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.
Retract, -trect, v.2 [e.m.E. retract, med. L. (Eng.) ritractare to withdraw, L. retractāre to take in hand anew. Perh. influenced in meaning by Retractv.1, or derived by back-formation from Retractatioun(e n. 1 b.] tr. a. To revoke or withdraw (an infeftment). b. To declare invalid. —a. 1501 Acta Conc. III 32.
That the lordis of consale war na competent jugis til retrect the act and decret gevin of before 1501–2 Ib. 141. 1604 Stewart Mem. 110.
The saidis lordis … to heir [and] sie all the saidis pretendit infeftmentis … and instrumentis of saising … gif ony be reduceit retrecttit … and declairit to haif bene … null 1638 Adamson Muses Thr. 53.
Retracts rescinds casses and annuls the same infeftments —b. a1699 Sel. Biog. II 321.
The office and acts of such, as ordination and baptism, though in themselves null, yet they are effectual to godly persons … and, therefore, are not necessary to be retracted
