Gov. Princes Wks. (S.T.S.) II. 88 Unlautee engenderis outhir ref, stouth, pillery or rubbery. 1497 Reg. Privy Seal Scot. I. 12/1 For the reif and stuth of the gudis and insicht being in the sammyn. 1530 Lyndesay Test. Papyngo 529 Quhat stouith, quhat raif, quhat murther, & myschance! 1535 Stewart Cron. Scot. (Rolls) III. 101 With reif and stouth, spulȝe and oppressioun. 1589–90 Reg. Privy Council Scot. IV. 453 Manifest reiffis and stouthis committit upoun his Hienes peceable and gude subjectis. 1610 Extracts Aberd. Reg. (1848) II. 304 The frequent pykrie and stouthis in the cuntrie. 1652 in Cromwellian Union (S.H.S. 1902) 61 The vnsufferable robberies and stouthis daylie committit on both sydes of the border. 1701 in W. R. Mackintosh Cur. Incid. Rec. Kirkwall (1892) 110 The crymes of thift, reiff, stouth, and ressate of thift are punishable by death. 1791 J. Learmont Poems 46 (E.D.D.) Great geer by stouth and rief, He's filcht frae mony Indian chief. |
2. Stealth, clandestine transaction. (Jam.)
| 1513 Douglas æneis xii. Prol. 212 Sum rownys to hys fallow, thame betwene, Hys mery stouth and pastans lait ȝistrene. |