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

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First published 1990 (DOST Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Rabet(t, -at(t, n. Also: -eit, -it, -ott, -ed(d, -aid; rabbet(t; raebet; rebet(t, -at(t, -it, -eat, -eth, -aid, -ut; rebbet, -it(t; ribett. [ME and e.m.E. rabit (in rabitstok; north., 1404), rabet (Prompt. Parv.), rabbett (1538), rabott (1593–4), also rebate (1674) with accent on second syllable, a groove cut to receive the edge of something in-set, also attrib. in rabbet-plain (1678), etc., OF rabat act of beating down, recess in a wall, etc., also Rab(b)at n.¹, f. rabattre.Also in the later dial. as rybat, etc., but in Scots the accent seems to have remained on the first syllable.] A rabbet. Also b. attrib. and comb.A piece of hewn stone dressed to form one side of an opening left in a wall, and prepared to receive (the frame of) a door, window or chimney; a side-piece of timber to perform the same function; a jamb.Dowble (dowe) rabett, ?Also comb. with stane (also, once, stane rebeth).(1) c1420 Wynt. iii 332.
To the yhattis … he past … And thare he made than rak for rak Quhyll conyhe and rabet bath he brak 1453 Aberd. B. Rec. MS V i p. 182 (21 Aug.).
Lat him mak his rabatis of his yhet redy and he sal haue licence to put thaim in the said Adamys gavill 1512 Prot. Bk. J. Foular II 150.
Lintale rabits soile and put for a loft dure 1530 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 38.
For lang aislaris and rabettis muildry Ib. 47.
xxx peis greit rabeit for muyldry 1530–1 Yester Wr. 144.
[He] brak the lyntellis of chymlayis the rabatis of durris and wyndois 1532 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 113.
For v dosane of aslar for rabetis and cunyeis 1538 Edinb. Guild Ct. July.
Ordanis the said Maister Johne to remoif the sole and rabettis ferrar eist 1554–5 Edinb. B. Rec. II 303.
To ane masoun to hew the saids rabatts and lintale and to reforme the said yet and caip it 1617 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 27.
Rabbettis 1621 Murray Lyon Hist. Lodge Edinb. 34.
Schort stanes, that is to say, rabits and stanes of chimlays 1672 Stirling Common Good 76b.
Rabotts(b) 1553–4 Edinb. Old Acc. I 112.
For hewing of xxviij rebettis and twa lang lintellis to … yettis 1585 Perth B. Ct. 8 April.
The eist syd vall of the said masone ludge fra James Hepburnis ȝearde dyke vnto the north syde of the rebett of vmquhile James Cokis ȝearde ȝett Ib. 19 May.
The said Johne sall haif ane bowell within the boundis of the said dur and hewyng rebaidis thairof of lenth & breid biggit of auld 1620 Edinb. Test. L 287.
Of hewin stane werk sic as soleis rebatis [etc.] 1622 Aberd. B. Rec. II 379.
Aisler stanes … thairof thrie scoir sevin peice long wark for lintellis and nowellis, and the remanent schort wark for rebbittis 1635 Cochran-Patrick Coinage II 47.
Three timber rebbets of wod 1636 Kirkcaldy Presb. 102.
For … stanes to be cunyies, rebuts, lintells, and peatstanes to the high chalmer 1644 Tulliallan Coal Wks. 77b.
Rebeats(c) 1635 Reg. Privy C. MS 7 Aug.
In the goldhous … , Ane timber ribett(d) 1705 Foulis Acc. Bk. 385.
Raebets(2) 1535–6 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 136.
lxviii dowble rabedis Ib. 142.
Nowellis lyntellis dowe rabeddis 1633 Ib. II 375.
To him for wining of ane … stone. … Mair to him for ane great dowble rebit, xiii s. iiii d.b. (1) 1554–5 Edinb. Old Acc. I 141.
Rebatts stanis Ib. 142.
Twa greit rebatt stanis 1573 Prot. Bk. Thomas Johnsoun 173.
Rabaidis stanes 1607 Dunferm. B. Rec. II 41.
Twelf guid and sufficient rebat stainnis ilkane thairof fyve futes of length — 1558–9 Edinb. Old Acc. I 295.
xvj stanis rebeth(2) 1615 Edinb. Test. XLIX 14.
Thrie rebet plaines