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: 1496-1699
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Rifing, Riv(e)ing, vbl. n.1 Also: riff-, ryff-, ryf(f)e-, ryv(e)-, riw-, ryw-, rify-, (ryofing) and -inge, -yng; -en, -in, -yn, -eyne; revin, reveing; raving, -yne; raiffing. [Late ME and e.m.E. ryfyng (north., a1400–50), ryuing (c1440), e.m.E. also revyn (Yks., 1543); Rif(e v.] The action of riving, in various senses of Rif(e v.See also Doun-ryving vbl. n. and Outrivin(g vbl. n. (cf. (11) below).(1) 1503 Dunferm. B. Rec. I 134.
Tveching the vrangvis strublyn of his child and riffyn of his bonet 1533 Dunferm. Reg. Ct. 103.
Absolvit … of the … riffeyne of hir claithis 1549–50 Elgin Rec. I 101.
For the rifying of hir kirtill 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. i 68.
And also the ryving of her claiths(b) 1622 Criminal Trials III 532.
Be reveing or drawing thame [sc. coloured threads] furth of hir purse(2) 1542 Elgin Rec. I 70.
And thairefter riffing of his flesch [etc.] 1589 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. I 241.
For dinging James Thomsoun and ryofing his neck 1641 Aberd. B. Rec. III 256.
For … ryveing of wtheris faces(3) 1502 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I 96.
Convict … of the ryving of the actis of the toun and lychtlying of the officeris authoriteis 1527 Treasurer's Accounts V 320. 1564 Bk. Univ. Kirk I 51.
This dispytefull ryveing of the Commissioners letters 1604 Inverness Rec. II 25.
Convicted … in the ryvinge of the said principall burru precept 1649 Edinb. Surgeons 206.
Ryving 1673 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. MS 5 July.
And the riving of the double of this act is and sall be als sufficient as the riveing of his tiket 1682 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. VII 370.
[Or] ryveing [their burgess tickets as they shall find cause](b) 1506 Bk. Mackay 376.
Notwithstanding the … revin of the samyne [charter](4) 1640 Aberd. B. Rec. III 218.
For … ryving of her cursh off her heid 1681 Kirkintilloch B. Ct. 116.
For deforceing of the officer and ryving the poynd from Johne Conyburgh officer(b) 1550 Cupar B. Rec. 27 June.
For strubling of Allexander Rankelor in raiffing of his hors poyndit on the said Allexanderis corn in wardis(5) 1545 Stirling B. Rec. I 40.
For … rifing of hir hair and casting of hir at the erde 1663 Melrose Reg. Rec. II 60.
Ryffeing 1697 Stitchill Baron Ct. 124.
And ryving of his hair as the lybell bears(6) 1539 Treasurer's Accounts VII 341.
To v pynouris … wirkand upoun … riving of the crag to mak ane passage for cannonis to the munitioun hous 1609 Hilderstoun Silver Mines I 242b.
Turning ouer of the … great plankis for fear of ryving with the heat of the sone 1628 Aberd. Council Lett. I 281.
Dischairgeing the ryving of the steps cuming frome Yreland to the coupers 1679 Meikle Old Session Bk. 208.
Given for riving asunder the dails 1688 Smout Sc. Trade 294.
Good merchant deals, … being free of rotten and riven(b) 1665–7 Lauder Jrnl. 71.
That tradition … of the young vipers killing their mother in raving her belly to win furth(7) 1496–7 Acts Lords of Council II 47.
For the violent ryffing of the ground of the saidis landis 1498 Ib. 183.
And for the wrangus and violent ryffing and furthcastin of the ground of the sadis landis(b) 1620 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. II 241.
Peilling, cutting, and raiffing of Jon Leyth of Newtoun his woods bogis and burnes(8) fig. 1634 Johnston Diary I 214.
The Lord maid me verry earnestly to cry (til the ryving of my head)(b) c1610 Melville Mem. 19.
The Duc Maurice had a gret gruge against the king for raving fraudfully the thre forsaid townis from the empyre(9) 1602 Shetland Sheriff Ct. (ed.) 23.
The wrang … in ryving doun Jhone Grayis hous 1641 Aberd. B. Rec. III 269.
Be ryveing doun … hir hair about her eyne(10) a1633 Hope Major Pract. II 200.
Arreistment mad upon cornes peitts or divotts may not be lowsed if it be the first yeir of the riveing furth(b) 1566 Crail B. Ct. MS 31 Oct.
The saidis bailȝeis mayd interruptioun of the furht ravyne of ane part of the proper muyr of Craill(11) 1619 Fraserburgh Kirk S. 95b (23 June).
Dilait for … rywing outt his beird 1695 Hawick Ann. 102.
Convicted of … thrusting her hand in his mouth and ryveing out of his cheiks —1502 Prestwick B. Rec. 37.
For the ryffyng out & brukin of the part of the commone land 1540 Yester Wr. 168.
[For] riving out teling and sawing of ane part of my mure 1577 Reg. Cupar A. II 130.
For wrangus and violent occupatioun, and ryving out of certane faldis of corne land 1580 Inverness Rec. I 278.
Vpon ane novatioun and rywing out of ane pece new land 1590 Rec. Convention of Royal Burghs I 340.
Ryfeing 1600 Acts IV 228/1.
To remane as commountie … as it wes befoir the ryving out or parking thairof 1608 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. II 115.
For the allegit rywing out of ane pairt of the … lands … and casting of peittis & fewall thairon 1622-6 Bisset II 274/8.
The samin agane to remane unlaboured in communtie siclyke as it wes befoir the ryving out 1683 Fountainhall Decis. I 224.
Riveing 1699 A. Watt Kintore (1865) 30.
For riving out three furrs out of the comontie(12) 1609 Stirling B. Rec. I 122.
For ryving up of the tounes commontie and the kingis hie gait in the burrow mure 1609 Proceedings of Society of Antiquaries IV 390.
Thair ryffing, breking, and straiking up of the durris and lockis(13) 1549 Aberd. B. Rec. I 271.
The … ryving of his tirleise of his vyndok —1633 Inverness Rec. II 171.
Fra the said novationes and vrangus riwin in land, barnes, byier and barne yardis, dung hils and middingis bildit … vpone the said reseruit commontie(14) 1570 Canongate Ct. Bk. 214.
Convict … of the … rugging and ryving of his lug to the effusioun of his blude
b. To tak a riwing, to be cut about, to be severely wounded.1665 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. II 34.
And his hand taken a riwing [pr. runing] which can be hardly otherwayes cured then by cutting it aff
