Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Aby, v. (p.p. aboucht). Also: abay. [ME. abye, abie, early ME. abiggen, etc., OE. ábycgan. Only poetic, and prob. adopted from Southern poets.]

1. tr. To pay for; to suffer or atone for. ?1438 Alex. ii. 1238.
Bot gif … I hand mycht on him lay He suld aby the deid Ib. 1955.
Worship oft-syse men mon aby a1500 Henr. III. 135/36.
O wrechit man, … All thi plesance thow sall deir aby c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 143.
Me think the baid deir aboucht, sa bauch ar his werkis 1513 Doug. vii. ix. 114.
With cruell pane full deir ȝhe sall aby This wilfull rage Ib. x. i. 62.
Lat thame be punyst and thar cryme aby

2. To suffer, endure; to submit to. 1513 Doug. ix. vii. 120; etc.
Thou … for baith twa sal aby The pane for this myscheif 1524 Carnwath Baron Ct. 14.
Thae sall abyd & abay the decret … & sentens

3. intr. To pay the penalty. c1420 Ratis R. 1168.
Sum of his, thar efterwarte, Sal dere aby, and say ‘allace!’