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.
Quotation dates: 1399-1400
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(Retentive,) Retentywe, adj. (n.). [ME retentif (Chaucer), OF retentif, fem. -ive (1260 in Greimas), f. ppl. stem of L. retinēre to retain, hold back.] a. adj. Retentive; capable of retaining or remembering. b. absol. as n. Power of retention. —a. a1400 Legends of the Saints xxvii 338.
Ay retentywe he had a wyt —b. a1400 Legends of the Saints xl 42.
In his hart [he] wele held it—Sic retentywe he had of wit
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"Retentive adj.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 14 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/retentive>
