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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.

Ras(e, Rais, Race, n.¹ Also: rays, raise, raice. [ME (Cursor M., Rolle) and e.m.E. ras(e, raas, race (1480), raice, ON rás running, course, rush (of water), channel, etc. Cf. Res(e n.]

1. In (intill) or with a rase at a run, hurriedly, as quickly as possible. 1375 Barb. v 638 (E).
With a rais [C. in a rais] till the king he ran a1400 Leg. S. xxix 980.
Ras a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 1213.
He raikit to Schir Gawine, right in ane race a1500 Lanc. 3086.
Thir sex in a ras Deliuerly com prekand our the feldis c1500-c1512 Dunb. (O.U.P.) 113/26.
Becaus this lame wes ȝung and tender, He ran upoun hir with a race 1513 Doug. iii ix 21.
He … cummys rynnyng in a rays Down to the schoir Ib. viii iv 86.
[He] to the hillys hycht held in a rays Ib. xii xii 169.
Thus fyve tymys round intill a rays About the feild can thai … chais 1535 Stewart 14860.
All … Behind his bak come rydand in ane raice Ib. 23683.
This nobill Dongard … Than with ane raice amang thame entert in 15.. Wyf Awcht. 76 (K).
He gat to the chamer intill a race

b. To fetch a race, to make a run (cf. 17th c. Eng. (a1637)). 1635 Dickson Wr. 58.
As when the sea is flowing, the waves come on the shore a great deal, and incontinent run back; and yet, at the next dash it flows an ell farther, as if it were fetching a race to come farther

2. A running together; a charge or attack (in battle). b. spec. A course (in a tournament). ?1438 Alex. ii 9773.
Als hard as hors micht rin in rais a1497, 15.. Gray MS vi 32.
The rioll rynkis ar all in weyr, At ras with rioll Iedeoun 1513 Doug. v x 86.
In maner of bargane, makand mony a rays And seir derenȝeis in thar sport and play 1533 Boece 282b.
Ambrois … with sic fors dressit contrare him his hors, that at the first rais he ran the spere throw his body 1535 Stewart 15512.
Fulgentius … Full mony raice attouir the wall hes maid c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus iv 621.
The sowr persute, and syne the resistance, The rigorous rais with greit vultrequedanceb. 1538 Lynd. Justing 57.
Than ather ran at vther with new raicis With gluifis of plait thay dang at vtheris facis 1567 Sat. P. iii 30.
Dartis about him swyftlie could he fling, And rin ane rais and shortlie turne ane steid

c. An impact; a blow. 1535 Stewart 4100.
Tha rappit on … With mony raice and mony reuthfull reird Ib. 4154.
Sum gat ane rais gart all hir ribbis rak Ib. 4780.
With rewden rude sae mony rais and rap

3. A journey or trip, esp. a voyage by sea.To tak (one's) rais, to make one's way, to travel.(1) c1420 Wynt. iii 38 (W).
He tuke his raise to this Eglone 1494 Treas. Acc. I 247.
For the careyng … of the tymmyr. … At the fyrst ras to the wod v men. … The nyxt ras thar passit to the wod vj men [etc.] 15.. Black Bk. Taymouth 154.
Syne hitherwart agane I maid ane race(2) 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 1385.
Ȝone lustie schip … In quhome ȝone pepill maid ane perrellous race Id. Æn. iv x 49.
Sal I … Byd thame mak saill onon, and a new rays? 1533 Boece 510.
In the wynter was this rais & tharefore full of perrell

b. spec. A trading voyage or expedition. 1446 Aberd. B. Rec. MS IV p. 443 (19 Aug.).
In this next rais of in Flandris 1448–9 Ib. (S.H.S.) cxi n.
At ilke rais thar salbe twa of the worthiaste merchandis … quhilkis sal haue powar under the seel of the toune [etc.] 1462 Ib. MS V i p. 445 (6 April).
To do thar lele deligence to folow the gudes quhilkes war tane fra thaim … in the last rais maid til the (? estland) befor this rais 1492 Acta Conc. I 275/1.
The proffitis & dewiteis that the said Thomas micht haf haid of the said auchtane parte of a hale rais in Zeland … and als of half a Danskin viage 1494–6 Treas. Acc. I 217.
James Wod, master of the kingis schip … , sett to him for ilk raise in and furth for fourty five pundis, of tua rasis … lxxxx li. 1521 Old Dundee II 318.
[A claim] agains the merchants having guids in his ship, for the skaith of the mast and tackle being skaithit in this raise

4. a. The course (to be) followed by a runner in, or as in, a race.The quot. of 1621 may properly belong to 5 below. 1513 Doug. v vi 55.
Fra thai hard the takyn … Richt swyftly on thar rasys gan thai tak; The stand thai leif, and flaw furth with a crak 1597 Misc. Spald. C. I 86.
John Leslie and Johnsoun tuik ane rink or raice besyid the Wattergange 1621 R. Brown Paisley I 248.
Thay ar to run … thrie mett myleis of Cowper raise in Fyff

b. The course or path followed by a moving body. 1513 Doug. v xiv 76.
Prince Ene persauyt, by his rays, Quhou that the schip dyd rok and tailȝeve Ib. vii Prol. 28.
Rany Oryon with his stormy face Bewavit oft the schipman by hys race

c. The course of a river. —c1420 Wynt. i 154 (W) (see Res(e n. b).

d. fig. The course of anything immaterial (life, events, etc.).To rew (the rinning of) (a, the, etc.) rase, to regret the course of events, also one's part in such events.(1) a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 1028.
All his life to thé [sc. death] wes bot a rais 1513 Doug. iii x 122.
The prynce Eneas, … The fatis of goddys and rasys mony ane Rehersyng schew c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus ii 817.
Gif ony happinis ane rakles race, As be corrupt: to that falt is na grace a1585 Maitl. Q. 106/74.
With Phœbus licht the cairfull thochtis dein Renewis thair wofull raice 1584 Gowrie P. 74.
Ther is good watch layed … to discipher … what race I have here to runne 1590-1 R. Bruce Serm. 230.
Gif ye … consider the race of the historie a1661 Rutherford Cry from the Dead 4.
Lie not doun to sleep after your meat, Christ has fed you to run a race(2) a1500 Henr. Fab. 2552.
To God I vow that ȝe sall rew this rais c1475 Wall. x 438.
Eduuard rewyt that race c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 549.
This race, said he, I may sair rew 1560 Rolland Seven S. 1052.
The chyld … Kend weill that race that he wald rew a1568 Scott xxxiv 35.
Ȝe lang to ryn the race That ane or baith sall rew a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. 43/16.
Quhane sum sall rew the rining of that race — c1536 Lynd. Compl. Bagsche 17.
I rew the race that Geordie Steill Brocht Bawte to the kingis presence

e. ? The course of a narrative. — a1689 Cleland 25.
In Burnet's new penn'd race ye'll read it

5. A running competition between runners or men mounted on horseback; a race between boats; a race-meeting. Also attrib. and fig.Also foot-race, hors-race (see Hors-race for further examples) and lade sadle race.(1) 1513 Doug. v iv h. of ch.
Ȝyt quhou the schippys stryvys on the see, Of thar nyce rays, and quha that won the gre Ib. vii 1.
Eftyr thir rasys done and gyftys geif 1610 Dunferm. B. Rec. II 75.
The said David's blak horse … wan fra thame the race 1620 Misc. Maitl. C. I 198.
Thair bell raice … to be start at the gray stane … and fra that the hie kingis way to the walnuik of Palslaye Ib. 198, 199 (see Efter-schot n.). 1624 Perth Kirk S. MS 19 April.
Swme of thame war in Scone at ane buriall and wther sum seing raissis of horssis 1674 Cunningham Diary 39.
To the beggars at the race, 1 s. 4 d.attrib. 1677 Edinb. B. Rec. X 295.
A race cup of the valew of sexteine … pound sterling — 1620 Misc. Maitl. C. I 198.
The horse … salbe obleist to be present … befoir the said raice day — 1662 Dumbarton B. Rec. 81.
The race saidle … run for at last midsummer fairfig. 1568 Lyndesay Pref. Adhort. 20.
Kennedie and Dunbar bure the bell, For the large race of rethorik thay ran 1635 Dickson Wr. 187.
But they are sitten down in the race; not like Paul, who will not sit down, till he be at the race-end(2) 1621 Acts IV 613/2.
Giff … anye man … to gayne at waigeris vpone hors races … the superplus salbe consignit … in the handis of … the kirk 1636 Dumbarton B. Rec. 49.
Horss raissis 1671 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. MS 15 April. — 1674 Cunningham Diary 39.
The foot race at Houstoun 1675 Glasgow B. Rec. III 196.
Ther is a foot raice to be run thrys about the New Grein(3) 1707 Stirling B. Rec. II 111.
A load sadle race [infra the lade sadle race]

6. A channel narrowing the sea so as to create a strong current, the current itself. 1375 Barb. iii 697.
And by the Mole thai passyt ȝar And entryt sone in-to the rase Quhar that the stremys sa sturdy was That [etc.]