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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Change, Chainge, v. Also: chaung(e, chawnge, chang (chanch), chaynge. [ME. change(n, chaunge(n, etc., OF. changer (AF. chaunger). See also Chenge v.]

1. tr. To make different; to alter, transform.(a) c1420 Wynt. i. 5.
Mony yharnys for till here Off tymys that befor thaim were The statys chawngyde ande the greis Ib. 593.
That fra thare God of Israel Thai chawngyd fawsly thare fay a1585 Maitl. Q. lxvi. 84.
Thairefter then he beginnis to chaunge his not 1611-57 Mure Son. iii. 2.
Can any crosse … Mak me to chaunge my neuer chaunging mynd?(b) a1400 Leg. S. vi. 452.
Thane Mygdonny … hir habit changit hale Ib. xxv. 391.
Hyre purpos he chang ne mycht 1386 Rotuli Sc. II. 86/1.
That nane of outher syde … sal change fay or be recettit in others bondys c1420 Wynt. v. 1536.
Nane mycht ken that evyr he wes … Changyt in his assembeland Ib. 3392.
He changyd purpos sone 1456 Hay I. 213/10.
Thai changit the name that Fraunce had than a1500 Rauf C. 721.
Micht I chaip of this chance, that changes my cheir 1513 Doug. ii. v. 45.
Quhat ane was he! how far changit from joy Of that Hector 1562-3 Winȝet II. 65/28.
Thow may se … the boundrodis of oure elderis translatit and changeit 1570 Sat. P. x. 180.
In France he went, and brocht that Lady hame Quha efterwart agane changit his name a1578 Pitsc. I. 84/9.
Fragill fortoun changis the consait of men(c) 1558-66 Knox II. 418.
Now all thingis ar so chaingit, that we can nocht dyscerne the Erle frome the Abbot a1585 Maitl. Q. xxxix. 42.
All wit and spreit … Is me bereft and chainged Ib. lxv. 91.
Our strenth, … Quhilk tyme will chainge 1596 Dalr. I. 307.
Of his nerrest freindis he tuik sik feir, that chaingeng the sueitnes of his nature his nobles he … slew appinlye c1615 Chron. Kings 20.
Thay chayngit thair religioun diuerse tymes 1611-57 Mure Misc. P. i. 5.
Quhen Morpheus, … Apollo's brightnes did assaile, And forc'd him chainge his course 1641 Acts V. (1817) 483/2.
It sall noways be leisum … to invert, alter, or chaing … the trew meaning … of the foundatores

b. To undergo a change of (look, colour, etc.). 1375 Barb. vii. 127.
Thai changit contenans and late, And held nocht in the first stat c1420 Wynt. vii. 93.
Wyth this the knycht all changyd hewe c1460 Thewis Wysmen 205.
Neuer men sal one thaim see To chang thar chere, quhar euer thai wend a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 517.
Within ane quhy le he changit mony hew a1500 Seven S. 1557.
Scho changit colour and cryit mercy Ib. 2439.
Quhen he hir fand he changit cheire c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxvii. 19.
For feir he chaingit hew 15.. Clar. i. 813.
Clariodus … changit hew alyte 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 53.
How mony colouris that euir this chamaeleon change a1578 Pitsc. II. 58/10.
Mr George, … ansuering, nocht moveing his continance nor changing his vessage a1570-86 Maitl. F. lxxiv. 7.
Tak ȝe no thocht … Off this fals world … That changeis fassoun everie ȝeir

2. To alter or transform (from something) in(to or to another thing or state.(a) c1420 Wynt. i. 522.
Part of thaim syne chawngide were In othir kynrykis severale Ib. vi. 2457.
Thare mellody all chawngyd wes In gretyng a1500 Henr. Orph. 158.
My rob ryall … Chaungit sall be in rude russat of gray(b) c1420 Wynt. v. 3772.
Suppose the state off hys empyre In tyrandry he change and ire Ib. vii. 3623.
Oure gold wes changyd in to lede c1420 Ratis R. 384.
Dises to chang in to delyt c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxi. 70.
This gray hors, Quhilk … in lyart changeit is in hew c1515 Asl. MS. I. 304/21.
Quhar his wyf luiking abak was changit in a salt stane 1560 Rolland Seven S. 9435.
Ȝe … Fra all dolour to mirth hes changit my cheir 1567 G. Ball. 165.
Our wratchit schort lyfe man haif end, Changeit fra paine … To lestand gloir 1580 Misc. Wodrow Soc. 296.
The eternall death … is changeit in this temporall death

3. To change by substitution of one thing or person for another. 1375 Barb. vi. 499.
Fra he mycht anys feill The kyngis sent … He vald change it for na thyng 1490 Irland Mir. fol. 334 b.
Thi Hienes suld nocht multiply mekle the ministeris of iustice na oft chaung thame 1513 Doug. iii. iii. 26.
Fle away; This duelling place thou mon change Ib. xii. Prol. 238.
The styrlyng changis diuers stevynnys nys 1538 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 89.
That the gres mercat abone the Tolbuith be chayngeit a1578 Pitsc. I. 305/27.
The lordis … chaingit all his auld offiecearis and pat new in thair steid 1638 St. A. Baxter Bks. 105.
Gif he beis changeit and ane vther deacone succeiding in his rowme

4. To exchange (one person or thing) for another. 1375 Barb. xiii. 682.
That he till Yngland hame suld ga … And that for hym suld changit be Bischop Robert Ib. xix. 524.
Thai that tane war on a day, On ane othir changit war thai c1420 Wynt. iii. 402.
Swylk is the werd off Dalyda, That changyd … welle for wa 1442 Reg. Great S. 64/1.
The landis of … Pettendrech, the quhilkis war changeit with the landis of Dunottir 1456 Wemyss Chart. 77.
The forsaid landis … quhilkis ar now to be changit and cossit in excambium 1537 Lynd. Depl. Magd. 50.
Scho lyke prudent Quene Penelope, Ful constantlie wald change hym for none vther c1575 Balfour Pract. 635–6 marg.
Na man sall buy, barter, nor change ony merchandice of the prizes takin, untill [etc.]

b. intr. To engage in exchanging or trading. 1594 Acts IV. 49/2.
Quhaireuer ony of the same may be apprehendit thaireftir changeand, wissilland, or payand debtis or blokis

5. intr. To become different. c1420 Wynt. i. 146.
Thar spek changit suddandly, And ilkan spak … syndryle Ib. iii. 405.
For Sampsone scho had mad chaynge, And he tyll hyr was alway strange 1456 Hay II. 114/26.
Quhar mannis witt failȝeis … sa that his complexioun change c1420 Ratis R. 1597.
Al thing changis at the wyll Of mekle God c1460 Thewis Wysmen 212.
The natur of this warld daly Is euer changand continualy a1500 Henr. Fab. 970.
Thy cheir changis, Lowrence a1500 Bk. Chess 2139.
His moving … changis aye at euery draucht c1500-c1512 Dunb. iv. 9.
The stait of man dois change & vary Ib. lxvi. 27.
Purpos dois change as wynd or rane 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 44.
Gif the court had changeit as to the bischoppis of Sanctandrois and Glasgow a1570-86 Maitl. F. xiv. 63.
The warldis instabilitie … changeand ay as dois the mone and see

6. To make a change. c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 75; Ib. 208.
That I micht cheis, and be chosin, and change quhen me lykit 1540 Acts II. 359/2.
Quha hes power to cheis clerkis or notaris, that thai ma chanch or cheis as thai pleis a1570-86 Maitl. F. cliii. 6.
Think thow man chaynge and wait not quhair to be