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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.

Part-, Pert-, Pairtrik, -ryk, -rick, n. Also: partt-, peirt-, peart-; pertre(i)k; pertik; (pordrik). [North. and north midl. ME. pertrik (1388), -ryk, rycke, partrick, ryk (14th c.), after c 1425 appar. only Sc.: cf. OF. pertriz. perdriz (mod. F. perdrix), L. perdix, and Perdrix and Partri(d)g(e. Cf. also Patrik.]

1. A partridge. Also attrib. with ee.Also plur. without inflection.(a) a1400 Leg. S. v. 457.
A fule … Quhilk we ane partryk cal c1450-2 Howlat 176 (A).
Thar was pyotis and partrikis [B. pertrekis] … ynewe 1477 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 35. 1530–1 Acta Conc. Publ. Aff. 351.
That na maner of persoun … sla partrykis owthir be halkis or uthir wayis 1531–2 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I. 98. 1551–2 Treas. Acc. X. 68.
Crelis … for carying of the saidis partrikis Ib.
Parttrikis 1593 Crawford Mun. Invent. II. 205.
Ane half dussone of partrikis, ane vyld guse 1690 Foulis Acc. Bk. 121.
A partrick(b) 1538 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 92.
Ane pair of pairtriks ij s. viij d. 1590 Burel Pilgr. I. xx. 1598 Household Bks. Jas. VI & Anne 28 June.
Ane pairtrik(c) ?1438 Alex. i. 443.
Pertrik 1427–8 Acts II. 16/2.
Anent pertrikis pluvaris [etc.] 1457 Ib. 51/2. 1502 Treas. Acc. II. 343.
Lettrez to the schireffis of Fiff, Perth, Forfair and Kincardin to forbeid the slaying of pertrikis 1513 Doug. ix. Prol. 50.
He … culȝeis spanȝellis to chace pertryk or quaill 1540 Misc. Hist. Soc. X. 40.
Pertrickis 1547 Reg. Cupar A. II. 56.
Ilk wild gwis tuay schillingis, ilk cran and swan five schillingis … ilk pertrick viij d. 1551 Acts II. 486/2.
And ȝoung poutis of pertrik or wylde foule 1555 Ib. 498/2. 1560 Edinb. B. Rec. III. 84.
The pair of pertrikis iij s. 1568 Skeyne Descr. Pest 25. 1576 Reg. Privy C. II. 515.
That nane … slay ony pertrikis … fra the first day of Marche quhill Midsomer 1587 Carmichael Etym.
Perdix, a pertrick 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. ii. 139.
Na egges sould be taken out of pertricks … nestes — 1597 Hist. Carnegies 60.
My corn is almaist schorn therfor ȝe may cum est … and chais pertikisuninfl. pl. 1598 Stirling Ant. III. 310.
iij pertreik(d) 1572 Sat. P. xxxiii. 396.
Thair was … Peirtryks and pleuers pyping on the speit a1578 Pitsc. II. 173 n.
He saw nevir in ane brydill … for thair was … peirtrickis pleffaris … and all vthir kynd of dilicat wyld beistis 1598 Household Bks. Jas. VI & Anne 7 May.
Ane peirtrik(e) 1679 Sc. Ant. IX. 108.
For thrie peartricks 15 s.(f) 1553 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 184.
The best pordrik xvj d.attrib. a1500 Henr. Fab. 2127 (H).
It is ane side of salmond as it wair And callour pypand like ane pertrik ee

2. The sole.Cf. e.m.E. sea-partridge (1633), F. perdrix de mer ‘the sole-fish’ (Cotgr.). 1581-1623 James VI Poems I. 12/12.
Daulphins, seahorse, selchs with oxin ee And merswynis, pertrikis als of fishes race