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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Await, Awate, v. Also: awayt(t, awayit, auate, avate, avait, awaut; awyt, awyit, avyte. [Early ME. awaitie (c 1225), awayte, etc., ONF. awaitier; cf. Wait v.]

1. intr. To wait or attend on or upon a person.1482 Lennox Mun. 122 (to remayne and awayt apoun his persoun). 1512 Reg. Privy S. I. 367/1 (that malaris and utheris await apoun him). 1524 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 219 (to be reddy till awayt vpoun my lord provest). 1547 Treas. Acc. IX. 115 (to Davide Ker, quha avatit upoun my lorde). 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 112 (gentillmen quha awatit vpon the Duke). a1578 Pitsc. I. 50/7 (to await wpoun his maiestie).

b. To bestow attention, to spend one's time, on or upon some matter.a1500 Doug. K. Hart 296 (to await vpone thair observance). 1527 Treas. Acc. V. 329 (to the maister of artalȝery awaytand continualy thairuppoun). 1545 Reg. Privy C. I. 6 (to remane and awate upon thair office). 1556 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 258 (awatand on the townis effaris). 1580 Inverness B. Rec. I. 282 (haveand ane dog to await on his chalmer). 1594 Acts IV. 55/1 (all leigis to avayit and attend thairon).

c. To be in attendance, to give assistance.1547 Treas. Acc. IX. 89 (to x pyonarres that awatit upon service). 1554 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 357 (twa warkmen that awatit about the lifting of thame) . 1555–6 Ib. 230 (xvij vlkis quhilkis he avatit and ouersaw the werk). 1582 Aberd. B. Rec. II. 48 (to owirsie, awyit, and attend for the yeir to cum).

2. tr. To lie in wait for; to waylay.1513 Doug. ix. v. 29 (to set apon thame, and await with skaith); xi. vii. 128 (all thocht he me doith await). 1567 G. Ball. 96 (the sinfull man with euill will awayit the innocent).

3. To wait for (a time).1560 Rolland Seven S. 136/4 (await sum day quhen he gais in hunting). c1590 J. Stewart 266/264 (auating tym till entir … ).

4. intr. To wait (for, on or upon some event, etc.).1554 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 202 (the haill baillies … awatand vpoun the gaddering of the counsale). 1562-3 Winȝet I. 39/3 (awaityng on Iohne Knox answeir); 54/33 (fra that I had avytit vij or viij monethis thairupon). 1565 Reg. Morton I. 15 (to awaytt patiently for his leasuer). 1593 Acts IV. 43/1 (awaitand quhill thay may steill the same in the nicht).