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

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First published 1986 (DOST Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Practik, Pratik, v. Also: practyk, -ick, -i(c)que; prectyk; prattik, pratek, prettik. P.t. practickit, practik. P.p. practikit, prattikit, -ed, etc., practik, also (pertrackyt, pertract). [F. pratiquer, obs. F. practiquer, med. L. practicare to practise (a profession etc.). Cf. also Practicat p.p., (Practis(e v. and Pract v.¹⁾.]

1. tr. To practise as an established usage or normal procedure. 1456 Hay I 207/12.
The princis mon pratik the granting of mark to ger resoun be done 1532 Acta Conc. Publ. Aff. 389.
And geif sic thingis war practik, as thai suld nocht be, tua partyis throw collusion betuix thaim mycht [etc.] 1565–6 Crim. Trials I i 471.
And becaus it wes practiket in siclik caissi[s] to the Lard of Dalhoussy 1579–80 Rec. Earld. Orkney 151.
The assyse undirstanding the said claus to be generall, and nevir befoir thame practickit c 1588 Cath. Tr. 253/24.
Ilk Sonday the hallowed bread is distributed in the kirk to those who [etc.] … as some tyme was prattiked in the kirkis of Scotland

b. To execute (laws). 1533 Bell. Livy I 289/30.
At the first assemblance of senate was decernit that x men sal be create to exerce and prattik thir lawis abone the pepill 1551 Cochran-Patrick Coinage I 88.
Specialie be the lawis and statutis of Ingland obseruit and practikit vpoun oure souerane ladyis liegis resortand thairto

2. To perform, carry out (an action, freq. a treacherous, deceitful or detrimental one).(1) c1420 Wynt. vi 1848.
In Scotland nere the lyk cas Be Makbeth-Fynlayk practykyd [C. pertrackyt, E. pertract, L. practit] was 1533 Boece 573 b.
Nocht lang eftir this was prattikit in the towne of Halidoun 1549 Compl. 85 heading.
Quhou thai pretendit kyngis of Ingland hes practikyt ane crafty dissait contrar Valis and Yrland Ib. 117/6.
Quhen [etc.] … , he began euere day to prattik his intent contrar the Grekis Ib. 136/25.
He thocht it conuenient tyme to leaue his dissimilatione and to practik his prudens quhar for [etc.] c1610 Melville Mem. 14.
Quhilk moued the King of France to pratek a paice with King Edward the sext of England(2) 1533 Gau 62/2.
Peter practik his keyis in the secund chaiptur of the dedis of the apostlis

3. Passive, passing into intr. To come to pass as an accomplished fact, to eventuate; to be put into effect, demonstrated or proved to be true in practice. (Cf. Practik n. 9.). 1540 Lynd. Sat. 1177.
The prophesie of the propheit Esay Is practickit, alace, on mee this day Ib. 2740 (Bann.).
That same was practik [Ch. practeisit] vpoun me 1549 Compl. 105/16.
For this exempil hes been prectykit thir fyfe hundretht ȝers bygane til al Scottis men that hes adherit til Inglis men contrar ther natyfe cuntre

4. To acquire or verify (knowledge) by experience. 1549 Compl. 46/5.
The quhilk knaulage ve hef prettikyt throucht the lang contemplene of the motions and reuolutions of the nyne hauynis Ib. 46/8.
Siklyik phisic [etc.] … var fyrst prettikit and doctrinet be vs that ar scheiphirdis

5. tr. To actuate (a person), esp. or only deviously or in an underhand way, to some wrongful action; to suborn. 1561 Maitland in State P. Scotl., Elizabeth MS VI 56 (OED).
Thinking that the quenes majesty will by some meanes practique the subiectes off this realme she [Mary] hath written to divers to continue thintellegence 1596 in Calderwood V 391.
The King of Spaine … has oft tymes, by his supposts, budded and practicqued diverse of our uncolie borders … to make opin incursiouns c1610 Melville Mem. 18.
Bot the Duc Maurice knew weill anough how that themperour had pratikit tua of his secretaires and consellours Ib. 368.
Our consaill wer convenit, and pratikit and intysed to vot, as the maist part of them did