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Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

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Delay, v. Also: deley, dilay. [ME. delaye, -laie (a 1300), OF. delaier, -layer.]

1. tr. To defer, postpone, put off. 1385 Rotuli Sc. II. 73/2.
The day on the Est Marche sall be delaied … to be halden on the xxix day of May 1411 Reg. Episc. Brechin I. 30.
The court delait the determinatioun till ane othir court 1443 Reg. Great S. 86/2.
Tulch maid instance to ger that actione be delayit … to the next hede courte 1450 Coll. Aberd. & B. 234.
That the brefe of perambulacioun … sal be … dilayit until Monunday a1500 Buke of the Sevyne Sagis 1165.
The emprys herd that day delayd a1500 Doug. King Hart 147.
Lat nocht this mater, schir, be lang delayit 1523 Carnwath Baron Ct. 8 b.
The inqueist delais this mater quhil thai be ferder avyssit & speir the .maner c1530-40 Stewart Maitl. F. clv. 18.
Suffir not thi hand thi hecht delay 1562-3 Winȝet II. 33/26.
It is a iust requeist, and nocht lang to be delayt a1570-86 Maitland Maitland Folio MS xxi. 64.
We laubour iustice to delay 1598 Criminal Trials II. 65.
The samin aucht nawyis be delayit in respect of ony assoinȝie of seiknes c 1650 Red Bk. Grandtully II. 144.
His earrends ar eather deleyed or neglected

2. intr. To defer action; to wait. a1400 Legends of the Saints xvi. 320.
Thame to helpe thu has delait, Quhene thai ful pytuisly thé prayt c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 138.
Thay no time delayit 1528 Carnwath Baron Ct. 38 b.
Thai delait to the nixt court in hop of concordans a1578 Pitsc. I. 120/15.
The langer he delayit he wald be the fewar nomber