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.
Quotation dates: 1531-1689
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Pactioun, -ion(e, n. Also: pakt- and -ioune, -iown, -one; paccion. [e.m.E. paccion, pactyon (Caxton), OF. paction, paccion (14th c. in Godef.), L. pactio, f. paciscere to agree.] An agreement, covenant or compact (with, also to, one person, by another, or betwix the parties); a contract; a bargain. b. The act or fact of making a compact or agreement.Freq., an informal, underhand or conspiratorial agreement or compact.(1) 1533 Bell. Livy II. 225/13.
Owthir to be randerit to thare inemyis or ellis to be redemit be sum contract or pactioun 1545–6 (c 1580) Edinb. B. Rec. II. 119.
That na nychtboures … mak ony priuate pactioun or bying of the strayngers gudis [etc.] c1575 Balfour Pract. 161.
Sic ane gift and dispositioun … is understuid to be bot a bair promise or nakit pactioun c1575 Ib. 190.
Pactiounis or covenantis lauchfullie maid … bindis and oblissis the makeris thairof 1577 Waus Corr. 146.
Of our lest paktioun I haif resauit thre hundryth merkis 1596 Dunferm. Weavers 74. 1608 Inverurie 193.
[He] is decernit to mak ane bed and ane chair according to the pactiounis 1629 Justiciary Cases I. 132.
Nather is it allegit that the said Toppok and the pannell … had ony privat pactioun 1643 Reid Auchterarder 202.
Paktione 1663 Mackenzie Affairs 100.
A subject may by private pactions prejudge himself of the benefit of the law 1666-74 Fraser Polichron. 7.
Not acquireing ane foot of land … by … any indirect paction, gift or other wayes 1669 Jus Populi 104. 1681 Stair Inst. i. 10 § 6.
Pactum or a paction … is … a consent in their wills … and it is much to be considered whether the consent be given … to oblige or no 1689 Hossack Kirkwall 42.
[If the pulpit gave satisfaction] he was to be considered by and attour the paction(b) 1653 Argyll Synod II. 34.
By some senistrous privat pactone(2) 1533 Bell. Livy II. 74/10.
The pactioun that thai made to ressaue the kingis agane in the ciete 1558-66 Knox II. 25.
The pactions maid by wardlie men for wardlie proffeit 1641 Acts V. (1817) 396/2.
Our soverayne lord … discharges … all pactiounes maid anent bulȝeoun(3) 1531 Bell. Boece (M) II. 52.
Makaris of privatt paccionis with devillis 1549 Complaynte of Scotland 132/16.
Makand ane sedicius pactione vitht the imbassadours of Tarquinus 1597 Misc. Spald. C. I. 106.
The said Helen maid ane pactioune with certane laxis fischeeris of the Neubrught 1630 Justiciary Cases I. 144.
He enterit his pactioun and covenant with the devill 1633 Johnston Diary I. 10.
Remember … quhat paction thou maid with hir, thou promising never to gloume nor glunche on hir befor folks, and schoe vouing never to disobey me in any compagnie 1637 Elgin Rec. I. 256. 1648 Black Cal. Sc. Witches 55/2. 1676 Moray Synod 164.
Act against ministers' pactions with heritors 1685-8 Renwick Serm. 295.
Many … have a pactioun with their lusts — 1551 Hamilton Catechism 50.
All wytches … workis be operatioun of the devil under a paction, condition, band or obligation of service and honour to be made to him(4) c1575 Balfour Pract. 587.
Gif thair be ony ligue, pactioun or confederatioun betwix ony in-dwellaris of the burgh [etc.] 1592 Mining Rec. 42. 1629 Black Orkn. & Shetl. Folklore 103.
Conforme to the pactioun maid betuix yow and your walliman a1634 Forbes Rec. 550.
According to the paction betwix the chanceler and the Earl of Dumbar 1687 New Mills Manuf. 160.
He grants ther is ane standing pactione betuixt Coln and Ballantine his prentice(5) 1551 Dundee B. Ct. II. iii b (10 Nov.)
And be virtew of the samyn resignation the said baillie gaif to hir heretable stait & sesing thare of but ony retencioun pactioun de retro vendendo or reseruatioun 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 224.
Being asked gif ony simoniacall pactione was mad 1583 Perth B. Ct. 23 Sept.
In numerat money renunceand the pactioun of … exceptioun of non numerat money(6) a1538 Abell 84 b.
Thare for paktion betwix kingis … he mycht nocht bide 1558-66 Knox II. 158.
Quhidder it came by pactioun with the provest [etc.] 1563 Inverness Rec. I. 107.
Thom Cuthbert allegit pactioun betuix him and Dauid Dunbar c1575 Balfour Pract. 188.
Pactioun, or covenant, is ane consent of ane or ma persounis concerning the geving or doing of ony thing 1591 Criminal Trials I. ii. 240.
And eftir pactioune [ed. puttioune] betuix thame [two witches], the said Agnes preparit ane … pictour 1597 Skene Verb. S. s.v. Cavpes. a1633 Hope Major Pract. II. 253.
The tenant alleadging tolerance or pactione to sit still should prove be wreitt 1648 Sc. Hist. Rev. XIII. 390.
There be 4 pillars of justice or tyes of law … law, custome, paction and oath a1651 Calderwood III. 37.
It is unlawfull to a minister to receave a benefice by presentatioun under pactioun with the patron1651 Dickson Matthew 1. 1653 Johnston in Testimony-bearing Exemplified (1791) 87.
Many burdens and taxations … beyond paction and agreement 1662 Proceedings of Society of Antiquaries XXII. 256. 1669 Kirkcaldy B. Rec. MS. 21 June.
Grants to him of paction ȝeirlie [£20] 1679 Curiosities Charta Chest 65.
Giving that office by pactione(7) 1561 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 335.
Gif ony person passis to … mak bergane or quyet pactioun with the strenger [etc.] 1583–4 Burntisland B. Ct. 9 Feb.
Scho had … maid paction with thame to foster and nureis ane bairne of hiris c1590 Fowler II. 102/11.
Pape Juley … maid paction with King Ferdinand … that [etc.] 1607 Stirling B. Rec. I. 118.
With quhome conditione and pactioun was maid 1618 Inverness Rec. II. 154.
Na vther craftisman … mak pactioun with ane prenteiss in tym cuming 1661 Justiciary Rec. I. 9.
Entering in paction with the devil 1679 Coll. Witchcraft 95.
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"Pactioun n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 16 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/pactioun_n>


