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 1983 (DOST Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Out-wach, -watch(e, n. Also: owtwautch. [Wach n.] An outlying watch or watchman; a guard or look-out placed outside the body of an army, a town, its gates, etc.Chiefly in plur.; also sing. = the guard collectively or the act of keeping watch.sing. c1475 Wall. x. 626.
The lauch way till Enrawyn thai ryd For thar wachis than suld thaim nocht aspy … Off the out wach thus chapyt thai wnseyn 1622-6 Bisset I. 52/6.
This castell … wes sa straitlie keiped … with in watche and out watche that na man gatt ische and entreesplur. 1518 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 47.
All man … to wak all the nycht quhill daye, thair out wachis put out [as] afferis be sycht of the balyeis 1535 Stewart 16546.
The out watchis of thame rycht sone wes war, And persauit thame 1572 Peebles B. Rec. I. 351.
The auld taxt to be … gadderit in, and to pay the owtwautchis thairwith c1650 Spalding I. 206.
His outwatchis took into the Mernis prouest Joffray and his sone Ib. 352.
Being espyit be the Kingis out watches