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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.

Rid, Ryd, v. Also: ridd(e, rydde; ride, ryde. P.t. raid; p.p. ridd-, rydd-, rid-, ryd- and -in, -ing, -yn(e, -en; redyng; red. [ME ridde(n (a1240), rude(n (c1200); p.t. rid (north., c1400); p.p. i-rud (c1320), rid (north., c1440),ridded (1471–3), ryde (c1420), to clear (c1200), set free (a1275), disencumber of (1530), part (combatants) (once, 14th c.), remove from (c1478), accomplish (1530), ON. ryđja (p.t. ruddi, p.p. ruddr) to clear, make empty; to challenge a neighbour or juror, clear a verdict. Cf. Red v.², Rede v.²It is not clear why the (appar.) secondary senses should precede the etymological ones. SND points out the difficulty of separating Rid v. from Red v.², ‘with which it has been almost entirely confused’ (SND, s.v. Rid v.). It is possible that in some instances the -i- is the result of shortening from Rede v.²] tr.

1. To resolve or settle (a dispute); to put an end to (strife). = Red v.² 9. 1433 Raine N. Durham App. 63.
It was … accordit [etc.] bath the partis for to rydde & to determyn the said contrauersis and debatis to xiij persons vndyr-writtin 1638 Baillie Lett. (1775) I 46.
The plea … shall be shortly rid

b. To defray (expenses); to clear or settle (a debt). = Red v.² 10 b. 1516–16 Treas. Acc. V 113.
For vj dais expensis riddand for arrestmentis makyng 1578 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. I 80.
Providing his wife remane for aucht dayis to pey and rid hir debts

2. To fix or determine, by perambulation, the boundaries, extent, value, etc., of land, etc. Also fig. b. To evaluate or set the teinds payable on the growing crops by assessing the yield, etc., of the crop. Also, to ride (teinds) (to a certain value).See also Riddin(g vbl. n.The forms exhibiting a long stem vowel: ride, etc., perh. some insts. of rid, p.t. raid, p.p. ridin, etc., appear to be due to semantic confusion with Ride v., cf. esp. sense 6. P.t. raid and p.p. redyng may, less probably, be irregular forms of Rede v.²(1) pres. 1516–17 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 40.
To caus certane … eldest men of the towne … ryd the bowndis of the commoun 1522 Ib. 65.
Ye, schir balyeis, … inbring the haill communite … to rid the common that day in the southt part 1526 Ib. 80. 1688 Rothesay B. Rec. 441.
When ther is any intricat march wher there is any dificulty to rid the same to call for … any persone within the toune … to act and assist them for cleireing of the difference required(b) 1597 Edinb. B. Rec. V 200.
It is agreyet that … the provost, baillies, [and] counsall … sall yeirlie upoun Trinity Fair evin … ryde the touns mairchesp.t. 1524 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 73.
Quhilkis persones raid baitht the northt common and the southt 1535 Ib. 150. 1628–9 Misc. Spald. C. V 102.
Gewin to ane pyper quhen we raid the landemeris, 12 s.p.p. 1466 (1471) Reg. Great S. 214/2.
We … has ridding and renewit the auld merchis and landimaris and merkis betuix oure landis [etc.] 1472 Reg. Cupar A. I 162.
The twa talis of land left and made to ws be the last perambulatioun ryddyn and made betuyx the Abba of Scon and ws 1492 Fam. Rose 157.
The saidis landis … togidder with the girs of the wod, lik as it wes riddin, to be common pastor 1517 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 41.
We … ordines our commonis to be riddin the nixt haly day 1576 Aberd. B. Rec. II 27.
That the townis landimaris be ridden anes euerie yeir … upoun the fyftene day of Aprill 1599 Ib. 179. 1608–9 Misc. Spald. C. V 85.
For ane fre bancat … the day the landmaris was ryddin 1615 Aberd. B. Rec. II 323.
The remanent merches distinguishing the said barronie from … vtheris landis of the friedome merchand thairwith, ar not yet perfytelie riddin or knawin 1697 A. Steel Rec. Annan (1933) 46.
The marches to be ridden this year(b) 1480 Thanes of Cawdor 439.
The land wes twys rydyne of before time Ib. 440.
Rydin 1542 Haddington B. Rec. (Robb) 27 April.
Thair muir of Gledmuir to be ȝeirly ridin on Vitsontuisday, and quha is absent the baillies to poynd thai[m] 1575–6 Lanark B. Rec. 70.
To the tua offeceris quhen the landemuris was riding iij s. 1588 Ib. 93.
Within the quhilk boundis the haill commoun landis [etc.] … hes bein yeirly boundit and ryding be the provest … and commonatie of the said brught past memour of man(c) 1476 Reg. Cupar A. I 204.
He sal kep and defend our marchis as tha war redyng at the last ridyng and declaracioun(d) 1478 Acta Conc. I 6/1.
On to the tyme that the marchis be red be perambulacionfig. 1606 Birnie Kirk-b. xix.
A publict law would best ridde the martch c1630 Scot Narr. 20.
And so the marches ridd betwixt the civil and ecclesiasticall judicatories 1635 Dickson Hebrews 211. a1658 Durham Comm. Rev. 235.
This riddeth marches between the righteousnesse of the two covenants Ib. 447, etc. 1695 Edinb. Surgeon's Rec. in Gairdner Hist. Coll. Surg. 12.
Quhaireas we have now rid marches with the chirurgeons in Edinburgh, we will not … oppose the re-uniting of chirurgerie and pharmacy(2) 1492 Acta Conc. I 265/1 (see b (2) below). 1560 Grey Friars 344.
Becaus the watter of Lossy … be inundation … tuke away the maist parte of the said hauch, ryddin and esteamed to [etc.]b. (1) 1488 Acta Conc. I 117/2.
Witnes tuiching the avale & quantite of the said teyndis & froitis & how thai war riddin 1561 Reg. Dunferm. 442.
The teynd quheit of the parrochin of Carrnbie as it wes riddin thur last yeire be honest men 1561–6 Orig. Par. II 525.
Ane pairt of the teindis of the parochinis … yeirlie riddin, quhylis les quhylis mair 1579 Reg. Privy C. III 219.
The said Andro … hes causit ride the teindis of Paislay … intending … to intromet with thame 1627 Orkney Rentals iii 85.
The outbreck teindis they ar riddin and set be waluation 1627 Rep. Parishes 139.
The rentall bollis of the teindis as they wer ridin be Johne Maxuell … comes to fyue scoir tuo lesse bollis(2) 1492 Acta Conc. I 265/1.
The said prior … haid nocht riddin the said placis and teyndis to ony gretare avale … than thai wer assignit to the said lord Drummond, and thairfore gif it plese the said prior … to rid the said teyndis … lord Drummond sall … mak thaim be … pait of the superexcrescence that thai salbe riddin to mare than the four chalder of mele that is assignit to him in his fee 1546 Acta Conc. Publ. Aff. 546.
[The teind sheaves] war justlie ryddin to the quantitie aboun writtin … as the actis of the feir and ridyne buik of the said abbacy … proportit

3. a. To rid (one's hand) of (something), to free oneself of (something unpleasant). b. To rid (one's) feet, to move freely, do as one wants to do.a. 1590-1 R. Bruce Serm. 111.
We man flee sin, and rid our hand of itb. 1664 Pitcairn Spiritual Sacrifice 268.
We will not be able to rid our feet, and assign the bounds where we must stand

4. In other, rare, senses. a. To vacate, remove from (a house). = Rede v.² 3. 1550 Cupar B. Rec. 28 May.
Jhone Muray requirit the iugis to caus Rob Barclay rid his hows

b. To deliver or set free (a person) (out of bondage). 1562-92 Wode's Psalter vii.
There is none to succour me, and ridde me out of thrall

c. To clear away (growth). 1611 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. II 91.
Ilk beist he apprehendis in the medowis quhill the hey be riddine