Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1971 (DOST Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Med(e, Meid, n.¹ Also: meide, meed, meyd. [ME. and e.m.E. mede, meede, OE. méd.]Chiefly early.

1. A reward according to one's deserts for one's action or conduct, a recompense or a requital; esp., a reward for merit.Also plur. in the same sense.(1) 1375 Barb. xx. 414 (E).
Hevynnys blys suld be thar mede [. dred] a1400 Leg. S. ii. 241.
Tak thi med That thu has servit fore ill dede Ib. xvi. 509. Ib. xxviii. 28.
Thru humylite … Was Mary mad oure alleris med [: but dred] Ib. 255.
Hewinly med Ib. xxix. 40. Ib. xxx. 592.
The mede of tholmodnes Ib. xxxii. 317.
Rycht grete is the mede [: but drede] Ib. xxxiii. 326.
Warldly med [: nede] ?1438 Alex. ii. 265. Ib. 2320. c1420 Wynt. i. Prol. 71, 73. Ib. ii. 1008.
Thynkand thai sulde be parcynere Off mede and payne that he sulde bere Ib. v. 4100. Ib. viii. 2951, 4355. Ib. 5287.
That gud ware to gyff the prys On athyre halff to mak thaim mede That bare thame best for thare gude dede(b) ?1438 Alex. i. 1712.
Bot he thairof gat sone his meid [: ȝeid] For Lycanor hit him [etc.] Ib. ii. 5437.
God gif yow meid [: foredeid] c1420 Ratis R. 234.
Fore men may with thar handis deid Wyne gret riches, land and meid c1460 Consail Vys Man 293. c1460 Thewis Wysmen 162. a1500 Henr. Fab. 2720 (Bann.).
Off sic wolffis hell fyre salbe thair meid [: proceid] c1475 Wall. x. 462.
Thow has tynt twa had beyn worth fer mair meid [: deid (= deed)] Ib. xi. 1247. a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 49.
Confort thi hert but lesing of His meid [: dreid] 1513 Doug. ix. v. 110.
The ilk steid Fra this sammyn hour, Nysus, salbe thy meid Ib. xi. Prol. 65, 127.plur. c1500-c1512 Dunb. xvi. 2.
To speik of gift or almous deidis, Sum gevis for mereit and for meidis(2) a1400 Leg. S. xxviii. 726.
Hou he quytis tham thare med [: ded] That seruis hyme 1535 Stewart 1508. Ib. 32514.
And now we think we quit him weill his meid [: bleid] ? 1570 Sat. P. xxvi. 78.
Bot puneis all … & quyte thame for thair meids [: deids] 1584-9 Maxwall Commonpl. Bk. 12 a.(3) a1400 Leg. S. ii. 873.
The gret joy that God to med Has grantit tham that will hym dred. 1456 Hay I. 30/31.
[They] wan mony of thame hell to thair mede 1461 Liber Plusc. I. 384. a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 277. a1500 Seven S. 31.
I ask no mor to all my meid Bot gif me thi child to leire & feid c1500-c1512 Dunb. xlvii. 33. 1535 Stewart 28672.
To meid [: dreid] 1560 Rolland Seven S. 5393.(4) a1400 Leg. S. ix. 327.
& for his mede [Bartholomew] brukis that blyse c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 1876.
Than Vlixes … Gert the secretare … Be slane for his meid wikkitly c1420 Ratis R. 1811.
And the vrytar, for his meid, God grant hym euir weill to speid c1460 Thewis Wysmen 216. a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 866 (Wr.).
No miter perfyter Got Midas for his meed [: head]

2. The quality of deserving well for meritorious conduct, merit, credit.With the formula (2), cf. also Med(e)ful(l a. (2).(1) a1400 Leg. S. xxxi. 164.
For the doctor sais … That the treutht thare has litil mede [: rede] ?1438 Alex. ii. 6132.
Ȝe sall be sone (sa haue I meid!) Serued with Caneus on his steid c1420 Wynt. v. 1145. c1460 Vert. Mes 77 (S.T.S.).
He sal have the meid as he had hard mes 1462 Peebles B. Rec. I. 145.
Meide and meryt for the saulis of the fundouris of the sayd seruis a1500 Bk. Chess 1350.
This teilman … has sic meid to wyn the pur folk breid a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 110.
Thus mycht a King in fame & meid encres c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxxix. 2. 1535 Stewart 43396.
Syne sark allane, for mair mereit and meid, And barfeit 1560 Rolland Seven S. 7966.
Quhat gaue scho him for his gude lufe and meid [: bleid] 1570 Sat. P. xx. 105.
That man in deid is worth sum meid, His fault that dois confes a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 844.(2) 1429 Lanark & R. 283.
Syne mede and meritable thing it is to beir witnes to suthfastnes 1485 Lag Chart. 53. 1490 Reliq. Antiq. Sc. 47.
Sen meid and merit is … till euerilk juge … to beir witnes [etc.] 1499 Fam. Rose 170.

3. Assistance, help, succour, support. Na meid, (of) no use or advantage. a1400 Leg. S. i. 252.
We hawe no mede [ed. nede] Of thi pece, bot-gyf that pece be And concorde, to fynd veryte In-to na thing may be profyte ?1438 Alex. ii. 6140.
God gif ȝow meid And help ȝow ay quhen ȝe haue neid c1420 Ratis R. 398.
With it thow may thin erand speid Qwhen baith will failȝhe strenth and meid c1460 Alex. (Taym.) 16.
It was na mede to fecht with sworde and speir Scho [the dragon] schot sic flauchtis of fyre a1500 Sir Eger 2648.
She said, ‘Speed thee with all thy meed, To comfort them, and make them glad’ a1568 Bann. MS. 21 b/42.
Haif ws in mynd and grant ws meid 1607 Lett. Eccl. Aff. I. 114.
This kirk … sall nevir miss meid nor comfort from yow

4. spec. Remuneration, payment for service rendered. a1400 Leg. S. ii. 690.
I ask for reward and med That thu will tholl me to bled [etc.] 14.. Acts I. 380/2.
Nan hiryt man throw meide or for wynning 1467 Antiq. Aberd. & B. IV. 403.
Thai sall nevir … for ony maner of meide na of rawarde to cum … mak herschyp … one the tother a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 52.
To by vs vittale boune For money to meid [: leid] Ib. 807. 1492 Myll Spect. 289/7.
Sa covatys that scho wald … tak lay meid and proffet thar for 1513 Doug. v. vii. 66.
Nothir I suld haue cravyt wage nor meyd [: neid] 1535 Stewart 26567.
Syne gaif to him than for rewaird and meid The landis lyaind betuix Tyne and Tueid

b. Espec., dishonest or corrupt payment, bribery. 1392 Lennox Mun. 48.
I … sal make … na maner of composycioune … for na mede, nouther lande nor gude 14.. Acts I. 109/2.
That nane tak meyd [Balfour's Pract. meid] of a theyff Ib. 334/2.
Of millaris … for meyd thai tholis ane in anotheris roume grynde Ib. 55/2. Ib. 332/2. Ib. 334/2. 1445 Peebles B. Rec. I. ii.
For meide. prayer, cusynage or alya 1456 Hay I. 262/13. Ib. 266/32. 1467 Antiq. Aberd. & B. IV. 403. c1460 Regim. Princ. 186. a1500 Henr. Fab. 1241 (Bann.).
This cursit court corruptit all for meid [: speid] Ib. 1306. 1513 Doug. vi. ix. 198.
For pryce or meid 1520 Peebles B. Rec. I. 51. 1557 Ib. 235.
To vse the office of seriandschip … without outhir bude or meid 1597 Skene Verb. S. s.v. Barratrie.