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

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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. X).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Teching(e, Teiching(e, vbl. n. Also: techeing, -ine, -yn(g, -ynge, tetchin, theching, teitch(e)ing, teach(e)ing, teatching. [ME and e.m.E. techinge (c1275), techeyng (Cursor M.), teachinge (1542-3); Tech(e v.¹]

1. The action of Tech(e v.¹ in senses 1-5. a. The imparting of knowledge or instruction; the function or occupation of a (school) teacher.(a) a1400 Leg. S. ii 569.
No man his master was, Na of nane had he techinge, Bot of Jhesu throw His schewinge a1400 Leg. S. xxvii 662.
Fele folk … In fawt of techyng tynt are a1400 Leg. S. xxxiii 7.
He … fele tynt saulis to God wane, Nocht anerly thru his techynge Bot erare thru sample geffine a1400 Leg. S. xl 81.
Theching 1456 Hay I 68/13.
The barnis … wald nouther tak teching na chastisement of the fader 1456 Hay I 211/24.
All his werkis was for oure instructioun and teching 1475 Peebles B. Rec. I 173.
He beand beisse of techyn and kenyng apon the childer in his scoul a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 342.
Lordingis … I rede ye tent treuly to my teching 1504 Dunferm. B. Rec. I 344.
For the teching of Thomas Masone of the lorymar craft 1524 Holyrood Chart. 258.
We … dischairgis all utheris of ony teching of gramar skules within the said burgh except the teching and lering of lectouris alanerly 1549 Compl. 10/14.
He that hes the gyft of … teching, his faculte is as honest … as is to be ane … cordinar … or ony vthir crafft or sciens 1557 Inverness Rec. I cii.
Fowyr pundis mone … to be payit to hym yerle … for techyn of the scull 1617 Mar & Kellie MSS Suppl. 81.
All the good that tetchin in the scooles dois to men is only bot to gif them sume progresse quhairby they may understand the thinge they ride(b) c1460 Thewis Gud Women 219.
Falt of aw and of teichinge Gerris madenis oft tak ill endinge c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 16/34 (B).
To ignorantis nocht gaif I my teiching 1558 Dumfr. & Galloway Soc. XXV 112.
The … consall … presentit Maistir Niniane Dalȝell to the office of teiching and gouerment of the grammar schole 1580 Mill Mediæv. Plays 334.
For his extraordiner panis taikin in teitcheing of his grace to dance 1603 Elgin Rec. II 398.
In the airt and science of music teitching and leirning of the said youthe c1650 Spalding II 6.
Vpone … subscriving the covenant, and teiching penetentiallie … he wes agane restoirit to his awin paroche churche(c) 1577–8 St. A. Kirk S. 428.
The kirk sal not be defraudit for inlaik of teaching in tyme cuming 1607 Misc. Maitl. C. II 20.
The ȝouth quha … being oft … changeit to diverse scholis … be alteratioun of the forme of teacheing ar haillely prejudgeit 1612 Stirling B. Rec. I 132.
For teaching of bairnes in reding of the Ingles toung 1694 Sc. Ant. X 27.
That they are verry industrious in erecting about fourty schools in the Highlands for the teatching of the English langwage

b. What is taught, instruction, doctrine, etc. Also an instance of this. Also pl. a1400 Leg. S. iii 327.
Fendis techinge wes and is To greve God and do euir myse c1420 Wynt. v 4796.
The Pape … Hym drw fra herrytykys fals techyng 1456 Hay I 286/18.
The ferde doctrine, teching, and reugle of bataill 1456 Hay II 66/7.
All the writtis that ever was writtin for our documentis and teching, for the teching of the keping of hors and harnais c1490 Porteous Noblenes 183/25 (A).
Quha that kepis thi faithfull & trew teching fyndis [etc.] 1533 Gau 24/2.
To this command pertenis al techine quhilk techis wsz that [etc.] a1568 Bann. MS 44b/53.
As Cato sayis in his teiching [etc.]pl. 1456 Hay II 38/17.
Of the squieris … vertues … and quhat documentis and techingis thai ar of a1578 Pitsc. II 282/4.
The ministeris of Godis vord … applyit all … to thair awin proffeit and to thair teachingis

c. What has been received by way of instruction, education. ?1438 Alex. i 1412.
His teching and his fair hauing, His vertew and his countenance 1528 Lynd. Dreme 194.
Prencis … war promouit be thare fenȝeit flecheing, Nocht for thare science, wysedome, nor techeing

2. The action of handing over or delivering in sense 7 of Tech(e v.¹ 1522–3 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 67.
The inquest ordanit James Ellot to posses the ground of Adam Scotis with the best quhar he tuk hir fra siclyk as he fand hir becaus scho was wranguslie … tane without teching, the said Adam to seit ane curt … upone the ground the foirsaid kow thair to be producit