A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1990 (DOST Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Rehato(u)r(e, Rahatour, n. [Cf. obs. ME rehetour ‘origin and precise meaning obscure. = A servant of some kind’ (Wyclif; OED); ME rehete of obscure origin = to assail, persecute, to annoy, to scold (c1420); e.m.E. rahate (once, 1542), obs. var. of rate to scold; e.m.E. rehayte v.1 of obscure origin and meaning (Skelton); e.m.E. rehayte v.2 to behave noisily or riotously (1526).] A term of abuse, perh. = ? a noisy or abusive person; ? a low or base person. ? Also attrib. (post-positionally). —c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyt. 244.
Baird rehator, theif of nator a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 401.
Raw mowit ribald, renegate rehatour [: traytoure] 1513 Doug. xiii vi 117.
Now lat that ilk rahatour [L. improbus; Ruddim. rehatoure] wend inhy The blak hellys byggyngis to vissy
