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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.

Beteche, Beteich, v. Also: beteiche, beteach; p.t. and p.p. betaucht, betawcht, betacht, (bethaucht, bethacht), betaught. [ME. bi-, beteche, early ME. bitæchen, OE. betǽcan. Chiefly used in the p.t. or p.p. Cf. Betawcht v.]

1. tr. To commit or hand over to another; to give up, yield, entrust. 1375 Barb. i. 610.
The King betaucht hym in that steid The endentur, the seile to se Ib. x. 121.
He … betaucht hym bath man & met a1400 Leg. S. vi. 39.
Oure lord … Be-thacht hym Thomas be the hand Ib. xxxi. 42.
To that cité he went That was betacht hym c1420 Wynt. viii. 3785.
He turnyd hym wyth hym in hy, For to beteche hym till his men a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 577.
Heir I beteiche my corps and carioun with wormis … to be rent c1475 Wall. vii. 105.
Off hir rycht hand scho betaucht him a buk 1513 Doug. v. xiii. 19.
Quhom curtas Eneas … Betaucht ontil Acest Ib. xi. xiii. 137.
Scho … to hir mait the hors betaucht 1535 Stewart 56192.
He agane betaucht thame all to gyde To Robert Stewart 15.. Clar. iii. 85.
Thir folkis I beteach in ȝour keiping 1606 Birnie Kirk-b. iv. 5.
The fire … to the which … many hes betaught their body

2. To commit or consign to God, the devil, etc. 1375 Barb. xv. 538.
Quhen wiffis vald thar childir ban, Thai wald … Beteche thame to the blak Dowglas a1400 Leg. S. l. 301.
Thane to God hale scho hir betacht c1400 Troy-bk. i. 188.
Her-with the messynger … to the goddes hem betaught 1513 Doug. xii. v. 32.
The Goddis abuf … , To quhais altaris hym vowyt and betaucht He hes 1535 Stewart 32365.
Ilkone that tyme … Betaucht thame syne into dame Fortonis will Ib. 44598.
Beteichand hir to him that bocht ws deir c1500 Rowll Cursing 18.
He that sauffis saulis and condamnis Beteiche the dewill thair guttis 1560 Rolland Seven S. 121/8.
To the blak Deuill thairfoir I the beteche 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 140.
Ane word or tua, and so I will beteiche you to the mercies of God 1597 Misc. Spald. C. I. 171.
Thow baid William Innes … beteich him to the Father, Sone, and Haly Gaist 1603 Philotus cxxvi.
Ill spreit, to God I me beteiche Fra the and al thy kynde 1685 G. Sinclair in Law Memor. (1818) 124.
He beteached himself strongly to God

3. To assign to; to beset with. 1513 Doug. xi. xi. 124.
To ane onhappy chance betaucht is sche c1550 Rolland C. Venus i. 173.
Ane bus of rew he bair, In signe be was betancht all with dispair Ib. ii. 626.
He fell into dispair, Betaucht with sturt

4. To instruct or teach. 1513 Doug. xi. xiv. 86.
In honest fait of armys [he is] maist expert, And best betaucht to schute or cast a dart