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

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First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Devide, v. Also: devyd(e, devyid, devid; dewid(e, dewyd(e, dewyid. [ME. devyde (Chaucer), devide, variant of divide Divide v.]

1. tr. To part in two or more portions; to separate by division. 14.. Acts I. p. xxvii.
Watter cummand fra ane glen heid Devydis that glen 1434 Liber Aberbr. 66.
Thir ar the merchis devydand Dunberrow on euery syde 1456 Hay I. 146/26.
The leve [of absence] of that moneth devidis nocht the wagis of the ȝere c1500 Fyve Bestis 207.
Our hous cok sall the houris of the nycht Alswele devyde as ony orlage richt c1515 Asl. MS. I. 318/30.
In this tyme was devydit the kingdomes of Israele 1513 Doug. xi. iii. 115.
The mekill syllis … With weggis and with proppis beyn devyd 1557 Reg. Cupar A. II. 129.
The croft of land callit the Well medow … as the said croft is devidit be carnis of stanis c1568 Lauder Minor P. i. 84.
And sure it is … God will nocht have that man is deuydit 1567 G. Ball. 210.
Ȝe … tripartit and deuydit him 1682 New Mills Manuf. 37.
Thatt the house … be devided with a ston wall

b. With complement: To separate in or into (so many) parts, etc.(a) c1420 Wynt. i. 1220.
It is rynnand to and fra Deviddit in partys fyff and twa 1490 Irland Mir. I. 16/17.
And it ples … the lecture [= reader] of this, he may devid it vthir way in sevin bukis 1533 Bell. Livy I. 43/4.
The faderis … devidit thame self in ten decuris 1562 Peebles B. Rec. 281.
And thair, apone set purpose … [thai] devidit thame selffis in sindry partiis c1568 Lauder Minor P. i. 20.
This part of text … In to two headis … I sall deuyde 1570 Leslie 212.
The Inglismen began to appeir aloft in the hill devydet in two bandis a1578 Pitsc. I. 342/1.
The king … devydit the haill realme of Scottland in foure partis 1661 Aberd. B. Rec. IV. 198.
The haill toun to be devydit in four companies according to ther respective quarters(b) c1420 Wynt. i. 1220 (C).
It is … Dewidit in partis v. and twa Ib. viii. 1902.
The kynrik was swa Dewidit in to partis twa c1475 Wall. xi. 415.
Ȝon knycht thinkis for to dewid his men In seir partis Ib. 1407.
I will nocht tell how he dewydyt was In v partis 1535 Stewart 19413.
Eugenius vpoune ane lustie le Dewydit hes his ost in battellis thre 1596 Conv. Burghs I. 491.
Thai ordane … to dewyid thair citeis in competent parisouns 1673 Aberd. B. Rec. IV. 286.
That they each night dewyde the prisoners in severall roums … vntill the morneing

c. To part or separate (one thing) fra or from another. a1500 Colk. Sow iii. 25.
Frome thair ferm first rutit ground dewydit, Thay may not … flureis as afoir 1513 Doug. iii. vi. 121.
Fors of streym from the syde of Itale The ile of Sycill devydit hes al haill 1535 Stewart 20602.
With fowseis braid … The Britis fra the Pechtis to devyde 1558-66 Knox II. 424.
Thai nevir ment to devyde thame selfis from the sociatie of thair bretherin 1584 Edinb. B. Rec. IV. 343.
To devyde the guid and sufficient fische fra the wrak and evill

d. To separate by disagreement or faction. c1420 Wynt. viii. 2284 (C).
Had noucht falset and inwy Dewidit thaim than syndrely c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxx. 29.
Help this pure realme, in partyis all devydit a1570-86 Maitland M. Fol. ci. 66.
My lordis all that ar deuydit Could ȝe aggre it wer the best 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 125.
The realme wes so dewydit in syndrie factiounis … that thair wes no auctoritie obeyit a1578 Pitsc. I. 26/6.
It is supponit he thocht seing the cuntrie swa dewydit … to haue had sum reull in the realme

2. To part (lands, etc.) between owners or occupiers. 1388 Bamff Chart. 21.
The qhuylk men the gret ath swere that thai sulde devyde the landis of Abbyrlemnoch 1484 Acta Conc. *95/2.
To ger perambill & devide the merchis & diuis betuix the landis … of Concrag … & the landis of Drummane 1493 Antiq. Aberd. & B. II. 212.
Al … merchis and devisis of … pastur assygnit, merchit, and devidit be the saidis assissowris 1500 Dunferm. B. Rec. 112.
The syd hegis … to be devidit be the linaris evinly and to be partit betvene thaim 1519 Reg. Panmure II. 292.
The comonte of the said landis salbe devidit be us 1552 Reg. Cupar A. II. 101.
Devidand the girs equalie betuix the said William and Johne Bell, … as it wes deuidit afore 1576 Edinb. Test. IV. 120.
Adam McClonathan … sall devide & daill his landis in maner following

3. To part by assignment or distribution to two or more persons. a1500 Bernardus 394.
Gef thar faderys … tile ilk barne dewydis his ryches rycht c1475 Wall. x. 997.
The castellis off Scotland King Eduard … Deuidyt syn to men that he wald lik 1482 Bamff Chart. 32.
The costis … to be ewynly dewidit betuex bath the parteis 1496 Acta Conc. II. 10.
The saidis gudis and sowmes of money partit and devidit ymangis thame c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxvi. 46.
Beneficis ar nocht leill devydit; Sum men hes sewin, and I nocht ane 1513 Doug. xi. x. 56.
Grant me my part, so that on athir syde Betwix ws twa the bargane be devyde 1567 G. Ball. 34.
The Father did his gude deuyde Betuix thame 1627 Misc. Hist. Soc. I. 101.
So ye deuyd the losse betuix yow 1659-60 Hay Diary 161.
In the meantime to devyd the kaine betwixt him and me