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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.

Fruit, Fruyt, Frute, n. Also: frwit, frwyt, frutt, frout, freut. [ME. fruit(e, fruyt(e, frute, frut (c. 1175), OF. fruit. Cf. Froit(e n. and Fruct n.]

1. The fruit of trees. (Also in fig. context.)(a) c1400 Troy-bk. i. 254.
Ȝardes … for virgerys, That fruyt in grew of sere maneris c1420 Wynt. vii. 469.
Now in the rwte is set the tre Bathe frwyt and floure all lyk to bere 1456 Hay I. 5/2.
A tree that may bere na fruyte bot fruyte of dolour and dises Ib. II. 5/33.
A grete tre … chargit full of fair fruytis c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 88.
All the fruit suld I fang, thocht he the flour burgeoun 1513 Doug. xii. Prol. 255.
Welcum, confort of alkynd fruyt and grayn(b) 1488 Treas. Acc. I. 96.
To ij madynnis that brocht frute to the king 1490 Irland Mir. I. 78/30.
The tre of lif that bure the frute for prolongacioun … of the lif of man 1513 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 142.
That na fruit seller be fundyn opinlie selland frute … efter ix houris at even, vnder the pane of escheit of thair frute 1535 Stewart 43892.
We had no vther bute, Withoutin fude bot grene herbis and frutt c1552 Lynd. Mon. 2498.
Sen growand treis that ȝeirly berith frute Be more to pryse … Nor cuttit stockis a1568 Scott xxxv. 11.
As tre on rute … To burge and schute, and sall gif frutt(c) 1623 Misc. Hist. Soc. III. 277 n.
Togidder … with sic frout and herbis as growis in the said ȝaird 1632 Pr. Inchmahome 140.
For freut, cheese, and carwie

b. Produce of the ground or of cattle. 1533 Bell. Livy I. 167/7.
The Sabynis … wastit the samyn [land] and barrit him fra the frutis thareof 1533 Gau 12/10.
Thay quhilk takis avay the frwtis of thair nichtburs beistis 1565 Reg. Privy C. I. 365.
The frutis of the ground and annet to pertene to the executouris

c. Offspring. c1450-2 Howlat 741.
Now for thi frute mak ws fre Fro fendis that fell is a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 1140.
Quhill that my frute is sauld for his ransoun 1533 Gau 40/1.
Owr lord Jesus Christ, the frwit of the virgine Maria 1531 Bell. Boece II. 311.
Thow tuk purpos to pas thy time but frute of mariage 1567 Acts Jas. VI. (1597) c. 5.
Of the fruite of his loynes suld ane sit for ever vpon his regall seat

2. Produce of land as an item of revenue.(a) 1474 Acta Aud. 33/2.
[To pay] for a ȝeris fruytis of the said kirk aucht be him bigane 1530 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 136.
That Johne Rutherfurd had intromettit with the fruits of the samyn [kirk of Birs] 1570 Leslie 246.
All the fruittis … als weill of the propertie as causualtie pertening to the patrimonie of the crowne 1593 Acts IV. 25/2.
Sa mony of the rentis and fruittis thairof as are presentlie fre 1622-6 Bisset II. 89/9.
The executour may persew … for annat and fruitis of the benefice(b) 1474 Reg. Cupar A. I. 215.
The frutis of … our kyrk of Fossoquhy, bath of the tend schafe and of the alterage 1503 Reg. Morton II. 260.
Considering the … wrangis … to halykirk in diminutioun and dounputting of the frutis and teyndis therof 1530 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 136.
For payment of the saidis frutis [of the kirk] he had assignit to him the gudis send in Flanderis

3. Profit, advantage, or result of any kind. a1500 Henr. Orph. 424.
Gud moralite, Richt full of frut and seriosete a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 276.
Syne followis frute of honour and renovne c1490 Irland Asl. MS. I. 39/14.
And [= if] fasting be meritour it has mony frutis and vtiliteis 1533 Bell. Livy I. 130/8.
Thai may … sustene the plesand frute of libertie 1549 Compl. 9/1.
The frutis of his laubours of the daye precedent 1572 Reg. Morton I. 74.
Appearandlie ȝour iorney sall not be without frute 1622-6 Bisset I. 109/10.
That oure realme may feill the sweit fruittis of oure provident directionis

4. Attrib., in sense 1, with creill, market, time, wife, ȝaird. Also Fruitman, -seller, -tre. 1542 Reg. Cupar A. II. 211.
In fruit time [he] sall walk and keipe the sammyne 1548 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 143.
That na frute wyffes stand on the hie gaitt bot on the mercat dayes 1597 Ib. V. 197.
The fische markett, … fowle markett or fruitt markett 1653 Peebles B. Rec. II. 18.
The parents of the child who shall be found … breaking of fruit yairds or planting 1698 Foulis Acc. Bk. 237.
For 2 fruit creills