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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Impreve, Impreif(f, v. Also: impreive, -we, -prieve, -preeve; -pryve; -pref(e, -preife, ympreif. P.p. imprevit, impreivin, and Improvin. [ad. L. improbāre to condemn, reject; cf. Improve v. For the form cf. Preve and Prove, Appreve and Approve. Only Sc.Common in the 16th c., but in the 17th largely supplanted by Improve.]

1. tr. To disprove. a. Espec., To prove (a legal deed) to be invalid or (chiefly) forged or spurious. Also intr.(a) 1484 Acta Aud. *132/1.
To be broikit … efter the forme of the letter of tak ay and quhill it be imprevit of nane avale 1532 Treas. Acc. VI. 51.
vij personis quhilkis war summond out of the toune of Air to impreve the instrument off Carriltoun 1564 Acts Sederunt 15 June (J).
Quhair ony person … taks on hand to imprieve the execution of the precept, or ony vther title or evident producit c1575 Balfour Pract. 383.
Ane instrument may be impreivin directlie be witnessis insert thairin 1587 Acts III. 434/2.
Exceptand quhair our souerane lord … may haue querrell or impreve the saidis infeftmentis gif ony of thame be fals and fenȝeit 1593 Montg. Suppl. 319/5.
He offerit him to impreiwe directlie the persewaris admissioun 1605 Morison Dict. Decis. 6613.
That the persewar could have na actioun … to impreive his evidents because … sche had … na entres to impreive(b) 1584 Sempill Sat. P. xlv. 219.
[He] swair that he had never sene it And tuike in hand for to impryve it [: mischevit](c) 1492 Acta Conc. 216/1.
The quhilk instrument the said Agnes impreiffit and tuk apoun hir to impref the sammyn ciuily be the witnes contenit thairintill 1501 Ib. III. 96.
Til impreif the chartir and precept of saising … [as] fals civilye in the self 1555 Acts II. 494/2.
Gif the partie … makis allegeance and offeris him to impreif the indorsingis 1563 Edinb. B. Rec. III. 169.
Quhilk letter of tak Dauid Symmer offerit to impreif and the samyn to be fals and fenyeit be the subscriptionis thairof 1622-6 Bisset II. 59/12.
Provyding that the offerring to impreif the executioun, stope nocht the proceding in the principall causeintr. 1501–2 Acta Conc. III. 127.
To propone, allege, obiect, impugn nor impreif aganis the sadis chartir [etc.]

b. In general use: To refute (an argument, etc.); to confute (a person). 1531 Bell. Boece (M) I. 271.
[St. Augustine] come to Melayn, quhair he ressauit … the faith of Criste and imprevit mony heresijs 1562 Kennedy Ressoning 15 b.
I say the wordes of the text ar plain … and desires ȝow to impreue the same be the text 1562-3 Winȝet I. 33/9.
I exhort ȝe cause ȝour prophete Johne Knox … to impreue Sanctis Hierome and Augustine as leand witnessis in the premissis c 1616 Misc. Hist. Soc. II. 188.
I think this for aneuche to belie Leslaeus & to impreeue that pairt anent the Englis Commissionars … thair opinion of my father his giltines

2. To repudiate, reject, disclaim; to disapprove, condemn. 1488 Acta Conc. 90/2.
Ane instrument … appreuand and ratifiand James Bonare of Rossy hir assignay and impreuand James Bonare hir secund sone and dischargeing him of the said office of assignaschip 1533 Boece vi. x. 205 b.
Sum thocht expedient that the kinrik suld be equalie dividit. This devise was planelie imprevit Ib. x. vii. 365 b.
Sum parte of the wise barouns imprevit baith this sanctioun & aith 1562-3 Winȝet I. 79/26.
Quhat wthir thing appreuis that counsell that ȝe dar impreue?

3. absol. To condemn, disapprove of. 1551 Hamilton Cat. 61.
Preche thow the word, be fervent, … ympreif, repreif, exhort