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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.

Gefe, Geif, Geyf, v. Also: geife, geiff, geyff. P.t. gafe, gif, gaiff, gayf(f, geif. P.p. gefin(e, -yn(e, geifin, geiffin, geyffine, geyfyng. [Var. of Geve v. with normal Sc. use of f for v. The inf. geiffyn and p.p. geif, geyf used by Douglas are by analogy from southern Eng.] tr. and intr. To give, in various senses.(a) a1400 Leg. S. xxiii. 394.
Thocht na fath to me ȝe gefe, Ma fal to thame ȝe wil be-lif Ib. xxxiv. 50.
Quha-sa wald mast hir gefe Of erand suld ereste eschewe 1515 Reg. Privy S. I. 407/1.
Gefand to thame xl merkis worth of land 1519 Fife Sheriff Ct. 147.
Alisoune … sal mak & gefe to the said Dauid … ane sufficient lettir of bailȝery 1540 Acts Jas. V (1566) c. 78.
Gif ony maner of persoun gefis arlis … on ony maner of fische(b) 14.. Acts I. 24/2.
It is lachfull … till ilke burges to geyff or sell his lande Ib. 28/2.
He sall geyf viii s. 1457 Peebles B. Rec. 118.
The sayd Jonet sal geyf hym … xl s. c1475 Wall. i. 447.
Syluir and gold he gert on to him geyff 1508 Reg. Privy C. I. 258/2.
This exemptioun to endure … quhil he geyf uther command in the contrare 1565 St. A. Kirk S. 235.
The Superintendent requirit the sayd Joanna to geyf hyr ayth of calumpne(c) 1478 Acta Aud. 66/2.
That I geif for dome 1482 Ib. 101/2.
Thomas sal restore and geif again … the sade sovme 1500 Buccleuch Mun. II. 102.
Geifand a penny … in name of blanch ferm 1506 Charter (Reg. H.) No. 693.
We … sall geiff him or thaim our leill & trew consall 1513 Doug. v. vi. 39.
I sal ȝou geiffyn ilk man as efferis Ib. ix. ii. 46.
As he to geif batale all redy war 1531 Bell. Boece I. 96.
Few of thaim wald geif place to othir 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 7.
Of the quhilk reparation the principal sal geif coumpt yeirly 1573 Sat. P. xlii. 833.
To mak princes iniunctionnis geif(b) a1400 Leg. S. Prol. 137.
He thame gafe Playne powar our the laffe 1456 Hay II. 93/28.
Thare he gafe grete giftis … to thame 1467 Acta Aud. 8/1.
Andro renunsit and gafe oure al tak of the said landis 1488 Treas. Acc. I. 93.
To a man … that gafe the King a hors(b) c1475 Wall. i. 77.
Ane abbot past, and gaif our this legiance Ib. v. 904.
His hors gaiff our, and mycht no forther ga a1500 Bk. Chess 905.
Throw his tressoun the king gaif his essent 1513 Doug. x. xi. 106.
This ilk schaddo … gaif the bak and fled c1552 Lynd. Mon. 249.
The quhilk gaif sapience to king Salomone 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 306.
The meill gaif xii shillingis the peck 1614 Lett. Eccl. Affairs I. 320.
I … gaif him … better counsellis(c) 1556 Stirling B. Rec. I. 67.
The said Jonat … geif hir greit aitht(c) a1400 Leg. S. xv. 76.
To preche goddis word as is gefyne vs Ib. xxxviii. 11.
Al thar gudis suld be … gefine as eschete 1440 Cart. S. Nich. Aberd. I. .
The forsaid Johne has gefin heritable possession 1460 Ayr Charters 35.
Gefyn wnder our signet at Pertht 1478 Lennox Mun. 116.
The sayd lordis hafe gefyn bodyly fayth 1562-3 Winȝet I. 28/30.
By the solemniteis … gefin tham afore in the Scriptur(b) 14.. Acts I. 90/2.
All forfautis excedand viij s. … salbe geyffin to this gylde 1456 Peebles B. Rec. 118.
A sartan som … qwylk he had geyfyng hym … to kyp 1513 Doug. v. v. 74.
To hym a servand woman … Was geyf Ib. vi. 105.(c) 1506 Glasgow Dioc. Reg. II. 161.
The quhilkis twa merkis of land … I haue geifin our and resignit 1513 Doug. iv. iii. 28.
[To] suffir … al Lyby land Be geif in dowry to thi son 1567–8 Bk. Old Edinb. C. VI. 83.
Geiffin for conwoyinge of the pressoneris to Blaknes, xlix l.