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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.

Dry, adj. Also: drye, drey, dray. [ME. drye, dreie, etc., OE. drýᵹe.]

1. Of land: Not under water. a1400 Leg. S. i. 29.
Quhen thai saw coiste one the dry lande Ib. xx. 311.
He … Ȝed one the watyre as on land dry c1420 Wynt. v. 4149.
The devyil … gert thame trowe … all thaire gate to mak thame dry 1513 Doug. iii. ii. 135.
Our schippis … we gart adres, And lay almaist upon the dry sand c1552 Lynd. Mon. 1484.
Furth flew the dow, … And, quhen scho did persave dryland [etc.]

b. Not marked by a watercourse. 1522 Acta Conc. MS. XXXIII. 41.
The saidis landis … lyis on plane dry bordour togidder 1531 Bell. Boece I. p. xxvii.
Becaus thay have Inglismen … liand dry marche apon thair nixt bordour a1570-86 Maitl. F. xl. 59.
So few folk of so lytill micht, ... Vpon the dry merchis lyand

2. Of rivers, wells, etc.: Empty of water. c1420 Wynt. ii. 1070.
The wattyre off Jordane in his day is Was dry Ib. viii. 5540.
He … stall thare wattyr away haly, Qwhill all thare dykis war lewyd all dry 1461 Liber Plusc. 396.
Quhen the wel of iustice was gane dry 1513 Doug. i. Prol. 57.
Of Helicon so drank thow dry the flude 15.. Lichtoun Dreme 23.
I … Drank of ane well that wes gane drye sevin ȝeir

3. Of seasons: Free from, or deficient in, rain. 1456 Hay II. 130/2.
That tyme is naturaly drey and hate and clere in the ayre a1500 Henr. Robin & M. 97.
The nicht is soft and dry c1500-c1512 Dunb. xlviii. 70.
Scho bad eik Juno … That scho the hevin suld keip amene and dry Ib. lxv. 15.
All in the self dois de, As Mayis flouris dois in September dry 1549 Compl. 62/3.
The thrid collateral vynd … is cald and dry of natur 1657 Balfour Ann. III. 408.
The spring this ȝeire was cold and dray

4. Not subjected or exposed to wetting. c1420 Wynt. iv. 2243.
Haldand owthe the wattyre ay Hys a hand … , And swa held all his lettrys dry a1568 Bann. MS. 28 a/27.
The watter, quhen dry he on it went 1552 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 172.
We sall mak … ane corne mercate that the laidis and personis that cumis thairto sall stand dry, quhair as now thai stand wet 15.. Wyf of Aucht. 13.
Quhen he come in he … saw the wyf baith dry and clene

5. Lacking in, or free from, moisture. c1420 Wynt. i. 123.
To this my wyt is wallowide dry But floure or froyte ?1438 Alex. ii. 4991.
At the dry tre … The goddis him tald how he suld fyne 1456 Hay II. 118/19.
Quhen his body is dry and sclender Ib. 123/3.
Thai dryar metis consumys evill fleumys … of the first moyste mete a1500 Henr. Fab. 510.
Of chalmerglew … Waistit he wes, of nature cauld and dry a1500 Seven S. 1482.
Ane ald man dry as a tre 1513 Doug. iii. ii. 152.
Herbis wolx dry, wallowyng, and gan to faid Ib. v. iii. 137.
The dry ammeris syne Thai slokkin 1549 Reg. Cupar A. II. 59.
Paying ȝerelie to ws … [64] laidis of petis sufficient gude and dry c1568 Lauder Minor P. i. 98.
Maist lyke ane branche … That is becum ane drye and widderit blok 1597 Bk. Rates 3 b.
Confectis callit dry or weit, the pund 1600-1610 Melvill 256.
A banquet of wat and dry confectiones 1633 Edinb. B. Rec. VII. 121.
The counsell ... dischairges all persones for casting out thair drye saittes upone the hie streittes or vennellis

b. Of bread: Eaten without drink or other addition. a1500 Henr. Fab. 2747.
To leue vpon dry breid and watter caill c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxxi. 24.
He that dois on dry breid virry, I gif him to the Devill of hell

c. Dry gudis, mersory = Dry ware. 1482 Edinb. Chart. 169.
Of all dry mersory, merchandice, and costly gudis, of ilk croun ij d. 1545 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 213.
The said puncioun of dry gudis cum saifly and dry vpoun land

d. Of stone(s): Used for building without mortar. a1540 Freiris Berw. 565.
Our the wall he clam … Quhilk round abowt wes laid with stanis dry 1572 Peebles B. Rec. 337.
The haill communite to help to big it with dry stanis Ib. 344.
To wirk … quhill lyme may be had, and failyene of lyme to lay dry werk in all places necessar Ib. 347.
To beir stanis … to the wall … to be heichtit with dry stane 1593 Edinb. B. Rec. V. 101.
To caus big ane sufficient dyke of drye stanes to be west the buriall yett

6. Subjected to drying; dried. 1531 Bell. Boece I. p. l.
Thay bray dry fische als small as meil 1566 Treas. Acc. XI. 516.
Send to the Inche iij blawin and dry keling 1568 Dundee B. Laws 34.
The cadgeares and vthers bringers of dry fisches to this burgh 1580 Treas. Acc. MS. 36 (2).
Twa marykin skynnis to be his maiestie ane pair of dry ledder buittis 1598 Stirling Ant. III. 308.
ix skaittis, … ij dray skaittis 1602 Shetland Sheriff Ct. 36 b.
Bringȝeoll Mainstoun is accuseit for the … steilling of sax sydis of dry scheip ?1549 Monro W. Isles 64.
Men … use … to fetch hame with them their boitt full of dray wild foulis 1668 Reg. Privy C.
James Mudy with his accomplices … caryed away ane cassie of dry oats3 Ser. II. 395.

b. Dried off. c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 1026.
Ane quhyle I will heir ly, Till this dulce dew be fra me dry

7. Thirsty. c1500-c1512 Dunb. v. 16.
Scho deit of thirst in this warld, that gert hir be so dry Ib. 37.
Gif ȝe be thirsty or dry 1513 Doug. ii. vi. 112.
Thar litil quhelpis left with dry throtis a1540 Freiris Berw. 67.
Freir Robert … hir desyrit the stowp to fill of aill, That we may drink, for I am wondir dry c1552 Lynd. Mon. 5943.
Ȝe … gaif me drynk quhen I wes drye 1560 Rolland Seven S. Prol. 138.
Richt sair I rew, With sa dry mouths, that we twa suld depart

8. Of blows: Not drawing blood. 1558-66 Knox I. 146.
Frome schouldering thei go to buffettis, and from dry blawes by neffis and neffiling 1623 Crim. Trials III. 544.
Sum dry cuffis being gevin be ather of thame to vther

9. Not cordial; cold, unfriendly. c1420 Wynt. viii. 1630 (W).
The king him mad than bot dry chere 1535 Stewart 53750.
He fand him than at thair meitting rycht drye 1539 Prot. Bk. J. Cristisone 66.
Ȝe … hes beyne dry to me throcht certane vourdis of displessour I spak of ȝow