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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.

Gift, Gyft, n. Also: gyfte, guift; geft, geift. [Northern ME. (c 1300) gift(e, gyft(e, ON. gift, gipt, MDu. gifte.]

1. Something given; a present.(a) a1400 Leg. S. xxvii. 423.
Bryngand hyme gyftis fare & gret
c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 841.
Kyng Pryame, whom of thow Toke so gret gyftes of walue
c1420 Wynt. viii. 6537.
The kyng ressaywyd that gyfft that day
c1475 Wall. iv. 200.
The gud erlle than he bad him gyftis sere
1513 Doug. ii. i. 67.
Thame that sendis this gyft always I feir
1596 Dalr. I. 181/8.
Sum … he invades with waypounis, vthir sum he corruptes with gyftes
(b) c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 3034.
He gaif him till … Richt riche giftis
1456 Hay II. 153/37.
Thou sall geve him … sum giftis, or rewardis proffer him
a1500 Henr. Fab. 2315.
Seis thow not … giftis garris crukit materis hald full euin?
c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 364.
He … thoght my favoris to fynd through his feill giftis
1535 Stewart 1769.
Of ȝour giftis greit goddis ȝow forȝeild
1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 49.
Having … perswadit him bayth be giftis of landis and money
comb. c1590 Fowler II. 112/7.
Some ar reput liberall, … some great gift gevars

b. In various figurative senses. c1460 Wisd. Sol. 518.
That is the gift of God to manis sone … to tak joy and plesans [etc.]
a1500 Bernardus 225.
To lach at joculatouris fantasy It is … to tham … a gyft of gudly price
1492 Myll Spect. 297/15.
Venus … gaif me thre gyftis, lyk as scho dois to all thaim that contynewis in to hyr cowrt
1490 Irland Mir. I. 62/19.
That knawlage … was mekle brychtare and clerare na is now the gift of grace
c1500-c1512 Dunb. ix. 94.
Of the sevin giftis the Haly Gaist me sent
1513 Doug. xiii. viii. 19.
The gret apperans of gud in sik a man, And sa fair gyftis [Sm. geiftis]
a1585 Maitl. Q. xxxv. 111.
To wemen than … Sic giftis first wes lent

c. Without article; in some contexts = giving. a1400 Leg. S. x. 318.
Hyre consent he mycht nocht get For gyfte, gud, luf na threte
c1420 Wynt. vi. 1134.
Be thyfft, Oppyn reffe, or wrangwys gyft … all I wan The gud
1456 Hay I. 30/7.
Thai ar … nocht large of gift
Ib. II. 81/27.
Gift gevyn to thame that na myster has requiris nocht thank
c1475 Wall. i. 314.
For gyft of gud with him he wald nocht bide
c1500-c1512 Dunb. xvi. 1.
To speik of gift or almous deidis
Ib. 19.
Sum is for gift sa lang requyrd … That [etc.]

2. A grant, or the granting, of property, office, or privilege to a person; power of doing this.(a) 1431 Reg. Great S. 45/1.
That thai distroble not the sayd Patrik in onr gyft forsayd
1475 Peebles B. Rec. 175.
[Not] to mak ony clam … of the saydis anvellis or gyft
1504 Rec. Earld. Orkney 78.
To mak new ayrschip to Will of Corgill, langand his gyfft of fadir and modir
1524 Holyrood Chart. 258.
The quhilk donatioune and gyfte of the said Gramar Skule … we … sall warrend acquiet and defende
1558 Waus Corr. I. 12.
The preve sell is speid upoun my gyf[t] of the personage of Douglace
(b) 1491 Acta Conc. 168/2.
Ane act … quhilk maid reuocacioune, annullacionne, and cassacioune of all giftis [etc.]
1510 Reg. Privy S. I. 326/1.
Exceptt beneficis as ar at the gift of Sanctandris
1529 Ib. 593/1.
That na lettres of gift of our soverane lordis casualite nor propirte be ansuerit at the signete
1567 Peebles B. Rec. 304.
The baylles ordanes all the preistis … to produce thair gifft of thair altragis affor thame
a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. clxxiv. 61.
Schir, at thi gift is mony abaseis, Personages, prouestres, & diuers prebendreis
(c) 1500 Ayr Friars Pr. Chart. 67.
Nochtwithstanding this present geift has bein resignit at the dait of these presentis
1549 Ann. Banff I. 27.
Sir William Grantulie chepland, presentit ane geft and donation of sex merks annuell

3. A personal quality or faculty, either natural or conferred by a higher power. 1461 Liber Plusc. 385.
Quhat mycht God mare do till His creatoure Bot dow hire with the gyftis of nature?
1490 Irland Mir. I. 12/31.
Thi hienes desirand this gyft of wisdome suld haue thre consideracioune
1549 Compl. 10/12.
He that hes the gyft of traductione, compiling or teching
c1552 Lynd. Mon. 725.
He maid man Dotit with gyftis of nature Aboue all erthlye creature

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"Gift n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 22 Nov 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/gift_n>

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