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

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First published 1983 (DOST Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Offer, v. Also: -ere, -err(e, -eir(e, -ir, -yr, -ar, -ore; offre. P.t. and p.p. offerit, offrit, offert, etc. [Early ME. offrien (12th c.), ME. ofre(n, offre(n (Wyclif), p.t. offrede (1297), offrid, offert, offerd (1433), offreden pl. (c 1250), p.p. offredd (Orm), e.m.E. offre, offer, OE. offrian, OF. of(f)rir, L. offerre.]

1. tr. To present (a donation of any kind, prayers, etc.) as a religious offering or sacrifice (to God, a saint, a pagan deity, etc.). Also to offer up.Also absol.(1) 1375 Barb. iii. 224.
Scipio … has off the templis tane The armys … In name off wictory offerryt thar a1400 Leg. S. xiii. Prol. 96.
On the rud He offerit for ws His der blud 1390 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 18.
The said Robert sall cum … with ane candill … and … offer it till Oure Lady 1473 Treas. Acc. I. 64.
Gevin to the King and the Qwene to offir on Candilmes day, ij crownis c1490 Irland Asl. MS. I. 48/1.
All thi prayer and meritour deidis offer to God Ib. 58/15.
And offer thé in this warld to pennance and cum to the sacramentis 1496 Treas. Acc. I. 322.
The croce the King offrit to Sanct Duthow a1500 Bk. Chess 1329.
Offeire c1515 Asl. MS. I. 214/12.
And thus he endit his lyf awfully & offerit ane mort to Mahovne 1502 Treas. Acc. II. 81. 1513 Doug. vi. i. 22.
He [Dedalus] Offerit and hallowit [L. sacravit], Phebus, onto thé, The fard and flycht of baith his weyngis two a1538 Abell 6 a.
To offir the first lewant creature that met him eftir this wictorye 1549 Compl. 8/2.
Offrit 1550 Knox III. 55.
To affirme that mortall man may offer Him who is immortall God … is malapert proudnes 1561 Q. Kennedy Compendious Ressonyng (ed.) 167/19.
Do we nocht offer sacrifice daylie? 1562-3 Winȝet I. 21/15. 1567 G. Ball. 172. 1600 Hamilton Facile Tr. in 1573-1600 Cath. Tr. (S.T.S.) 219/12.
Offrit 1638 Nat. Covenant in Facs. Nat. MSS. III. xcvii.
The people that professed Christ as He was then offered in the evangell(2) c1400 Troy-bk. 1125 (C).
Hyr virgynite … To all the goddes … to mak sacrifice She offred wp 1550 Knox III. 55.
Jesus Chryst … did offer up Him self 1561 Q. Kennedy Compendious Ressonyng (ed.) 182/19.
The preist, to quhom it appertenit to … offir vp sacrificeabsol. 1494 Loutfut MS. 123 a.
And thair thai heir a certane of messis syn offeris eftir the wangell of the hee mes 1550 Knox III. 56.
To whome it is not necessarie everie day to offer 1561 Q. Kennedy Compendious Ressonyng (ed.) 166/9.

2. tr. and refl. a. To offer (another or oneself) to the service or at the disposal of a superior authority (as God, a king, the Church, etc.).Also absol. a1400 Leg. S. xxxii. 108.
His kyne in his ȝouthede To serwe the feynd hym offerit hade a1500 Henr. III. 136/44.
And to [thé] deid … I offir me with hairt rycht hummilly 1490 Irland Mir. I. 36/28.
In oure bapteme we renunce the deuill … and offeris us to God and His seruice 1588 Elgin Rec. II. 10.
[She] confessit the samyn to be trew … and offerit hir self in the will of the Kirk 1596 Dalr. I. 166/30.
Humblie thay [the Romans] pray King Galdie … for thair lyfe, offiring thame selfes and al that thay haue vnto his graceabsol. a1400 Leg. S. iii. 938.
I chesit ȝou to cum till Offerand in ȝoure gentill will That ȝe in ȝoure gret pitte In sik distrese wald rew one me

b. To offer one's person in battle. 1456 Hay I. 264/19.
Gif a bonde man … wald offer his persone to fecht [etc.] 1513 Doug. xi. xvii. 62.
[They] Offerit thame self with the formest to de c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 1207. 1567 Reg. Privy C. I. 525.
Eftir that he had … refusit singular combat bayth of a barroun [etc.] … to quhilkis bayth he had befoir offerit him self a1578 Pitsc. I. 321/23.
And oftymes offerit thair bodyis in ieoparde for his saik

c. To put forward (a person) to fulfil some function. 1520 Fife Sheriff Ct. 189.
The said maister James offerit … his brothir … lawborgh for him 1521 Soc. Ant. XI. 165. 1522 Fife Sheriff Ct. 249.
The said Walter offerit to the said Dauid Eufame Lundy his sister in mariage as ane aggreable persone to him 1572 Buch. Detect. (1727) 41.
Euin scho, I say, now of hir awin accord offeris him ane luifer

3. To present or tender (anything) for acceptance or refusal.Also, to offer for consideration as. a1400 Leg. S. xxxiii. 322.
The king … gret tresore gert offerit be To George that tuk it nocht Ib. l. 463. 1429 Reg. Episc. Brechin. I. 42.
In witnes heireof I offyr in name of possessioun a certane sowme of syluir and this byl 1456 Hay I. 175/20.
Sa that he offer him resonable finaunce 1490 Irland Mir. I. 137/12, 14.
The fadere of hevin offert to hire be his messingere Gabriell his blist sone. … He offert at hire plesaunce and will all the price … of mannis redempcioune 1493 Acta Conc. I. 293/2.
The … landis offerit to hir in Gulane a1500 Bk. Chess 1329.
He suld … the teynd till him offeire Withoutin fraude 1513 Doug. viii. viii. 116.
Offerand to me the ceptre and the crovn 1544 Corr. M. Lorraine 112.
And offar tham profattis 1549 Compl. 8/12. 1559–60 Soc. Ant. XI. 523.
Without scho libell that scho had payit the money or offert the samyn 1566 Reg. Privy C. I. 465.
[They] offerit him in compositioun xxx markis for ilk mark of maill 1600-1610 Melvill 12.
Quhilk God moved the hart of a … frind to frilie offer to me in len 1601 Aberd. Eccl. Rec. xl.
Offerre 1662 Forbes Cantus Dedic.
I offered the same as an object of pity

b. To make an offer (of so much), to bid (a certain sum), for something. 1536–7 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 84.
And nane comperand that offerit samekill as the saidis Robert [etc.] … offerit in hand 1557 Laing Chart. 172.
Robert Kenloquhy … biddis and offeris in yerly few anwell for the foyrsaid foyrland [23 s.]

c. To present (a part of one's body). 1489 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 417.
The said William sall offer and present his crag to the goyfs a1578 Pitsc. I. 408/2.
[He] kissit his hand and offerit the samyn to all his lordis round about him

d. To present for sale. 1536 Dunferm. B. Rec. I. 17.
Gif thai by othir hyd or skyn and offer it nocht to the cors it salbe mayd chayt 1536–7 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 85.
Quhillk pece land was … rowpit throw the tovne and offerit to thame that wald geve maist thairfoir 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. ii. 8 b.
The merchandises … salbe presented to the mercat and mercat crosse of burghis; and there … salbe offered to the merchants

e. With various non-material objects: To offer, tender; to present, put forward; to give. 1456 Hay I. 286/9.
For quhen pruf is offerit or allegit, all wage of bataill is slokit c1490 Irland Asl. MS. I. 11/7.
And knaw his falt be fre confessioun and offer ane honerable mendis for his trespas 1560 Knox II. 91.
Bot for that thay offerit to us the licht of Godis word 1568 Hosack Mary Q. of Scots I. 545.
To offer trew counsale quhair it was wilfullie reiectit 1596 Dalr. I. 152/24.
Bot how gret and felloune force obteines a wicked consuetude and how greidilie men gripis til it, quhen anes it is offirit Ib. 254/13.
Evin hail Germanie … offiris him al obseruance and seruice quhat thay can a1597-1617 Hist. Jas. VI .
The Queyne … escapit … and therby laiser was offerit to convocat thair forces on both sydis 1600-1610 Melvill 633.
The brothir … offerit thame pardoun iff thai wald confes ane fault 1605 Paisley B. Rec. 276.
William Semple and Constantine Mortoun, without ony just occasion offert to thame … manassit … the said John Henrysone 1647 Cochran-Patrick Coinage II. 130.
Without ony wronge or offence offered to him

f. reflex. Of a thing: To present or manifest itself. 1572 Buch. Detect. (1727) 38.
Sa mony takinis thairof do offer thameselfis to knawlege

4. To make an offer or express one's readiness to do something, also const. noun clause.a. reflex. Also to offer oneself reddy. b. Without reflex. pron. Latterly also, to propose, give evidence of intention (and passing into d below).a. (1) 1466 Acta Aud. 5/2.
Offerand him to do therfor that he aucht to do of law 1478 Ib. 62/1.
And offerit him to inpung and fals the sammyn [instrument] 1479 Acta Aud. 93/2. 1525 Buccleuch Mun. II. 145.
Offerand thame to stand at the pwnissioun and correktioun of the Kyngis grace c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 1323.
The quhill I offer me to preif 1560 Knox II. 91.
We … offer oure selfis to prove thame all thevis and murtheraris a1578 Pitsc. I. 198/13.
This riche croun quhilk ȝe offerrit ȝour selff … to die for(2) 1492 Acta Conc. I. 248/2.
James offerit him reddy to deliuer the said tak 1521 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 206. 1531 Mill Mediæv. Plays 143.
Offerand him alwayis reddy … to do all plesour to the toune 1539 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 97.
The commissaris … offerit thame rady to consult with [etc.] 1570 Leslie 84.b. (1) 1489 Dunferm. B. Rec. I. 12.
Johne Hornare … offerit … to pay the annuellis 1553 Blackfriars Perth 233.
The provinciall priour and convent … offeris for to preive that [etc.] a1568 Scott i. 84.
Thai bad thame bek … at deid mennis banes Offer on kneis to kis a1578 Pitsc. I. 272/17.
Ane man … conwickit of slaughter offeirit to the Duik of Albanie, for his lyfe, to lat him sie the place quhair the prince was endit 1596 Dalr. I. 268/21.
Chairles the Magne … offiret (and succeeded) in Paris to appne vp schuilis of sciences [etc.] 1601 Aberd. Eccl. Rec. xl.
Offeir c 1610 Lanark B. Rec. 121.
Then I wald stay na langer bot offerit to pay my lawing 1615 Fraserburgh Kirk S. 46 (24 Jan.).
[She] offeris naither to pay the penaltie nor performe the promeis 1674 Edinb. B. Rec. X. 166.
Offerre(2) 1560 Knox II. 79.
Thay offerit, concordit and aggreit that thair sall be generall peace

c. Also passive and impers. 1625 Justiciary Cases I. 21.
The lybell can nocht be sustenit for it is offerit to be provin be the testament quhairunto the lybell is relative that [etc.]

d. To make a show of intention, address oneself (to do something). 1663 Stitchill Baron Ct. 29.
And the said Alexander offered to stopt him and dispossess him 1664 Forbes Baron Ct. 251.
Comeing … upon him with a drawen durk … offereing to … kill him 1672 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. MS. 13 May.
And non to offerr to fish whill they come and tak of the toun

5. absol. a. To offer something; to make an offer. 1528 Douglas Corr. 344.
Emplesit ȝour grace to call to remembrance the faithefull service, lawlie obediance and grete offoris … that my sempilnes hes maid … unto ȝour hienes in sike sort that neine subject … mychte offore maire obediently to his soverane 1587 Rait & Cameron King James's Secret 147.
And in speciall we offreit as is set doun 1596 Dalr. I. 149/26.

b. Of the weather: To offer (fair), to look like being (fair). 1694 Kingarth Par. Rec. 176.
Sabbath being calm and offring fair [etc.]

6. (? Erron.) Appar., to inform. 1615 Highland P. III. 268.
Quhan I was offered be the laird of Calderes awin freendis … that his maiestie … had gevine ower my lyff in the laird of Calderes handis