Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

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

Reskew, -skwe, v.¹ Also: -skewe, -skeu, -squew, -scew, -skaw, -scwe; and resskew. [ME and e.m.E. rescu(w)e(n, -cowe(n (14th c.), reskew (north, c1400), OF rescou-, reskeu-, etc., stem of rescoure, -cure, -keure, -corre, etc. (12th c. in Larousse) (mod. F. recourre) Rescours(e v.]

1. tr. To rescue (a person, also an animal or booty) from the attack of, or out of the hands of, an assailant or enemy.(1) 1375 Barb. iii 51.
He reskewyt all the flearis, And styntyt swagat the chassaris ?1438 Alex. i 2340.
He, throw great help of his men, Was reskewit and helpit then Ib. 2024, etc. c1420 Wynt. v 458 (W).
Arbigarus … reskewit stoutly that batall That his brother led c1450-2 Howlat 521 (A).
He ruschit in the gret rowte, the knycht to reskewe a1500 Henr. Fab. 1500. a1500 Lanc. 3250.
Resskew c1475 Wall. x 343. 1482 Fam. Rose 147.
Sa that he cum to resquew him in hast 1513 Doug. ii viii 26.
The kyngis palyce to succur and reskew The men tharin with all help and supple 1533 Bell. Livy I 153/9.
Of the remanent plegeis be hir reskewit he tuke litill force 1535 Stewart 54918.
Incontrair him he come for till reskew The Inglismen 1549 Compl. 175/11.
Reskeu a1586 Maitland Ho. Seytoun 19.
Schir Chrystell … and his freindis reskewit the said King Robert, and pat him to libertie(b) c1420 Wynt. iii 4769.
He buskyd to reskwe thame then Wyth twenty thowsand chosyn men Ib. viii 3835.
Rescwyde ?c1675 J. Gordon Hist. III 161.
When forth steppes a gentlman … who reskwes him(c) 1570 Cal. Sc. P. III 71.
[As the] executor [… was …] reskawit [by his brother](2) ?1438 Alex. i 101.
Thair chiftane … reskewit the pray, And dang the furreouris away Ib. 2642.
His gude stede als reskewit was, And sadeled new 1460 Hay Alex. (S.T.S.) 3391.
[He] gart warne all mankynd … To pas with him for to reskew that pray a1500 Henr. Fab. 549.
Reskew my nobill cok, or he be slane c1475 Wall. ix 465.
Wermen … wschit forth the pray for to reskew a1500 Colk. Sow i 411.
Thay past … The silly pig [pr., MS pg] to reskew

b. With compound object: cf. 4 below. 1375 Barb. xvii 520.
[Thai] wend to reskew hastily Thar gud, thar pendis, and thar land

2. To relieve (a place under attack or siege); to bring succour to; to recover by attack. 1375 Barb. x 828.
Gyff at mydsomer the neist ȝer To cum, it [sc. the castle] war nocht … Reskewyt Ib. xi 33.
Quhen Schyr Eduuard … Had gevyn sa owtrageous a day To ȝeld or reskew Strewillyne [etc.] Ib. xvii 851.
Thai wald he … raid for till reskew his land c1515 Asl. MS I 322/3.
Judith the wedow … reskewit Jerusalem a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 303. 1531 Bell. 1531 Boece II 457.
Inglismen that come … to reskew the said hous ?1554 Corr. M. Lorraine 390.
And quhen we come to reskew it [sc. ? my place] thai … slew ane part of my servandis a1578 Pitsc. I 115/36.
To pas with him to the castell of Abircorne and thair to reskew the samyn or ellis to gif the king battell 1684 Symson Descr. Galloway App. 111.
Eugenius the V reskewes the castell of Donskene

3. To save or free (a person or animal) from harm, trouble or menace. Also reflex.(1) c1450-2 Howlat 433 (A).
To the Dowglas that senȝe was send … all Scotland fra scaith to reskewe 1456 Hay I 111/22.
God … wald nocht be reskewit be na help of erdly man tharfra a1500 K. Hart 95.
Thir vther flouris … Quhilk hes na craft to knaw the wynter weit Suppois that sommer schane dois thame reskew ?a1500 Steel Roy Robert 132.
Bot for our realme … Williame Wallace … Wichtlie reskewit ws thrys a1568 Scott xiii 42.
Gif ȝe knew my mynd as it is plicht, Ȝe wald … me reskew 1572 Inverness Rec. I 214.
Or he [sc. the ox] culd be rescewit he brak his crag(2) a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 395 (Asl.).
Quhen thai tak laubour thaim self for to reskewe Fra thar foly & faltis defamous

4. To take back or regain (a material or non-material thing that has been taken away, lost or abandoned).See also 1 b above.(1) c1450-2 Howlat 542 (A).
Quhen he it [sc. the heart] slang in the feld … Syne reskewand it agane the hethin mennis harmes 1535 Stewart 20654.
Fergus … tuke greit travell and pane For to reskew his heretage agane 1548 Corr. M. Lorraine 236.
Eyther to have reskewed the ship taken, or [etc.] Ib. 265.
I dowbtyd they … should have rescewyd ther shipps a1578 Pitsc. I 273/4.
He [sc. Lord Home] … left the kingis artaillȝe behind him quhilk he might haue reskewit … gif hie had pleissit 1622-6 Bisset II 237/10, 12.
Gif within twelf houris eftir a schip of ouresubiectis beis takin with oure inimies and beis nocht reskewed nor takin agane … bot gif sche beis reskewed within twelf houris … the recoverare salhave the thrid pairt thereof(2) 1535 Stewart 6026.
For ony help thai mycht get … to reskew thair libertie Ib. 38603.
To reskew the honour and the gloir, That he had tynt into the feild befoir

5. absol. or intr. To bring rescue or deliverance. a1500 Lanc. 517.
Thar is no thing sal sucour nor reskew, Your wordly honore nedis most adew a1500 Colk. Sow i 150.
All the remanent … Cumis in thair best maneiris To reskew as thay may a1578 Pitsc. II 254/28.
Than thair come certane horsmen furth of Edinburgh to reskew

b. Appar., to escape, save oneself (fra). Cf. 3 (2) above. a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 1331 (Asl.).
Sanct Bernard … affrayit was for thai feyndis fell Desyrand fra thar scaithis to reskewe [Harl., Arund. eschew] and till eschape … hell