A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Discharge, Dischairge, v. Also: dyscharge, dischearge, -cherge, descharge. [ME. discharge (c 1330), descharge (c 1300), OF. descharger.]
1. tr. To relieve (oneself or another) of a burden, etc.; to free or set free.?1438 Alex. ii. 2089.
Now I will discharge me all Of amouris thochtis Ib. 2095.
Ȝe haue dischargit ȝow 1473 Peebles B. Rec. 20.
We haue dischargit, … the burges and inhabitantis of oure saide burgh … of all compering and ansuering … in the said bound courtis c1500-c1512 Dunb. xc. 30.
Sa that thi confessour be wys and discreit, That can thé discharge of every doute and weir 1531 Maxwell Mem. I. 263.
Dischargand the sayd Erle … for all akciones civile, creminabill [etc.] 1541 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 106.
We pray yow … that ye in oure name relax and discharge the samyn [merchants] and gyf thame fredome to pas quhair evir thay pleis best 1581 Reg. Privy C. III. 379.
The said Commendatar … dischargeand thame of all cleame and actioun that may be intentit aganis thame
2. To give (a person) an acquittance of something paid or due. Also ellipt. without of.(1) 1443 Rep. Milne Home MSS. 21.
I, the said David, … quhitclamys and dischargis the said Sir Alexander … of the said catail and the said monee 1492 Acta Conc. 238/1.
The said assignacioun … wes gevin with ane antedate efter that the said Margrete had dischargeit him of the forsaid somme 1505 Colquhoun Chart. II. 318.
Of the quhilke sovm … I hald me weile content … and acquitclames ande discharges the saidis Schir Johne 1556 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 320.
The comptar is to be dischargit of four flesche stokkis mallis extending to iiij li. becaus samony stud waist the yeir of the comptaris office 1585 Kirkcudbr. Min. Bk. 243.
We … therefore quitclaims, exonerates and discharges the said Thomas of the said soume 1614 Highland P. III. 168.
Quhoweuer his maiestie may dischearge him of that quhiche is addebtit be him 1622-6 Bisset I. 52/30.
He discharged thaim of all mailles and dewties 1672 St. A. Baxter Bks. 136.
The said Johne Livingstoun dischargis the said baxter traid of the same [sum] now and ever(2) 1578 Rec. Earld. Orkney 142.
That the said Margret … acquitclamit and dischergeit the said William and his aris for ever 1614 Highland P. III. 168.
He can not be straitit to dischearge the tennentis bot at his awine pleasoure
3. refl. a. To declare (oneself) to have resigned all claim to something.1475 Peebles B. Rec. 175.
The said Wilyam and his ayris … quhytclemys and dischargis thaim for euir to mak ony clam na legens of the saydis anvellis or gyft 1516 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 159.
Dauid Mailvill … hes frelie gevin over and dischargit him quite of the bigging that he hes maid vpoun the Borrow mure 1519 Ib. 187.
Dauid Mailvill … and Edward Thomesoun … hes frelie gevin ouir and dischairgit thame quite of thair biggings [etc.]
b. To acquit (oneself) in some respect.c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 511.
The Squyer furth his rink he ran, … And him dischargit of his speir, Honestlie lyke ane man of weir 1574 Sat. P. xlii. 535.
Sic preichouris … That thinkis thame selfis dischargit weill, Quhen thay haue run ouir … Thair sairles sermone 1597 Aberd. B. Rec. II. 157.
Maister William Skene … sall serve … the ane kirk be himselff, and the uther be … sum of his discippullis, that can discharge himselff theirin sufficientlie
4. To deprive (a person) of, remove from, an office, privilege, etc., by dismissal or withdrawal.1428 Liber Aberbr. 58.
John Vernour … sal be dischargit foreuirmar of all suilk ostillary of his forsaid tenement 1487 Paisley B. Rec. 25.
Anent the quhylkis we discharge yow of your power and officis be thir oure lettrez c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxvii. 93.
The Devill … thame of knychtheid cold depryve, Dischairgeing thame of weir 1520 Peebles B. Rec. 50.
The said chaplane … to be dischargit thairof [the service] gyf he be fond ane fawtur 1539 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 94.
Thay … sall be … haldin as vnfremen, and als dischargit … of thair priuelege and fredome 1557 Edinb. B. Rec. III. 5.
The act maid … discharging and removing … Thomas Makcalyeane fra the office of assissorie 1560 Bk. Disc. 199.
Gif he be found unable efter two yeiris, then must he be removed from that office, and dischargit of all stipend a1578 Pitsc. I. 85/7.
The king … dischairgit [v.r. depryweit] him of all his offeices and dischairgit him of ony administratioun thairof 1592 St. A. Baxter Bks. 49.
He … [to be] depryvit and dischargit of all service in ony baikhous within this town 1648 Glasgow B. Rec. II. 139.
The saids estaitis … dischairges all suche … off thair places in beiring office as magistrats and councellouris
b. To dismiss; to send away or expel.1568 Peebles B. Rec. 307.
The counsall … ordanis … to dischairg thair said [scule-] maister fra the said term 1581 Conv. Burghs I. .
Quhairas it wes ordanit … that ilk burch suld discharge thare outland burgessis Ib.
The attentik roll of the burgessis dischairget 1657 Balfour Ann. II. 243.
The supplicants to be discharged off the toune within 24 houres
5. To deprive (one) of the right or practice of, to forbid or prohibit fra, doing something. Occas. with other constructions.(1) 1512 Rep. Elphinstone Mun. 18.
The landis at the pull of Erth the quhilkis I … was dischargit … of all intromettin or manurin thairof 1529 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 14.
The provest [etc.] … dischargis thame of ony bying of fysche apone Fryday 1556 Ib. 231.
It is ordanit that … the remanent regratouris [be] dischargeit of forthir exersying thairof 1571 Peebles B. Rec. 327.
Thai … dischargit thame of ony intromissioun with my lord Newbotle hoggis quhilkis wes red fra the thevis 1595 Edinb. B. Rec. V. 132.
The said baillies … discharges the said Jeilles of all using and weiring the present busk of ane honest burges wyfe 1622-6 Bisset I. 269/9.
Dischargand the clerk of the billis of all passing of any billis of suspensioun(2) 1525 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 223.
To … dischairg all maner of persons in Leith fra ony bying or tapping of wyne in thair houssis 1596 St. A. Baxter Bks. 59.
The said Iohnne … to be dischargit fra bakyng quhill it be payit 1600 Edinb. B. Rec. V. 272.
To … dischairge all the crameris fra puting of ony buirdis, crames or standis within the Kirk 1612 St. A. Baxter Bks. 78.
The said William … to be dischargeit fra gettyng ony service in ony baikhous in St. Androws 1624 Ib. 87.
The saidis … to be simpliciter dischairget fra baiking(3) 1514 Dunferm. B. Rec. 192.
Thai sall be dischargit brevin for yeir & day 1557 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 260.
[The council] dischargis all drytapstaris of aill within this burgh … that nane of thame vs the samyn 1572 Peebles B. Rec. 344.
To caus serce and seik all vagabundis … that thai may be notit and dischargit the tovne in all tymes cuming 1650 Lanark B. Rec. 144.
To dischairg Johne Hameltoun unbuildit any farder of the dykes on the north syde of the blind well 1682 Privilege in 14.. Acts Parl. (Jam. (1825) s.v. Discharge).
Discharging hereby all the lieges … that none of them … presume, nor take upon them to imprint [etc.]
b. To forbid or prohibit (one) to do something.(a) 1533 Boece x. vi. 358 b.
Burreouris war send dischargeing thame to entir within the ciete 1547 Treas. Acc. IX. 120.
Letterres … dischargeing all boittis to pas upon the se, bot to bryng owre folkes annerlie 1564 Inverness B. Rec. i 18.
Dischargeand all the nychtbouris … to draw or brew aquavitte accepan foure personis allanerlie 1589 Edinb. B. Rec. V. 12.
The said brether of the baxteris are dischargeit to sell ony aitt laives 1600 Crim. Trials II. i. 179.
The Erle of Gowrie had dischargit him to tell the erand he send him, to ony bodie 1607 Acts IV. 367/1.
Scottish bordouraris dischargeit to marie English bordouraris dochteris 1630 Kirkcaldy Presb. 58.
Desiring them to convene Mr. W. Spittell befoir them and discharge him to preach 1656 Lanark B. Rec. 157.
The … counsell discharges any persone to suffer thair hennis to goe furth upone the victuall to be schorne or indit 1674 Melrose R. Rec. II. 394.
[The bailie] discharges Robert Bunzie … to frequent, use and haunt ane kirk seatt … perteaneing to James Mein(b) 1584 Edinb. B. Rec. IV. 327.
Proclamatioun to be maid dischairging ony maner of persouns to slokkyn their lyme vpoun the hie streits 1607 S. Leith Rec. 5.
Robert Dunlope … wes rebuked for reading the prayers … in thair ile … , & wes dischairgit to do the lyke in tyme cuming 1652 Lanark B. Rec. 148.
The bayllies … dischairges any to lay out thair fuilyie upon the streit 1689 Rec. Old Aberd. I. 148.
The provest and baillies … dischairges all persones to tramp and wash in tubs upon any pairt of the high streit
6. a. To resign, give up.1466 Acta Aud. 5/1.
That … he … suld in continent discharge and gif our the saide office to the saide Malcolm 1512 Reg. Privy S. I. 358/2.
Renunciand and dischargeand the sammyn [lands, etc.] to the said Adam, his airis and assignais for euer 1526 Ib. 541/1.
George and Hendry … hes dischargeit and gevin our the samyn [ward, etc.] in favour of the said Andro 1536 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 78.
That he sall renonce, quytclame, discharge and resigne … his annuell rent of ten merkis
b. To do away with, put out of use; to abolish, cancel.1495 Acta Conc. 405/2.
That thai dischargeit the infefting of thaim and thair airis in the saidis landis contenit in his said obligacioun and defesit him thairof 1539 Misc. Spald. C. II. 194.
We charge you … in our name and autorite to cry doun and discharge the said signete 1561 St. A. Kirk S. 134.
Lang eftir the said citie was reformed … [and] the consistorie hows dischergit and stekyt up 1566 Inverness B. Rec. I. 136.
William Fraysser … hes dischargit the act of souerte … quharthrow the said Robert suld entyr the blude drawer of Robert Scot a1578 Pitsc. I. 119/34.
Immeidiatlie thay wald come to him and … all faultis sould be dischairgit bygeine 1599 Reg. Privy C. VI. 41.
Thay … have now be ane uther act cassit, annullit and dischargeit thair formar act forsaid 1614 Melrose P. I. 148.
The truce was discharged yisternicht, and sevin houres the castell beliggered 1650 Lamont Diary 18.
A newe translation of the psalms of Dauid … was apointed to be practised in all the kirks … the former discharged
c. To forbid, prohibit.1548 Treas. Acc. IX. 154.
To Bissat, officiar, to pas to Hadingtoun to discharge the taking of bagcheik grottis 1553–4 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 282.
Payit for the signet of the Queenis lettres, … discharging paking of hirring in the Brinteland 1570 Leslie 12.
Quhat the ane of thame commandit to be done, the uther dischargit 1581 Edinb. B. Rec. IV. 206.
Ihone Syme, baillie, to discharge the birning of baynis within this burgh 1596 Dalr. II. 89/26.
This parleament lykwyse discharges al man the futball, and al sik games 1611 Fife Synod 21.
Menstrelling and futeball on the Sabbaoth day … expreslie dischargeit 1641 Acts V. 352/2.
Our soverayne lord … dischairges all payment of bulȝeoun before the hand 1647 Glasgow B. Rec. II. 117.
Ane bank to be sent throw the towne be touck of drum dischairgeing the casting downe of the trensch 1678 Mackenzie Laws & C. i. xii. § 2.
All duels are discharged, except in the former four cases allowed by Philip the fair 1707 Act Gen. Ass. 21 April 45.
The General Assembly … doth hereby discharge the practice of all such innovations
d. To dismiss, dissolve (an assembly).(1607) Melvill 701.
He began to boast that he would stay and dischairge the Assemblie if they would not reid his commissiounes
7. a. To pay off (a debt).a1500 Seven S. 872.
Thai … tuke of moble sic plente That all his dettis he couth discharge
b. To perform, attend to, look after.1557 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 261.
That ane wache of tuelf personis, thre of euery quarter, be maid quhill thai discharge the samin nychtlie 1574 Sat. P. xlii. 178.
Sa sall the gospell be enlargit, And als the kirkis also dischargit Ib. 509.
8. To give an acquittance for (a sum of money or other due).1511 Reg. Privy S. I. 338/2.
That ȝe discharge and defeis the said soume to the said M. Johnne in oure said bukis of compositioun 1540 Ib. II. 514.
Ane Lettre maid to Gabriell Sympill … and Williame Sympill … quitclamand and dischargeand thame the soume of viic merkis 1551 Grant Chart. 104.
The said James acquhittand and dischargeand the said Finlais ward and releif of the foirnamit landis 1583 Sempill Sat. P. xlv. 215.
He … filled the blank with falset sone, Dischargine him the forsaid sowmes
9. To unload (a cargo or vessel). Also absol.1482 Edinb. Chart. 169.
That na maner of stapill gudis of strangearis remane … langare in Leith efter it be dischargit and losit than it may be cartit [etc.] 1500 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 84.
At thai carie thair guids … to Leyth hill and discharge the guds thair 1515 Reg. Privy S. I. 409/1.
He … may discharge and charge … v townis of quhat merchandis it sal ples hym 1622-6 Bisset II. 245/10.
[If] ane schip … cum to the richt discharge and be discharged Ib. 256/14.
Ane schip cummed to discharge, the maryneris will have there hyris
10. To fire off (a gun, etc.).a1578 Pitsc. I. 143/14.
Quhill this prince … did stand neir hand by the gunneris quhen the artaillȝerie was dischargand 1596 Highland P. I. 154.
Iohn Campbell … schot and dischargit the said hagbit 1689 Aberd. B. Rec. IV. 311.
The touns guns to be dischairgit
