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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.

Cary, Caré, Cairy, v. Also: carye, kary(e, carie (pr.p. cariand, -ing), carrie, -ye; p.t. and p.p. caryit, -ed, cariit, -et, -ed; — (karé), carré, carey; pr.p. caring, p.t. and p.p. karyd, caryt, -it, cairit; — cairey (pr.p. caireing), cair(r)ie. [ME. carye, carie (1330), ONF. carier, med. L. cariare.]

1. tr. To carry from one place to another; to convey.(a) 1375 Barb. xvi. 287.
How scho furth suld caryit be, … than ordanit he Ib. xix. 723.
All that day caryand thai war With cartis, men that slayne war thar a1400 Leg. S. xvi. 506.
He prait tham … To cary that body til the hill 1456 Hay I. 235/33.
Charis and chariots for to bring and cary … thingis that war nedefull to thame c1450-2 Howlat 776.
He cowth cary the cowpe of the kingis des 1489 Treas. Acc. I. 117.
To Dave Caldewell, to cary the arres werk fra Edinburgh to Lythgow 1495 Ib. 241.
To four hors to carye the chapell geir 1513 Doug. i. ii. 27.
Cariand to Italy Thar venquyst hamehald goddis Ib. vi. 102.
The tresour … Is thus caryit our the sey 1532 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 58.
The gude toun till … carye the stanys to the calsay, and to mak the red and carye the samyn away 1552 Ann. Banff I. 30.
That no wayr be mydenit, bot put to the horsis and karye the samyn to the feld 1562-3 Winȝet II. 29/10.
Siklyke men … cariing about thair errouris Ib. 68/7.
As cariit vp be the handis of angelis 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 262.
Pover women that wer caryand coillis to Edinburgh wer beraift of thame a1578 Pitsc. I. 17/12.
Desyreand … to carrye away twa cofferis with hir claithes Ib. 30/4.
Thai … wald … carrie away thair geir 1629 Urie Baron Ct. 68.
Being warnit to have cariet corne … to Wrie 1680 Foulis Acc. Bk. 50.
For biging and carieing in the coalls to the seller(b) a1400 Leg. S. xxi. 679.
Oure al the kyrk thai caryt hym c1420 Wynt. vi. 797.
Karyd out off that towne wes he Dede on a nycht 1555–6 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 326.
Payit to the … boitmen that carit the tymmer a1578 Pitsc. I. 124/2.
Sa mekill thairof as might nocht goodlie be cairit away 1633 Peebles Gleanings 170.
Quhen Thomas Moffat carit ane letter to Sir John(c) 1494 Treas. Acc. I. 247.
For a bayte that careit the wrychtis … to the loche 1501 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 90.
The toun directtand and careand the wark fra the querrell 1513 Doug. i. xi. 123.
The sevynt symmer hydder careis thé Ib. ii. xii. 84.
I … careit my fader to Ida hyll on hie 1515 Treas. Acc. V. 35.
For fourtene rubbouris to care powder out of Striveling to Edinburgh 1550 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 148.
That na filth be careit furth of the towne bot at the narrest port quhar it lyes 1558-66 Knox II. 57.
The haill victuallis they careit to Leith 1568 Sat. P. xlvi. 40.
Scho kareis nocht bot men and wyne 1570 Leslie 181.
Careing cartit ordinances befoir thame 1582 Waus Corr. I. 238.
He vill care all avay, and leff the hows bare of insycht 1582–3 Misc. Spald. C. V. 55.
For the ferrie boit to carre the folk to the bar 1605 Crim. Trials II. 483.
He slew the said scheip … and thairefter careit the boukkis thairof to his awin hous 1617 Montgomery Mem. 277.
To James Elphinston … for mending the glas windo … and to his man for careing it 1618 Linlithgow Pal. 340.
For careying in the cannon stok(d) c1615 Chron. Kings 112.
The Erle of Bothuell … caireyis hir to Dunbar 1623–4 Peebles B. Rec. 411.
Ane quheill barra to cairrie staines to the calsa 1631 Ib. 417.
For caireing away ane auld … man 1633 Orkney Bp. Ct. 87.
He … cairyit the watter to his fatheris hous 1681 Irvine Mun. II. 297.
For cairieng 18 burden of fooge to the church

b. In various transferred or special senses. c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxiv. 7.
Fortoun sa fast hir quheill dois cary 1560 Rolland Seven S. 1393.
A uengeance in hir euer mair, This chyld that caryit in sic cair 1562-3 Winȝet I. 65/9.
To be cariit about with euery wind of doctrine 1570 Sat. P. xxiv. 27.
Crabit but cause, and caryit by thy sensis 1581 Cath. Tr. 77/30.
Quhat madnes careis men auay 1611-57 Mure Ps. cxii. 5.
A good man … caryes with discretion What ever hee intends c 1621 Melrose P. 433.
It kythes that the towne of Drumfreis cairies their olde respect to the name of Maxuell 1669 Lamont Diary 209.
His horse caried the day att Cwpar reace 1675 Wemyss Corr. 141.
Fowre [guns] caring twa pwnd ball, and three caringe fowre pwnd ball

c. To carry off (as a prey or prize). 1570 Sat. P. xxiv. 94.
Gone is thair game, … Thair cattell caryit, thair granges set in fyre 1662 Lamont Diary 144.
A cup worthe 5 lib … the said Cuninghame … caried the same, and Pittincriffe his horse … caried the sadell

2. To carry or bear about with one. c1500 Rowll Cursing 107 (B).
Thair sall thay kary … Sum libberlais, and sum hell crukis 1605 Peebles B. Rec. 357.
That nane … carie ane suord heirefter within the burgh ruddis

b. intr. and refl. To act or behave. a1650 Row 28.
If he carie impenitentlie, … to be excomunicat 1657 Rep. Hist. MSS. I. 306.
Archbald caryes himself weell. He has been examined by the regans and hes don weell

3. intr. To make one's way, proceed, go. a1500 Rauf C. 952.
Thay knichtis caryit to the Court a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 366.
Thai wyis … caryis to the castell Ib. 611; etc.
Fra the castell thair com cariand ane knight a1500 Henr. Fab. 1767.
I tuke my club and hamewart couth I carie 1513 Doug. viii. iv. 100.
Hercules come … With furyus mynd careyng our the land Ib. xii. xi. 136.
Lat ws follow that way, and thiddir cary c1536 Lynd. Compl. Bagsche 218.
He wend I had bene weill releuit, Quhen to the Court he gart me carie 1540 Id. Sat. 365.
Als fast as ȝe can carie, Speid with all diligence