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.
Repar(e, -pair(e, v. Also: ra- and -payr, -pear(e, -peir. [ME and e.m.E. repayre(n (14th c.), -pare(n (1398), -peire (c1410), OF reparer (12th c. in Wartburg), L. reparāre, f. re- and parāre to make ready, put in order.]
1. tr., absol. To adorn, ornament.Only in Howlat, in the phr. proude to repaire (but perh. properly belonging to Repare n. in the otherwise unrecorded sense of ‘ornamentation’).Cf. ME (14th c.) and obs. e.m.E. (once, Caxton) repayre(n, in this sense.c1450-2 Howlat 614 (A).
And in thair tymeralis tryid trewly thai bere The plesand povne in a part provde to repaire Ib. 901.
He lukit to his lykame that lemyt so licht So propir plesand of prent provde to repare
b. To furnish or provide (with ornaments or appurtenances).1518 Edinb. B. Rec. I 182.
We … gevis … to the forsaidis merchandis and gild brethir … the forsaid ile with the pertinence, with power to thame till honour and repair the samyn honorably as thai think maist expedient to the honour of God Ib. 181. c1600 Johnston MS Hist. in Chambers Domestic Annals Scot. I (1859) 197.
Aught great cussers … richly reparrit with claith of gold [etc.]
2. To renew (something); to restore, or promote, to a condition that is better, more perfect, etc.1490 Irland Mir. II 57/16.
Be mirakle sal be reparit the instrumentis of the passioun, the crovne, the croce … and the laif perfitlie Ib. 72/31.
And I war blind or deff, he mycht repair my sicht and heryn c1590 J. Stewart 233 § 134.
No thing so rammage bot vill teime repair Be douce intreitment 1596 Dalr. I 158/30.
Quhen Catus had in France repared his forces he invades Britannie agane 1619 Garden
The long confedrat league, Gif harmed … they it find, Thai haue powar to repair 1619 Elphinstoun 951.
3. To alter or improve the terms of an agreement.1466 Misc. Spald. C. II 251.
And gif thar happynis to be sen speidfull to ony of the saide lordis … to eik or repar or refovrme thir saide endenturis c1630 Scot Narr. 40.
The bishop … deposed befor, for not repairing a tack made to the Earle of Argyle
4. To put right, remedy. a. To make up for (wrongdoing, error, harm done, etc., by making amends or setting things right. b. To make compensation for (loss or damage).a., b. 1490 Irland Mir. II 120/24.
Als mony synnis and trespassis as he committis, sa mekle he is oblist to repar and mak satisfaccioun for 1562–3 Rep. Privy C. I 227.
Knawing that the actioun and caus laid to thair charge … is sensyne reparit, dressit and aggreit a1578 Pitsc. I 139/12.
Ane wther ambassadour … to cause all iniureis commitit be the King of Ingland to be repairit 1584 Misc. Wodrow Soc. 415.
Our Court leives nathing … unoffrit … to repair all bygane elistis 1585 Bk. Carlaverock I 265.
My haill skaith … quhilk I craiff to be repairit 1596 Dalr. I 123/17.
The rest of the beistes … gif thay hurt quhat growis on thy ground, hald besyd thé … ay quhil thair maistir repair the skaith 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 98/8.
Gif na offer that is laufull or honorabill can make him to absteine nor repaire his urongedoing 1603 Moysie 99.
His hienes … promisit to … sie that maiter repaired 1607 Facs. Nat. MSS III lxxxvi.
To repair in sum mesour our bygaine losses 1611-57 Mure Early Misc. P. viii 27.
Let then thoise eyes … thair fault repair 1678 Mackenzie Laws & C. i xxxiv § 3 (1678) 322.
Nor can the private damnage be repaired, except his losse be liquidly proved Ib. ii xv § 1 (1678) 423.
If the judge erre there, his errour can seldom be repair'd
5. To restore (an artefact, esp. a structure) to good condition by mending or replacing parts that are damaged; to mend.Also const. in the part(s) damaged, also in (= into) a good condition.(1) 1498–9 Acta Conc. II 315.
That David Landalis mendit and reparit the myln of Lochrisk 1507 Reg. Dunferm. 361.
He sall … repare all neidfull werkis 1596 Dalr. I 315/23.
The kirk of Coldinghame was alde, … quhilke Malcolme reparet 1646 Lanark B. Rec. 329.
Quhilk bridge … is lykelie to decay except the same be tymeouslie beatit and reparit(b) 1531 Bell. 1531 Boece (M) II 371.
King Arthure sett him to repair the kirkis 1537 Reg. Episc. Aberd. I 414.
The said … maisteris of the sang schuill … sall ouphald mend and repair the foirsaid tenment 1554 Edinb. B. Rec. II 192. 1570 6th Rep. Hist. MSS App. 650/1.
Writ to Dauid Dumber your chamerlen to repair the corshous 1573 Edinb. B. Rec. IV 2.
To repair and mend the wyndois at the laich tolbuith, and glas, breddis, and saittis 1574 Reg. Privy S. VI 502/1.
The saidis inhabitantis ar nocht of sufficient substance nor power to big, reforme, repair and end the saidis thre gret workis c1575 Balfour Pract. 35 (see Reparal(l v. 1 (1)). 1592 Reg. Privy C. IV 753.
Rapairit 1605 Glasgow B. Rec. I 238.
That Archibald Faullis, maister of work, … theik and repair the lytill hows 1612 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 326.
The foirwall … is werie neidfull to be repairit 1935 Thanes of Cawdor 278.
To big, beitt, mend, repair & uphald the said castell 1649 Kelso Baillie Ct. 53b.
The said Jenet … to repair the stair going doun to hir kill logie 1659 Rothesay B. Rec. 31.
That the proveist [etc.] … cause repair and dresse the lock and stocks 1698 Glasgow B. Rec. IV 258.(2) 1498 Acta Conc. II 213.
Til uphald ane land and tenement … and to mak the sammyn be reparit in thak 1594 Acts IV 71/2.
That the … lyfrenter sall repair the … tenementis in the partis tharof decayed 1623 Rec. Univ. Aberd. 281.
He sould repair … the haill edefeis of the said uniuersite … in thaik ruiff loftingis duiris vindowis wallis(3) 1600 Edinb. B. Rec. V 270.
That the damheid of the comone mylnis be repayret in the same estait as it wes twa yeir syne
b. With the material damage as object.(a) 1533 Bell. Livy II 231/13.
And we refuse now to repare the dammaige that is hapnit be publict birning, quhilk euery ane of ws wald sone haue reparit gif it had hapnit afore in oure particulare housis(b) 1562 Reg. Privy S. V i 263/1.
That he … beit, mend and repair all faltis and misteris thairof necessar concerning his craft of sclaitliefig. 1600-1610 Melvill 347.
God will yit … repear the brakes and decayes of his Jerusalem
6. With personal object: To compensate or make amends to (a person) for damage or loss suffered.Const. of, in or to the loss or dammage, and without const.(1) a1578 Pitsc. I 129/23.
To be revengit or ellis repairit of all oppressiouns and iniurieis committet 1610 Conv. Burghs II 297.
And if onye complains that he is compellit his lordship sall caus thame be repairit thairof a1639 Spotsw. Hist. (1655) 448.
The laird … to be repaired of that wrong, made a road into England … and brought away a great spoil 1673 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Processes No. 174.
May it thairfor pleis your lordships to taike the premises to your serioues consedaratione and I repeired of my lois and they punished —1645 Rutherford Lett. (1894) 626.
Repair Christ in all His wrongs done to Him, and love Him for a husband —1628 Broxmouth & Pincarton Baron Ct. 20 Nov.
And the ressaver of the wrang may be repairit to his losses(2) 1615 Denmylne MSS in Highland P. III 261.
Bot according to the tryell ȝow salbe repaired 1678 Mackenzie Laws & C. i xii § 3 (1678) 141.
Duels … are thought by many lawyers, to be lawful … if the party injured cannot be otherwayes repaird 1688 Galloway P. n.d.
If better the meisters is to repeare him and if worse he is to repeare his saids meisters
7. In other senses, in or after renderings of Latin. a. Rendering L. renovāre: To perform (a sacrifice) afresh; to renew. b. After a 16th c. (1550) Eng. rendering of L. reparāre: To apply (something) to oneself.a. 1533 Bell. Livy II 171/15.
Gif the sacrifice war condinglie reparit [L. renovata]b. 1561 Q. Kennedy Compendious Ressonyng (ed.) 168/33.
Sua oft do we repair and apply to vs [Eng. we do repare (L. reparamus) vnto vs] his passioun for oure absolutioun
8. intr. To carry out repairs, renovation, or the like.1600 House Gordon II 193.
[Alexander Gordon] has repaired and builded in Lesmoir more sumptuouslie by farr then it was befor
