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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1968 (SND Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

REDE, v.², n.² Also reed, read. Pa.p. rede. [rid]

I. v. 1. To clear (a space) of encumbrances, to make room.Ayr. 1822 H. Ainslie Pilgrimage 271:
An I'll rede room for thee, Jock, Or else my mailin's sma'.

2. To clear a passage-way, as in a mine, of the throat, etc. Cf. Redd, v.¹, 4.e.Sc. 1842 Children in Mines Report (2) 60:
When [the roof is] soft, a continual cutting or clearing takes place by a set of men and girls, who rede (clear) the roads and ways every night.Gsw. 1870 J. Young Poorhouse Lays 39:
Or, when sharp sarcasm thou'dst rattle, It [beuk lear] helps tae rede thy cheepin' thrapple.

3. To clean the intestines of a slaughtered animal of their fat (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.). See Redd, v.¹, 4. (6).

4. To comb the hair. Ppl.adj. reeding, in comb. reeding-comb a comb for the hair. See Redd, v.¹, 6. (3) (i).Sc. 1802 Laird o Logie in Child Ballads No. 182 A. vii.:
She has stolen the king's reeding-comb.

5. To settle a quarrel with up. Phr. to rede marches, to compose differences, act the peacemaker. See also Redd, v.¹, 6. (4) (i).Sc. 1710 T. Ruddiman Gl. to Douglas Aeneis s.v. Mere:
To rede marches betwixt two contending parties.Lnk. 1873 J. Hamilton Poems 294:
To rede up their quarrels he mony times gaed.

6. To separate combatants. See Redd, v.¹, 6. (5).Ayr. 1826 R. Hetrick Poems 61:
So this took Gaen and that took John And rede the pair.

7. To tidy (a room, building, the person, clothes, etc.), to set in order. See Redd, v.¹, 7.Edb. 1822 R. Wilson Poems 42:
Some ca' the milk, some thresh the mow, An' some to rede the barn.Rnf. 1842 R. Clark Rhymes 29:
Wi' ilka thing about her aye rede up sae snod an' clean.

II. n. Rubbish, rubble; specif. that from a coal-pit or quarry. Comb. redesman, a worker employed to keep the passages in a coal-pit clear of debris. See Redd, n.¹, 4.Edb. 1713 Burgh Rec. Edb. (1967) 251:
To remove her reed from off the walls of the fish mercat.m.Lth. 1842 Children in Mines Report (2) 438:
I work with the redesmen who go down at night to clean the roads and make the walls.Fif. 1875 A. Burgess Poute 69:
With Truck and Horse — to drive his rede awa' —.