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Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

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First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Drave, Dreave, n.² Also: draive, draif(e, draff; dreve, dreaf. [Related to Drive v. Cf. Draven.¹] The annual herring fishery. (See also Hering-drave.)(a) 1597 Skene Verb. S. s.v. Assisa.
Everie boat that passis to the draue, and slayis herring 1610 Conv. Burghs II. 296.
The supplicatione … craving licence for ane impost to tak of everie dreave boit … during thair draive in tyme of fisching 1629 Ritchie Churches St. Baldred 219.
To punishe the prophaners of the Sabbothe in tyme of draife 1639 Ib. 77.
Seeing now the harvest and draif were perfectlie endit 1657 Lamont Diary 129.
This yeare … ther was few or none hearing gotten … , so that the like of this drave was not for many yeares past-by for badnesse 1661 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. I. 652.
By the decaying of the Lambmes drave and sumer fishing yeirlie … ther conditione is become verie miserable(b) 1640 St. A. Baxter Bks. 110.
That no brother … sall transport or cary bred of the toun … nether in tyme of dreaf or ony wther ocasion 1641 Acts V. 506/1.
His Maiesties assis of all herringis … is ane thousand herringis furth off ilk boat ilk dreave that holdis 1658 Lamont Diary 136.
Ther was few or no herring gotten in Fyfe syde, … so that divers persons beganne to feare ther sould be no dreve hireafter 1692 Conv. Burghs IV. 621.
Ther are … only … six small lyne boats who … goe to dreave at Lambas when ther is any tack of herringes