A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. X).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Stret(e, Streit, Street, n. Also: stredt, streitt, striett, streyt, streith, streat, street, strat, strayt. [ME and e.m.E. strat (Layamon), stret (a1200), stræte (Orm), strete (c1250), street (Hoccleve), OE stræt, late L. strata, fem. p.p. of sternere to lay down, pave.]
1. Derestrete, the Roman road. Also transf., see Wadlyng strete n.See OED Watling-street 2 and note.1165–1214 Liber Melros 77.
Derestredt 1165–1214 Liber Melros 78.
Ab orientali parte de Derestrete a medio condoso de Morrig versus austrum ex orientali parte eiusdem strate 1226 Liber Melros 219.
Derstret 1214–49 Liber Melros 248.
Ex orientali parte de Derstret ascendendo de Calne [etc.] c1320 Liber Calchou 202.
2. A road, path or track, generally. Also fig. Also in a place name.1165–1214 Liber Melros 126.
Totam illam meam peteriam [= peat-bog] que est [inter] Molope et Berope et Herdstrete que diuidit terram de Molle et de Hunum a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 19.
Mony sterne our the streit stertis on stray … With spurris … thai speid Our fellis in fane a1500 Henr. Orph. 249.
And ay he fand stretis and redy wayis, Tyll at the last vnto the yett of hell He come a1500 Henr. Orph. 303.
Beyond this more he fande a ferefull strete Myrk as the nycht 1513 Doug. v x 78.
The hows in Creyt Hait Laborynthus with mony went and streyt 1513 Doug. vii Prol. 53.
The plane stretis and euery hie way Full of floschis, dubbis [etc.] 1513 Doug. xii viii 10.
For stampyng and fell dynnyng of feyt, The erd movit and trymlyt euery streyt c1590 Fowler I 58/10.
The throwin wayes, the crwiked lanis, the paith, and stratis they wentfig. a1500 Henr. Orph. 600.
This vgly way, this myrk and dully streit [sc. divination, astrology, etc.], Is nocht ellis bot blinding of the spreit c1500 Fyve Bestes 6.
This plesant way the way is of dissait … Bot neuertheles … This plesand streit this werray fule furth went
3. A street in a town or village. Freq., the commoun strete. Also attrib. and comb.In some instances appar. referring to the main thoroughfare.In the Pedder C. quot., scho streit may be put for or erron. for Hie strete n. a highway, high road.(a) a1400 Leg. S. iii 813.
Rycht in the myddis of the strete The fend, his master, can he met a1400 Leg. S. xiii 149.
Syndry placis of the stret With his blud vare mad wet [L. sanguine lapides rigabantur] 1450 Ayr B. Ct. 20 Dec.
That al mydynis with in the streteis & uenell be had away be the vi day of ȝwle vnder the payn of ten s. 1460 Lindores A. 159.
Twa ruds of land lyand on the suth half of the stret betweyn the lands of [etc.] 1483 Acta Conc. II cxxx.
The landis and tenementis … liand … betuix the land of Robert of Ballone on the south part … and the common stretis on the west and est partis 1507–8 Reg. Privy S. I 238/2, 239/1.
To big ane volt under the commone strete … thai calceand and makand the sade strete agane 1510 Reg. Privy S. I 326/1.
Anent the clengeing of the calsay and commoun strete 1513 Doug. ii vi 69.
Sum cumpanyis … Walkis wachand in rewis and narow stretis 1513 Doug. vi viii 87 (Ruddim.).
Out of the maister strete of Troy 1562 Aberd. Eccl. Rec. 6.
And quha that is hard and prowin to sweir oppinlie vpon the mercate gate, or hie way and strettis of the toune … sall pay [etc.] 1562-3 Winȝet I 84/4.
Except thai bring thair bairnis throw the stretis in thair awin airmis 1600 M. Napier Mem. J. Napier 309.
The other lay all day in wait of him in the way, and at the evning focht him in the stret of the gait, betwix low dykes, quhair he culd not flei(b) a1400 Leg. S. xix 505.
Gyf thu wil we sacryfy, Gere the streitis [L. plateas] wele clengit be 14.. Acts I 332/2.
Off the chalance of ail taistaris … At thai fars thar wames in drynkand within the hous quhar thai sulde stande in the middis of the streyt befor the dur a1500 Henr. Orph. 142.
Cryand with me in euery steid and streit ‘Quhar art thou gane[etc.]’ a1500 Seven S. 369.
And as he passit throw the streit The tovne lordis that couth him meit Grat for sorowe 1497 Acta Conc. II 85.
Our soverane lordis letters … schawand that ane … tenement biggit … apone the commone streit … suld … pertene to the kingis hienes as his eschete throw purprusione 1498 (c 1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I 72.
Streitt c1500-c1512 Dunb. (STS) lxxxii 37.
Tailyouris, soutterris, and craftis vyll, The fairest of ȝour streitis dois fyll 1526 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 82.
His foirgis quhilk standis in our commone streit c1540 Lynd. Syde Taillis 75.
In somer quhen the streitis dryis, Thay rais the dust abone the skyis c1554 Misc. Bann. C. II 31.
Sic small streittis takis and changis names at the plesour and impositioun of men … and oft hes the Cannogait bein hard callit of the auld Harbargary 1560 Rolland Seven S. 4185.
As I went west the streit a1568 Pedder C. 70.
[To require the provost to] geif thir coffis the law, And baneis thame the burges raw, And to the scho streit ȝe thame ken 1568 Skeyne Descr. Pest 6.
Stinkand corruptioun and filth, quhilkis occupeis the commune streittis and gaittis a1570-86 Maitl. F. 437/16.
The grene girs growis our streithis throcht 1594 Acts IV 80/1.
Actis and statutis of his hienes burrowis … tending to the beiting and reparatioun of thair wallis streittis havynnis and portis 1596 Dalr. II 174/18. 1608 Glasgow B. Rec. I 285.
That na maner of fewall or fuilȝe sould be had, laid or keippit vpone the streitis 1649–50 Dumbarton Treas. Acc. MS.
Gevin Johne Thome measoune for filing wpe the holes of the commoune streit 1656 Edinb. B. Rec. IX 38.
Betwix the weyhous and the locking buiths on both syds of the streitt 1669 Rothesay B. Rec. 174.
The said Allexander is to big ane casay … and mak [it] … sufficient for ane streit on bothe syds of the water so far as his land gois(c) 1596–1600 Warrender P. (SHS) II 422.
The 4 ministers … came to the great streat [sc. the Royal Mile in Edinburgh] amang the heidles people to curage and embaulden thayme a1597-1617 Hist. Jas. VI (1825) 106.
He was … hurt … by the shot of a hagbute, that brak sum staynes of the streat whilk reboundit aganis him(d) 1629 Reg. Privy C. 2 Ser. III 66.
Hardlie can anie man walke apoun the streits … bot they ar impeshed be thir beggerlie lymmars ?c1661 Gordon's Aberd. 9.
The closses, lanes, and streets, have not been at the first building chaulked out … by any geometricall rule 1681 Craig-Brown Selkirkshire II 70.
Ane street called the Fannielaw gait 1692 Acts Sederunt ii 199.attrib. 1538 Soc. Ant. II 392.
The lockman to stryik hym with ane vand … and to haif ane fresche vand at ylk streit end 1688 Rothesay B. Rec. 439.
Five quartermasters for overseing the dressing of the harbore to witt … John McFersone for up the street quarter [etc.]comb. 1685 Sinclair Satan's Inv. World xxxi.
Such flat and vulgar railings, as prove him fitter for nothing then to hold the principality among the street-scolders
b. The Kingis (Souerane Lordis, Quenis (commoun, hie) strete, a or the main street in a town (see Hie strete n. and King n. 5 b (3) for further examples).?12… Liber Melros App. 688.]
[Et altam stratam regiam que ducit de dicta domo beate Marie Magdalene 12… Reg. St. A. 345.
Ad occidentalem partem de Kingistret de terra Roberti Scort xx d. 1329 Reg. Episc. Glasg. I 244.
Vico qui vocatur Kyngestret 1329 Liber Dryburgh 255.
In vico qui dicitur Kingis streyt 1345 Liber Calchou 379.
In vico de Kynkistret 1454 Liber Coll. Glasg. 177.
The Kingis strayt the qwhylk is callit the Walcargat 1490 Acta Conc. I 160/2.
In the toune of Leithe on the est sid of the Kingis streit betuix [etc.] 1498 Acta Conc. II 187.
The wrangus impediment … done … to the … comunite in the asportacione and leding of thare merchandice be our soverane lordis commone strete to the schippis 1498–9 Acta Conc. II 323.
On the north side of the Kingis Strete within the burgh of Edinburgh 1501 Reg. St. A. App. xli.
A tenement in the Kings street of Lithgw 1529 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 100.
Villiem Vilsone sen this tyme two mont and than he hard coumpt one the kyngis streit quhen Villiem Volsone gaif to Jhone of Ladlaw xx s. in to ane croun in his hand 1564 Edinb. B. Rec. III 189.
Nychtbouris having thair landis and habitationis on bayth sydis the Quenis hie streit 1642 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. II 666.
On the eist the kingis hie streit that leidis fra the said burgh 1665 Irvine Deeds Aug./Nov.
Upoun the eist syd of the kings high streat 1682 Cullen B. Rec. 113b (21 July).
Adjacent to the calsie & kings streit
c. With other constructions indicating the name of the street.a1400 Leg. S. xxii 264.
& fra thine passyt he be nycht Til a stret, Canarius hycht 1425 Haddington B. Rec. in Soc. Ant. II 387.
In the strete callit Caleperys northours fra the markete cors —1530 Grey Friars 79.
Lyand in the Strumpet Streit, callit the Well Towre
4. In prepositional phrases: a. In (the, commoun) streit(is), throw (the) streit(is), to the stret(is), (up)on the (the commoun, thy) streit(is), out of doors, outside, in the open. b. Aff, from the streit(is), inside, indoors. Also, in fig. context.a. sing. a1400 Leg. S. xxxiv 35.
With sic kynd of spicery Scho ennoyntit wes ithandly, That, quhar scho ȝed or stud in stret, The fluyre mad the ayr al swete c1460 Thewis Gud Women 110.
Nocht oft in stret to be wauerand, For wauerynge betaknis wylsumnes a1500 Henr. Fab. 72 (Ch.).
As damysellis wantoun and insolent, That fane wald play, and on the streit be sene 1513 Doug. xi v 74.
The ȝyng babbys walyng on the streyt 1525 Acts II 298/2.
[They] arrayit batell apone the public streit 1533 Boece 73b.
Oure nacioun … conforme to the ald rite of Egipcianis thai producit the seik or sare to the strete c1540 Lynd. Syde Taillis 49.
Bot I think maist abusioun, To se men of religioun Gar beir thare taillis throw the streit c1552 Lynd. Mon. 4019.
Seand those lustye ladyis sweit Deand for hunger in the streit 1567 G. Ball. 117.
Beistis sair culd byte Thair bodyis, quhen thay lay in commoun streit a1568 Scott in Bann. MS 157a/57.
In May gois madynis till Lareit And hes thair mynȝonis on the streit 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 338.
And he that haid nocht to pay for thair compositioun … past to the streit and beigit the samyn fra honest men 1675 Cunningham Diary 62.
To beggars on the street the whole month of November 1684 Edinb. B. Rec. XI 128.
Oysters and lapsters and other shell fishes which is comonly cryed through the streitpl. c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 135/20.
Ane fair processioun … Ressaveit hir on streittis lustilie c1500-c1512 Dunb. (STS) lxxxii 52.
Through streittis nane may mak progres, For cry of cruikit, blind, and lame c1500-c1512 Dunb. (STS) lxxxviii 35.
Upon thy stretis goeth many a semely knyght [All clad] in velvet gownes and cheynes of gold 1533 Boece 291b.
In stretis and parting of gatis … the lawis of the ewangell war preichit 1562-3 Winȝet II 64/10.
Quhidder in sermonis or in buikis, quhidder in bankatting or in the stretis 1558-66 Knox II 290.
And so gatt the Devill fredome agane, whair that befoir he durst nott have bene sene in the day lyght upoun the commoun streatis 1644 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 29.
The enemie entring the toune … did kill all … whome they fand on streittes 1653 Lamont Diary 54.
Dauid Lundie … was put into the thiues-holl, because found drunke on the strietts 1670 Edinb. B. Rec. X 93.
That all [swine] … fund upon the streets … shall be … confiscat a1686 Turner Mem. 149.
Betueene eight and nine … I went to the streets in my gouneb. 1661 Wodrow Hist. I (1828) 125.
Gross profanity … retired from the streets and durst not keep the causey 1681 Glasgow B. Rec. III 295.
That … the haill fleshouris in the land mercat … goe aff the streit to the new mercat built for them
5. The myd streit, the central part of a thoroughfare.c1475 Wall. vii 1152.
The bryg … Off gud playne burd was weill and junctly maid … A wricht he tuk … And ordand him to saw the burd in twa, Be the myd streit, that nane mycht our it ga
