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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.

Get, Gett, n.² Also: geit(t, geat. [Common var. of gait Gate n.¹, of which geat, geit are late forms.]

1. A road or way; a street in a town.Common during the 16th and early 17th c., latterly in the north-eastern counties. a1400 Leg. S. ii. 606.
God Jhesu send me, That in the get apperit to thé 1512 Dunferm. B. Rec. 184.
Johne Watsoune was amerciat for the wranguus teling of a get in the Neddirtoun croftis 1528 Prestwick B. Rec. 89.
The cowmoun get … and the cowmoun landis … of the towne 1549 Prot. Bk. J. Cristisone 101.
On the west part of the gett that passis … to Mvkall 1561 Inverness B. Rec. I. 53.
Ane [rude] of land lyand … in the west syd of the get bewne the port 1578 Aberd. Chart. 340.
Thairfra enterand the markat gett [and] corsand the said gett southt-waist 1596 Misc. Spald. C. I. 100.
Ane ewill spreit … wald hef plukkit owt hir eene … war not the nichtbouris in the get 1609 Aberd. Eccl. Rec. 71.
So lang as sho or hir companyeones lewed, nather he nor ony nichtbour of the gett wald thrywe c1650 Spalding I. 228.
The nobles. barronis and burgessis … rydis in wonted forme wp the get to the tolbuith 1652 Hope Diary 154.
Looking up the gate and downe the gette

b. A way or direction. Also fig. 1561 Inverness B. Rec. I. 61.
That he suld nocht by onne mettis … to be send to the Chanrie or oder gettis out of his awyne huse 1584 Sat. P. xlv. 639.
To Londoun Lowrie tuke the geat 1600-1610 Melvill 223.
Captean James … fled away that gett Ib. 313.
He sould nocht refuse to go to the gibbet for it, provyding they … sould ga the sam gett c1650 Spalding I. 144.
Ilk ane of the rest went a sindrie get Ib. 297.
He stayit … quhill Monro took get to Strathbogiefig. a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. clxxiv. 78.
Giff thame grace to gang the nerrest geit Justice to doe with expeditione 1586 Warrender P. MS. 179.
He vil go the get his mother is gone a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xxxiv. 21.
Espye if I applye ane vtheir geat 1661 Black Sc. Witches 40.
I was ewer sure that he wold goe that gett and mak a theiffues end

2. The way taken by a person a1400 Leg. S. i. 368.
Symon ȝed his gettis fre a1570-86 Maitl. F. clxxviii. 61.
Quhidder ȝe trauell neir or far … Ȝe shall thame ay in ȝour gett find 1597 Misc. Spald C. I. 113.
Thow com in thair way, and corst thair gett c1650 Spalding I. 5.
The Erll send thame all bak agane the get thay cam

3. A way of action; a manner or method. a1400 Leg. S. xxiii. 196.
He, to god cane pray. That noyus stryfe til debat, & to schaw hyme the suthfast get Ib. xl. 825.
Thai var richt besy ay aboute To fynd sume get hyme to grewe 1544 Reg. Privy S. III. 115/2.
David Ballendyne … throw gret eventuris of his gudis be weir and truble uthir gettis is fallyn in gret dettis