A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 1990 (DOST Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Report, -poirt(t, v. Also: rea-, ra- and -porte; -part; rapport. P.p. also report. [ME and e.m.E. reporte(n (Chaucer), OF and AF reporter (1050 in Larousse), OF raporter (c1150 in Larousse), L. reportāre, f. re- and portāre to carry.]
1. tr. Of a document: To attest; to carry a record of; to bear witness.1418–19 Liber Melros 502.
This indentour … reportis and beris trew witnes that … Nychole … has laide in … wedset … all the landis [etc.] Ib. 503.
And thir thyngis done … as the fyrst indentoursreportis thai awych to be [etc.] 1491 Acta Aud. 166/1.
Dochter to the said Schir James as the lettrez obligatouris and assignatioune maid to me herapoun reportis c1552 Lynd. Mon. 4129.
As cronicle and scripture dois report 1622-6 Bisset II 264/1.
There beand na uthir autentik recorde extant to reporte the samin
b. With the language in which the document is written as subject.a1538 Abell 1b.
I haif translatit [this book], … puttand all in Ynglis that Lating reportis
2. Of a person: To narrate or relate (what has happened); to give an account of (a fact, event, etc.) (to a person).active a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 68.
This narratioun … Maid to report the … end of … Cresseid a1500 Lanc. 136.
To thi lady yhoue thi wo report 1494 Loutfut MS 3b.
And we sal report lelely be our consciens al that we see or heris c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 526.
And I … with my pene did report ther pastance most mery c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 344.
Quhan to Monsour de Obenie Reportit was the veritie How that [etc.] 15.. Clar. i 772.
The tornament war long for to report 1662 Forbes Cantus (1682) A2.
We read of one who doth report, that he saw a lyon in London leave his meat, to hear musick(b) 1563 Knox VI 530.
Because the sufficiencye of the bearer is able faythfully to reaport the estate of all common effares heirpassive 1596 Dalr. II 33/19.
Sche, as was reported, suddenlie thairefter dies, be industrie of the gouernour 1598 Misc. 3 Spald. C. II 5.
Umquhill Berold Cuming quha laitlies is reported departit 1598 James VI Basil. Doron II 307.
Suche as is rapported to hawe been of old the gouuernment of the Persians(b) 1569 Cal. Sc. P. III 20.
Rapartit
b. To mention or take note of (a person) (for a reason specified).c1450-2 Howlat 692 (A).
Scutiferis and sqwyeris & bachilleris blyth I pres nocht all to report 1525 Aberd. B. Rec. I xli.
Quhe that cumis to the queir, and … beis notit haldan tauk …, salbe report as absent
c. In the passive: To be evyll reportet, to be the object of malicious rumour; to be spoken ill of.1562 St. A. Kirk S. 174.
Quharof sche is to be prased and nocht evyll reportet
d. To record in writing; to set down.c1490 Porteous Noblenes 65/127 (Ch. & M.).
Nobles report your matynis in this buke 1622-6 Bisset II 199/8.
Plinie reportis, that King Erichtbras devysed boittis first 1629 Justiciary Cases I 103.
And this is evin lyk unto ane fable repoirtit in Ariosto
e. To say; to state (an aphorism).c1550 Lynd. Test. Meldrum 2.
Job … trewlie did report … That mennis lyfe in eirth bene wounder short
3. To convey (something said, a verbal message, a reply, etc.) from one party to another. Passing into: b. To communicate this to another party; to repeat, rehearse (the content of a message or the like).Cf. sense 4 (2) below.1456 Hay II 162/4.
How princis suld have … traist messageris to bere thair messagis … and secretly report again all ansueris 1494 Loutfut MS 46b.
And efter the leve gevin til him he suld … report his ansuer And gif thai will charge him to report mair foule and mair malgracieux ansuer na war gevin to him he may excus him 1513 Doug. iv viii 61.
Hir supplicatioun, with teris ful onglaid, Reportis hir systir, and answer brocht agane 1543 Corr. M. Lorraine 16.
What soever it shall please yow to communicate unto him, … he wooll faythfullie reaporte the same 1569 Sc. Hist. Rev. I 41.
Bot also al otheris … to whome this detestable brwte hath bene raported c1575 Balfour Pract. 645, etc.
To this breve of successioun thair ar twa maneris of retouris or answeris reportit to the chancellarie, the ane general the uther special 1577 Bk. Univ. Kirk I 395.
Mr. Patrick Adamson reported my Lord Regents ansuer, that [etc.] a1578 Pitsc. I 138/9.
The ambassadouris … reportit the King of Scottlandis ansuer to the … earle 1582 St. A. Kirk S. 481.
That he may be hestit … to report ansuer this day aucht dayis 1593 Irvine Mun. II 32.
That the bak return of your answer be reportit … betuix this and the … last day of Junij 1626 Justiciary Cases I 51.
As to hir confessioun maid be hir to the commissioneris of the presbiteris and repoirtit be thame to the presbiteris [etc.]
4. To bring in or obtain (a non-material or material thing); to get for oneself; to bring or carry back.(1) 1489–90 Nisbet A System of Heraldry (1816) II App. 83.
[The king injoins him] surely and sikkerly ger obserue and kepe ȝour howsys and strenthis to ȝour behuf and owrs and ȝe sal report singler thank and rewarde of us therfore c1490 Porteous Noblenes 178/24 (Asl.).
He reportis thairof nother to him self nor till vtheris gud, honour, nor proffit 1498 Acta Conc. II 224.
To the availe of xlti merkis the quhilk scho mycht haf reportit of the proffite of the sade teyrce 1509 Glasg. Univ. Mun. I 47.
And this ye do as yhe will report singular thank of ws tharefore 1513 Doug. iv iii 7.
A huge honour and lawd ȝe sal of this Raport 1563 G. Hay Confutation Abbot Crosraguel (Ded.) 4b.
Then had I reported the full pryce of my laboure 1571–2 Reg. Privy C. II 128.
Swa that he nor the awnaris of the same will report na commoditie thairby(2) 1569 Reg. Privy C. I 684.
Quhill the complenar satisfie the Kirk and report the superintendentis testimoniall thairupoun 1631 Monteith Stewartry Ct. 21 June.
The persewar … has reportit from my Lord Chancellar of Scotland … ane letter of directioun 1632 Cullen B. Ct. MS 10 Feb.
He is oblesit to … report to the said Alexander notar my lordis discharge to him wpone within terme of law 1633 Cochran-Patrick Coinage II 97.
Quhat can be had be exchange of merchandise no man will report be money 1653 Dumfries Kirk S. 3 Feb.
Ordained to … repoirt a testimoniall of his guiltlesnes
b. To re-apply (one thing) to (another).1646 J. Hope Diary (1958) 175.
The lixive remaineing is rapported to the cathrones, againe to be recocted
5. a. reflex. To have recourse (to a person); to appeal to. b. To refer (a person) to the help of another.a. 1410–11 Reg. Episc. Brechin. I 30.
And the bischop reportit hym till the rollement 1498 Acta Conc. II 177.
The sadis partiis has reportit thame to the … ordinance of the lord Prior of Sanctandros 1524 Douglas Corr. 91.
I raport me to ȝour imbaxatouris gif I haif fulfyllit the samyn a1597-1617 Hist. Jas. VI (1804) 241.
How deere the licence were to the merchands, I repoirt me to thair pursesb. 1498 Acta Conc. II 190.
Aithir of the sadis partiis ar reportit in that part belangin that mater to the consale … of Robert Lundy
6. To render a formal account of or report on (some matter or thing); to notify, make known.1580 Reg. Privy C. III 280.
In cais ony variance result … the saidis arbitratouris sall … report in presence of his majestie the mater and point quhairin the variance standis 1592 Conv. Burghs I 373.
To send thair commissioneris to repoirtt thair diligence in writt 1596 Glasgow Chart. II 570.
And this our decrete of lyning we report to the said bailleis 1596–7 Stirling Chart. 223.
The counsale hes ordanit Robert Alexschunder [etc.] … to mett the firlettis with the jug … and to report the sufficiency of the mesour 1598 Conv. Burghs II 26. 1611 Lothian Dioc. Synod 113.
To chairge him to subscryve the Articles of Faith … and gif he refuis to repoirt his refuisall 1666 Melrose Reg. Rec. II 154.
Who reported and deponed upon oath that the pursuer had allwayes the possessione of the forsaid turfe stak steid 1675 Rec. Old Aberd. II 68.
Reported … that ther is a young man in Carnfeild who teacheth a school and is enclyned to Poperie
b. specif. Of a judge: To give an account of (an issue in) a lawsuit to the other Lords of Session in order to obtain their judgment.1675 Acts Sederunt ii 117.
That the proces shall … be carried … to the Ordinary, that he may peruse the same and that he endeavour to report to the Lords the points taken to interloquitor the nixt day thereafter 1686 Ib. 173.
That … only two Lords in one day report causes
c. ? To announce, or take note of, (the arrival of a ship in port). Cf. Report n. 5.Cf. 19th c. Eng. reflex. usage = ‘to make known to some authority that one has arrived or is present in a certain place’ (1802 in OED).1688 Dumfr. & Galloway Soc. 3 Ser. XXXVII 39.
Reported an galliot called the Content of Whythaven, Robert Daill Master bound for Belfast
7. intr. To give an account of; to narrate, tell. Also, to report of (a person or thing).Cf. senses 1 and 2 above.(1) a1500 Henr. Fab. 2777.
Vpon ane tyme, as Esope culd report, Ane lyttill mous come till ane reuer syde 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 1702.
Plesand debaitmentis quha sa richt reportis, Thair micht be sene 1535 Stewart 50808.
As of befoir ȝe haif hard me report c1552 Lynd. Mon. 3389.
That may be done, in termys schorte, Said he, as storyis doith reporte(2) a1500 Colk. Sow ii 165.
And oft with pyne scho maid me to report Of hir tailis c1500-c1512 Dunb. (O.U.P.) 130/62.
This nobill cunning sort Quhom of befoir I did report c1610 Melville Mem. 338.
To report of the gret … disdane … quhilk they said planly wes done vnto ther king and contre
b. To write.c1515 Kennedy Asl. MS II 273/29.
And plesand pennis for to report perfyte War … treis [etc.]
