A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1986 (DOST Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Preterit(e, adj. Also: preteriat, pretert, pret'red. [ME and e.m.E. preterit, -yte (1340), past, (of tenses) (Wyclif), F. prétérit (13th c. in Littré), L. præterit- gone by, past, p.p. of præterīre f. præter (see Preter(e adj.) and īre to go.] a. Of time: Past, bygone. b. (Latterly) Of happenings: Occurring in the past, former, previous. c. In grammar: Preterite or past (participle, tense); pretert tyme, pretertime, preterite tense; pretit perfect, preterit plusque perfect (tyme) = Preterplusquamperfect, q.v. —a. a1570-86 Kennedy Maitl. F. cxxxi 10.
Throucht … folie ȝouthe My preterit tyme I wald not spair Plesance to putt in to that mouthe 1530 Lynd. Test. Pap. 364. 1626 Garden Worthies 156.
All they in pret'red tymes that he obtained Fame for there facts 1640 Lithgow Poet. Remains 217.
Alas! when I recall preteriat times, What losse finde I, in my lost dayesb. 1683 Elgin Rec. I 332.
Wpon the acompt of his preterite good behawiour 1687 Shields Hind Let Loose 39.
Not only present necessity … but also preterite examplesc. c1505-8 Donatus 1 a.
The pretert tyme of participil in ii maneris Ib. 1 b.
How mony participillis cumis fra a verb passiue, ii … a pretert et a futert 1531 Vaus in Grant Burgh Schools 53.
Preteriti perfecti et plusque perfecti temporis … ane of the preterit perfect tyme, and preterit plusque perfect tyme 16.. Rudiments fol. 14 a.
Participles of the pretertime of commone verbs
