A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1971 (DOST Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Mend, v. Also: mende, mand, mind, mynd, (ment), mean. P.t. and p.p. mendit etc. also (mend). [ME. (c 1200) mende(n, AF. mender aphetic f. OF. amender Amend v.].
1. tr. To amend, espec. morally, to correct, reform (one's life, sins, faults, errors, etc.).a1400 Leg. S. vii. 337.
Quhen the Jowis … for na thinge … Wald mend thar wikit liffis Ib. xxix. 34.
Happyn man is he That … wil … in gud lasare mend his syne c1420 Wynt. v. 3715. 1456 Hay I. 287/25.
Na has na will na thocht on God to mend thair mysdedis c1460 Consail Wys Man 441.
Gyf thow has ony foleis done, Schaw to the prest and mend it sowne a1500 Henr. III. 108/30. c1500 Barounis Lawis 5 b.
Schirris I appere befor ȝow to mend my defaltis a1570-86 Kennedy Maitl. F. cxvii. 5. 1546 Lynd. Trag. Card. 339. c1552 Id. Mon. 5722.
Quhilk never did mend thair greit mischeifis 1551 Hamilton Cat. 93.
Except thai mend thair liffis be trew penance a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. xxv. 5. 1613 Haddington Corr. 122.
As to my langsumnes … quhan ye mend your predomenant falt, I sall mend it
b. reflex. and c. intr. To reform (oneself), mend one's ways.b. a1400 Leg. S. v. 251.
Wrechis, mend ȝow ȝeit a1538 Abell 89 b.
& he [King John] mendit him nochtc. c1460 Consail Wys Man 30.
For al suppos wnwys thow bee, Ȝit sal thow mend in al degre a1500 Henr. Fab. 706 (Bann.).
Will thow forbeir in tyme cuming & mend? c1475 Wall. ix. 152. c1515 Asl. MS. I. 62/18.
And to serf God and mend in thin eild c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxx. 36. 1535 Stewart 30217.
This quene seand thairof he wald nocht mend 1567 G. Ball. 41, 52, etc. a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. xv. 46.
Men of law I pray ȝow mend 1615 Fraserburgh Kirk S. 21 Mar.
Incaice he mend not
2. tr. To bring about the reform of, to improve morally, to correct (another, his sin, etc.).a1400 Leg. S. xxiv. 242.
For in hyme restis the haly gast & his prayere ful mony mendis Ib. xviii. 1450. c1460 Thewis Gud Women 243.
Bettyr pwnis thaim [sc. children] and gar thaim mend Na saul and lyf tak baith ill end 1490 Irland Mir. I. 144/4.
A woman has mendit the totheris faute be mene of hire blist sone 1540 Lynd. Sat. 1934 (B).
Ffy on ȝow officiaris that mendis not thir failȝeisb. ?1438 Alex. ii. 7797.
Also in the asseveration: Sa God me mend Ib. 7810.
Sa God me ment [: hardement]
3. To set (a thing) to rights, to correct (what is faulty), put right (a fault), rectify, remedy (an evil).Also absol.a1400 Leg. S. xxxi. 443.
Til Cesar gert mak Set day quhen he … Suld ger al wrangis mendyt be c1460 Thewis Wysmen 200.
The thing that may nocht mendyt bee c1460 Alex. (Taym.) 662.
Thair was na thing to mend of his figure a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 476.
Quhy spurnis thow aganis the wall To sla thyself and mend nathing at all? 1490 Irland Mir. I. 144/3.
This haly lady has mendit all 1513 Doug. ii. vi. 56.
The fatale tyme quham na walyng may mend c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxviii. 14.
Sowtaris … Ȝe mend the faltis of ill maid feit c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 1517.
Bot at this time I may not mend it Bot [etc.] 1571 Sat. P. xxvii. 37. a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. xcix. 23.
Sum dois wrang and na will hes to mend it a1598 Ferg. Prov. No. 511. c1616 Hume Orthog. 2.
To mend the misses that ignorant custom hath bred 1633 Orkney Witch Trial in Reg. Privy C. 2 Ser. V. 544.
Marrioun ansuerit … that that might be eassillie menditabsol. a1568 Bann. MS. 93 b/63.
Thay sall murne quhen thay ma not mend
4. To put right (an injury or loss) espec. by paying damages or compensation, to make good, to atone for.Freq. to mend (one's, the) scathe.(1) ?14.. Ship Laws c. 26 (H).
Thai aw to part the maistir agane the schipmene with his fraught & his scathis to be mendit 1456 Hay I. 155/33.
And to mend my scathe 1458 Peebles B. Rec. I. 126.
Ony gud that was tan … sal be ij d. onforgefyn and mend the scath neuir the les 1479 Newburgh B. Ct. 43 b. 1526 Carnwath Baron Ct. MS. 30.(2) 1479 Newburgh B. Ct. 43 b.
Bot gif thai be fundyn in the corn thai sall mend the corn for the cauf & pay [etc.](3) a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. clxxiii. 40.
Lord punes thame that ay pretendit For to do wrang … [&] gar thame mend it Quhome thai offendit In deid or saw 1570 Sat. P. xxi. 102. 1576 Breadalbane Lett. (Reg. H.) 19 May.
Gyf ony falt be made to ȝow that it may be mendit a1578 Pitsc. I. 40/4.
And in quhat maner the offences sould be mendit and repairit(b) 16.. Hist. Kennedy 16.
I awow, and ȝe mean it nocht with speid, I sall [etc.]
b. To make amends or atonement for (a wrong) (to another).a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 97.
Bot thow mend hym that mys
c. intr. or absol. To make amends, atonement or reparation.c1420 Wynt. vi. 2138.
Gyve he had conscyence off that plycht Mend to God [W. Mend it to God] 1522 Stirling B. Rec. MS.
[The prisoner put] in the staneus … and sal cause to mend to the gud toun 1570 Leslie 90.
Trusting ye suld haif mendit to us or worthin kindar to oure frindis 1603 Dundonald Par. Rec. 30.
He ansuerit he repentit it and sowld mend for it
5. To emend: to correct, put right errors in (a writing, etc.); to correct or improve (verse). Also absol.1426 Acts II. 10/1.
[That a commission] sal se & examyn the bukis of law … & mend the lawis that nedis mendment c1420 Wynt. i. Prol. 36 (C).
Thame … till offend That can me and my materis mend Gife I wryte [etc.] 1456 Hay II. 148/23.
And tak that with thé in wrytt … And mend it gif thou can better to thy purpos c1460 Alex. (Taym.) 281 b.
Now … I haue endit This noble buike and pairt of faltis mendit 1490 Irland Mir. I. 50/21. c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus Prol. 279.
And help to mend haltand verse and coullour 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 9.
Na man sal mend otheris faltis vntil they cum to the regent 1565 Instit. Ct. Sess. 26 b.
The persewar the first day of comperance to mend and alter his libell addendo vel diminuendo 1597 Hist. Carnegie 60. c 1608 Elphinstone Chart. 181.
Look naroulie to the ortogra[p]hie and mend it 1622-6 Bisset I. 126/20.
That the clerkis … sall nawyis presume to cutt, mend or alter ony summonis 1641 Baillie I. 384.
Thereafter it [the draft of the oath] was mended in some words 1663 Acts VII. 487/2.absol. c1420 Wynt. Prol. 50.
[Those] That kane reprowe and wyll noucht mende
6. To repair (any artifact which is broken, worn, etc.); also, to repair or make good (a defect, a hole, etc.).Also to mend up, to repair (a wall) by building it up, absol., intr. in passive sense, and fig.(1) a1400 Leg. S. xiii. 81.
As the bochoure was mendand The scho ?14.. Ship Laws c. 10 (A).
& thai se at thai [sc. a ship's cords] ar for to mend the maister is holding for to ger mend thaim Ib. c. 22 (B).
Gyf he may nocht mende the schyp 1473 Treas. Acc. I. 64. 1482 Peebles B. Rec. I. 191. 1496 Treas. Acc. I. 323.
To a man to pas to Edinburgh … with the Kingis cais of gold to mend it new 1504 Ib. II. 441. 1533 Ib. VI. 160. 1548–51 Misc. Spald. C. V. 51. 1563 Reg. Privy C. I. 247.
The parochinaris na wyise causand the samyn [kirk] be mendit 1567 Liber Dryburgh 403. 1566 Edinb. B. Rec. III. 225.
To caus mend and reparrell thair bekin a1598 Ferg. Prov. No. 594.
Like to die mends not the kirk yard(b) 1539 Treas. Acc. VII. 214.
Till mynd the wallis, fill up the wyndois and durris 1648 S. Leith Rec. 81.
For minding and repairing the glass windows of our church 1653 Edinb. B. Rec. VIII. 328.
To tak doun, dight, mynd and sett up the great knoak(2) c1420 Wynt. iii. 943.
Falaris … gert hym [the smith] all the fawtys mend That mycht be sene off it [the brazen bull] 1561–2 Edinb. Old Acc. II. 153.
For cat and clay to mend and fill certane hoillis 1657 Orkney Rentals App. 58.
John Auchinleck to mend the faults of the steiple, and to put in a new jest 1665 Glasgow B. Rec. III. 60.(3) 1479 Newburgh B. Ct. 43 b.
Ilk man sal mend op [the] hed rois with in thre dais(4) 1489 (1528) Reg. Great S. 120/1.
Passand fra house to house mendand and spilland nychbouris werk and stuf 1537–8 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I. 226.
To iiii wrychtis betand and mendand in the said palice and stabillis befor … Yuill 1574 Glasgow Burgesses 2.
[Gilbert Young, cordiner] for his daylie continewing with the workmen in the tolbuytht, mending and awaiting on them(5) a1661 Rutherford Lett. (1660) No. 28.
If there be a hole in it, so that it take in water at a leck, it will with difficulty mend again 1675 Stirling Common Good (Reg. H.) 94 b.
For taking vp and doune the slip when the way in the Kerss was mending(6) c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxviii. 22.
fig. And ȝe tailȝouris with wellmaid clais Can mend the werst maid man that gais a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. xvii. 52.
That we get Berwik our merchis for to mend
b. To make up, add fuel to (a fire). = Bete v. 3. —a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 36.
I mend the fyre and beikit me about
7. To restore to health, cure, heal. Also transf. or fig.Also, to quench (one's thirst).(1) a1400 Leg. S. xxxvi. 114.
To spek with hyre come oure lady … To mend hyre & hyre chere c1420 Wynt. viii. 3535. 1456 Hay II. 121/35.
Blude-lattingis … mendis the sicht a1500 Henr. Pract. Medic. 26.
With dia and dreggis Of malis to mend ȝow a1500 Seven S. 1196.
He … sperit gif he [the doctor] couth him mend c1500 Fyve Bestes 155. 1549 Treas. Acc. IX. 307.
To ane barboure that mendit the ȝong Maistres of Sympillis cheik 1563 Prot. Bk. G. Grote 58.
The said Johne Bell's … crukit hors salbe mendit fre be the said Johnne … [smith](2) a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 473.
Hir cairfull cry Micht not remeid, nor ȝit hir murning mend Id. Orph. 176 (Ch. & M.). Id. III. 168/77.
Bot thow … devyis to mend this byle a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. cix. 9.
Ȝit tyme may cum may mend my sairis c1600 Montg. Suppl. x. 8.
Quha … sall prepair to mand my smairt(3) a1500 Henr. Orph. 280 (Asl.).
Thus gat he nocht his thrist to slaike nor mend
b. intr. To be restored to health, to be cured, to recover. Also said c. of a wound, disease or the like.b. c1450 Cr. Deyng (S.T.S.) 258.
In cas he mend of that seknes a1500 Henr. III. 93/12.
Mvrne on, I think to mend c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxii. 59. Id. xl. 29.
Be than to mend thay had gud howp 1558-66 Knox I. 92.
She mended with als great expeditioun of that dowghter as ever she did befoir of any sone she bayre 1576 Crim. Trials I. ii. 53.
And the beist wald mend Ib. 54. 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 101.
My lord Bothwill was liand in mending of his woundis a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xlvi. 48.
I may not mend bot mene 1602 Dundonald Par. Rec. . 1603 Haddington Corr. 210.
Not being altogidder mendit of his fall 1607 Stirling B. Rec. I. 115.
The personnes … quha hes mendit of that seiknes 1698 S. Ronaldshay 69.
If they have any lingring disease they will thereafter aither end or mendc. 1535 Stewart 29502.
Ane deip wound … quhilk mendit neuir moir 1650 Elgin Rec. II. 276.
Being inquyred if hir milknes was mended scho answered it was mended in pairt 1691 Kirk Secr. Commonw. (1964) 418.
The sore which dayly mends thereafter
8. To contribute to the enrichment of, to assist or aid, esp. with money, to relieve materially or with money (indigent persons etc.). Also absol.(1) a1400 Leg. S. xlix. 291.
Cristine til Tecla send Gold & clathis hir til mend c1460 Thewis Wysmen 391.
Thai … clamys of kyne to mychty men That thai trow may thaim mend or beit c1460 Consail Vys Man 243.
Mend thi frendis of thi riches 1494 Loutfut MS. 36 b.
He that first bure thaim in armes wes fair, suet & gracious bellisand and mendand thaim about him a1500 Sir Eger 2659.
To your marriage I shall you mend, And fourty pound shall be the least 15.. Dunb. App. ii. 68.
This preist … That had sa mekle of warldis wrack Off all his freindis … He wald nocht mend thame worth ane plack a1568 Bann. MS. 81 a/25.
Suppois I mene I am nocht mendit Sen I held pairt with pouerte(2) a1568 Bann. MS. 145 a/4.
He that … hes no landis for to spend Nor ȝit hes freyndis his neidis to mend(3) 1604 Craig ii. 58/6.
absol. [He] would neither mend nor meene
b. reflex. To better or help oneself, improve one's condition, alter for the better the situation confronting one.1632 Lithgow Trav. 84.
He could not mend himselfe in regard of my shelter c1650 Spalding I. 351.
Collonell maister of Forbes … heiring of thair voage, wes offendit bot could not mend him self
9. tr. and absol. In negative and interrogative contexts, freq. impersonal: To avail (absol.); to profit, advantage (a person). Only Sc.Appar. arising respectively f. sense 3 or 4, as ‘to put things right, provide a remedy’, and sense 8 ‘to aid (a person)’.(1) c1460 Alex. (Taym.) 1790.
It mendis nocht to mak murning or mane a1500 Sir Eger 568.
Certes, nay, It mends not though ye do sway(2) a1568 Bann. MS. 132 a/17, 18.
Quhat mendis it ane man to mvrn In syte to sitt quhat mendis it 1572 Sempill Sat. P. xxx. 126.
Quhat will it mend to murne thy senses out?(3) a1500 Rauf C. 653.
He saw thair was na meiknes nor mesure micht mend 1535 Stewart 2366.
The brandis brycht so bitterlie did byte, That all thair malȝeis mendit nocht ane myte(4) 1461 Liber Plusc. I. 384.
It mendis hir nocht to meryt ne to meid a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 1069.
It may nocht mend thé ane myte to mak it so teugh a1568 Scott xx. 22.
Of all thy wo and cair It mends thé nocht to mene 1560 Rolland Seven S. 5337.
For gredynes of gold this was his end, Quhilk at his deid ane myte micht not him mend 1535 Stewart 29487.
No for requeist of lordis … He wald not mend of all that [sc. many vices] worth ane mytte
b. To improve by increasing; to increase, supplement, make up the deficiency of.1510 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 81.
Quhill thai be of puyschance to mend him his fee 1560 Rolland Seven S. 5135.
Be our ingine … Within few ȝeiriswe mark to mend ȝour michtis Ib. 8763.
To quhome daylie the Empreour vsit to send Of his dainteis, his douchters meis to mend 1599 Dunblane Test. III. 16.
Thrie oxin, pryce of the pice, the bettir to mend the war, x lib. 1602 Conv. Burghs II. 138.
The skipper … is … nocht haldin to mend thair hyreis
c. To mend one's mede (= Mede n. 12.)c1420 Wynt. v. 1136.
Off thi successoure the deyd May nothir payre na mend [C. mende] thi meyd Ib. 1144.
Gyff thi successoure wyll His awyn det … fulfill … his awyn det to qwyt May noucht mend [C. amende] thi mede a myt
d. To mend a person or person's cheer or mirthis, to cheer, comfort, make happier. To mend one's hand, to improve one's work.(1) a1500 Rauf C. 954.
With mony mirthfull man thair mirthis to mend a1500 Sir Eger 1836.
Another thing to mend your cheer, His right hand glove is sent you here(2) 1635 Dickson Wr. 187.
It is the mark of an honest man ever to mend his hand … and to be still unsatisfied with himself
e. ? To influence (? for the better), to sway, change the purpose of.c1420 Wynt. v. 3757.
I ken hym sa ewyn a man That all thare wyt hym mend na kan
10. tr. To make better, improve, ameliorate; also, to better, improve upon.a1400 Leg. S. xi. 122.
The epystil … Quhare-in He heycht to mend his stat c1460 Alex. (Taym.) 2478.
Thair counsall Sen he was ȝoung to mend his gouernall 1510–11 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 12.
We … ordanes the bred to be mendit and ane pais to be gewyne 1535 Stewart 42456.
In all this warld wes neuir so wys ane wycht Of all his werkis that culd mend ane myte
