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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.

Drede, Dreid, n. Also: dred, dreide, dreyde. [ME. dred, drede (c 1200), f. Dredev.]

1. Fear or awe; apprehension of evil or harm.(a) 1375 Barb. vi. 607 (E).
Had he dred bot anerly Thaim fyve, … He suld have had na mekill dred 1407 Charter (Reg. H.) C.O. No. 32.
Nowcht throw strenthe na drede led, bot of my fre and liberale wyll 1456 Hay I. 118/27.
In raddour thare cummys … causles dout and drede Ib. II. 45/21.
As drede … gerris a person cast downe the hede, and luke to the erde a1500 Henr. Orph. 425.
[Prosperitie] Kepit with drede, and tynt is with doloure 1494 Acta Aud. 202/1.
That the said convent … wes compellit and coakkit to mak the said assedatioun … be force and dred 1501 Dunferm. B. Rec. 338.
That sche wes nocht coackit nor witht drede led be hir sade husbande c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 156.
Schamefull Abaising, And quaking Drede, wyth humble Obedience(b) Brus vi. 410.
The cattale followit he gude speid, Richt as a man that had no dreid c1475 Wall. iv. 763.
He comfort hir, and baide hir haiff no dreide 1483 Acta Conc. II. Introd. 110.
He was compellit for dreid to mak the said obligatioun be the said Andro, Lord Gray 1513 Doug. i. iv. 102.
Betwix gude hope and dreid in dowt thai stude Ib. vii. 80.
Away with dreid, and tak na langar feir 1535 Stewart 40245.
I haif hard sa that greit terrour and dreid Causis ane man to mak vertu of neid c1552 Lynd. Mon. 990.
Quhen thay war to syn subiectit, To schame and dreid thay war coactit 1596 Dalr. I. 95/25.
Sik a reuerend feir and dreid thay haue lest thay offend

b. With the and adj. (Freq. in Douglas.) 1513 Doug. ii. ii. 111.
The cauld dreid ran in throu thar banys Ib. iv. 51.
The onkowth dreid into thar brestis crap

c. An instance (or cause) of fear. At ane dreid, in suspicion. a1500 Henr. Fab. 2016.
Now I se ȝe haif me at ane dreid Id. III. 168/84.
As thow art iuge, deluge ws of this dreid 1482 Lennox Mun. 122.
His Maieste dred … that certane … persounys … wald hafe slayne and ondone him; for the quhilk dreide … his Hienes … chargit him … to remayne and awayt apoun his persoun c1475 Wall. iv. 608.
Than gud Wallace … Was fyfty men in all that felloun dreid 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. ii. 430.
He tauld … Of Dianis bair in Callidon the dreidis

2. Fear or apprehension of something. 1375 Barb. v. 313.
As folk that had na dreid of ill c1420 Wynt. vi. 2115.
Makduff … bade hym thare-off hawe na drede 1432 Lamont P. 13.
Als fer as he or tha der, for maugre and drede of the Kynge 1456 Hay I. 38/24.
For the drede he had of his sone, he maid a citee Ib. II. 45/12.
Veritee, that has na drede of falsehede c1460 Wisd. Sol. 731.
The dreid of God is the begynynge of wysdome a1500 Bernardus 74.
This vofule wyce of drunkynnes … In til a man that has na drede of schame a1500 Bk. Chess 1918.
I am in sic a dreid Off ȝone scharpe swerd c1500-c1512 Dunb. vii. 38.
[He] wald … Bot dreyd of danger, de in thi defence 1522 Acta Conc. MS. XXXIII. 38 b.
He nor his wif … dar nocht compeir … for dreid of thair lifis 1535 Stewart 35090.
The Inglismen … of the Danis war in to sic dreid 15.. Clar. iii. 641.
For dreid of daith afrayit out of measure a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. xcv. 72.
Thai … That nowder of God nor man hes dreid

b. With objective clause (with or without that). 1375 Barb. viii. 184.
He na drede Had at thai suld on syde assale c1420 Wynt. iv. 615.
Hymself … Fled off the kynrike of Sythy, For drede thai suld behynd hym stek The furdys 1456 Hay I. 85/1.
For drede he has that folk speke a lak of him in his lattare dayes a1500 Seven S. 713.
Fra that day furth his eme had dreid That his newo suld him exceid In craft and geir c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxxiii. 23.
Dreid he had gottin that he desarvit, He fled away gud speid Ib. lxxi. 39.
Speid the thairfoir, in dreid we all forfair 1513 Doug. i. ii. 18.
Thus the hie fader … Thir wyndis hyd, for dreid sik wrangis thai wyrk 1549 Compl. 133/27.
Bot ve … dar neuer pray appynly … in drede that sum curtician alege trason on vs a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. xxi. 89.
For peax and iustice lat ws pray, In dreid sum strange new institutioun Cum

c. With following infinitive. 1456 Hay I. 97/29.
It is na ferly, suppos a man have grete drede to tak the charge of the governaunce of a realme c1460 Consail Wys Man 425.
Oft tymis [it] garris thaim have dreid Be dampnyt for thar barnis deid a1500 Henr. III. 140/4.
Thai haif no dreid on thair nybouris to lie

3. Doubt, uncertainty. a1400 Leg. S. xvi. 277.
Gyfe thame thu cleth & fed, Thu sal dere by; haf thu na dred c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 2089.
Oetus alswa … to Egra … wrote in lyke maner … And bad hir trow it out of dreid ?1438 Alex. ii. 1248.
Thow sall for-think, haue thow no dreid c1460 Thewis Gud Women 235.
Oft tymis frendis, have no dreid, Ar dampnit for thar barnis deid c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxxxi. 82.
Ane besy askar soonner sall he speid, Na sall twa besy serwandis out of dreid a1540 Freiris Berw. 335.
Of this ȝe haue no dreid, For I can do fer mair and thair be neid

b. But or withoutin drede, without doubt, undoubtedly.(1) 1375 Barb. iv. 277.
Scho … bad him till the battale spede, For he suld victor haf but drede a1400 Leg. S. xxvii. 368.
As of Salamon we red, That wes the wysest man but dred c1420 Wynt. iv. 1786.
Off the male suld nane succed, Bot it ware clere, but ony drede 1456 Hay I. 199/1.
Gif his lord wald tak the lyf fra him, but drede he is behaldin to defend him c1460 Wisd. Sol. 450.
But ony dreid the tan gais to ioye, and the tother to pane a1500 Henr. Robin & M. 7.
My dule in dern bot gif thow dill, Dowtles but dreid I de c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxx. 15.
Delay it nocht, it mon be done but dreid 1513 Doug. vi. i. 101.
Bot thou do, thir gret durris, but dreid, … sal nevir warp on breid 15.. Clar. v. 109.
The buird cloth of the samin was but dreid(2) 1375 Barb. v. 577.
For had nocht God all-veldand Set help in-till his awne hand, He had ben ded vithouten dreid c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 1684.
It happinnis oft … And is richt suth withoutin dreid c1420 Wynt. iv. 1824.
Thai al sal noucht excede Thre hundyr yhere wythoutyn dreide 1535 Stewart 55351.
To his sone Richard withoutin ony dreid The croun of Scotland sould till him succeid 1556 Lauder Off. Kings 201.
Ȝe sall be plukkit frome ȝour ryngis Rycht dulefullie, withouttin dreid