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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.

Inhabit, v. Also: inhabyt, -ite. P.t. inhabytyd, -yt; inhabit(e. P.p. inhabitit(e, -yde; inhabit(e, -yt. [ME. inhabite (1382), enhabite (c 1374), OF. inhabiter, L. inhabitāre.]

1. tr. To inhabit, reside in, occupy as one's abode (a country, city, piece of land, etc.). Said of persons, animals, and, transf., of things.(a) c1420 Wynt. iii. 2506.
Quha that tyme wes lywand, Tha landys than inhabytand 1490 Irland Mir. I. 51/13.
To bruk and inhabit the realme of paradice 1513 Doug. iii. iv. 3.
In thir ilandis … Dwell and inhabit the cruel Celeno [etc.] 1596 Dalr. I. 97/11.
Sum of thame quha inhabites the borders of Scotland(b) c1420 Wynt. ii. 298.
The Ile off Rodys than tuke thai And it inhabytyt [v.rr. inhabit] fra that day 1535 Stewart 43716.
Mony townis mo, That Cristen men inhabite in tha dais 1622-6 Bisset II. 204/7.
That ile [which] he first inhabit(c) c1420 Wynt. ii. 791.
Tyll Yrland, that was noucht yhit than Inhabityde [v.rr. Inhabit], bot wes wast haly 1513 Doug. iii. vi. 84.
Al tha citeis with wykkit Grekis … Inhabit ar 1533 Boece ix. v. 297.
Abbayis ar now in Scotland inhabit be mony vertewis men a1578 Pitsc. I. 71/11. Ib. 343/3.
Sen ewer this yle … was inhabitit be Scottis or Inglischmen(2) c1515 Asl. MS. I. 170/6.
The south part of Affrik is inhabit with wyld bestis as oliphantis [etc.] 1549 Compl. 20/26.
The grite tour of Babilone … is desolat and inhabit be … venemuse beystis(3) transf. 1513 Doug. iii. ii. 76.
The land … Inhabyt with a hundreth citeis gret

b. To occupy, live in (a building). 1554 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 192.
To repair … the sang scule … sua that the barnis may enter thairto and inhabit the samyn 1568 Hosack Mary Q. of Scots 534.
The … house … was … ruynous, waist and not inhabite be ony of a long tyme before

c. To occupy as a resident upon (a holding in land); also, to erect a dwelling upon (a holding). 1439 Edinb. Chart. 64.
Oure men and thaire gudis, our saide landis … inhabitande 1500 Reg. Episc. Brechin I. 218.
The said abbot and conwent sall labure manuyr and inhabyt the saidis landis, lik as the laif of the landis besid thaim ar inhabit and lauborit 1519 Reg. Panmure II. 291.
To tele and inhabite the samyn [moor] and big hous … thairupoun 1544 Antiq. Aberd. & B. II. 431.
Ane vther land liand in the Gallowgait … vmquhill inhabit with the heredis of Robert Ewert 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. i. 122.
[A new burgess] after ȝeare and day he sall big and inhabit his land

2. To occupy or people (a country). c1420 Wynt. iii. 545.
He … callyd that land eftyr his name And it inhabytyd [v.rr. inhabit] wytht his men

3. intr. To dwell, have one's abode. 1513 Doug. iii. i. 29.
Of Trace the pepill ar thar inhabityng