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

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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. X).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Subtract, Substract, v. Also: subtrak, -strak. [e.m.E. subtracte (1548), substract (1604), med. L. substract-, L. subtract-, p.p. stem of subtrahere.] tr. 1. In material and non-material senses: To withdraw, take away, remove (one person or thing fra (from) another). Also in fig. context.(a) 1533 Boece 585b.
Dauid Flemyng … was had be sey, and subtractit fra the handis of Edward Ballioll a1538 Abell 52b.
Quhen he declinit fra the faith God subtrakit his hand of help a1538 Abell 57b.
His awne wife he wilependit subtrakand his det fra hir and gart hir mak seruice to his huris a1538 Abell 69a.
God to schaw the gudnes of this king & hawynes of his slauchtir … subtrakkit the schynyng of the sone and the mone 1574 Reg. Privy C. II 374.
The merchandis … traffiquand betuix Berwick and Edinburgh salbe subtractit and withdrawin 1681 Fountainhall Decis. I 167.
Hugh Grotius was stollen out of prison by his wife, and carried out in a coffer, and thus substracted from danger(b) 1565 Cal. Sc. P. II 268.
[Neither to] substrak [obedience from our princes, nor [etc.]] 1578 Perth Kirk S. MS 19 May.
And becaws sche is ane nwreis substractis hir from the ciuill pwnisment — c1590 Fowler I 182/5.
If thow substract thy hart, I will the same

b. reflex. To withdraw oneself, retire fra (a person or thing).(a) 1533 Bell. Livy I 8/13.
I wil desire na thing erare in reward of my laubouris than to subtract me fra sicht of sic miserijs(b) 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 165.
My lord secretare … had substractit himself … fra the lordis fauouraris of the king

2. To take away, subtract one number from another. 1588 King Cat. Sig. Hj.
Quha … thocht it maist expedient to tak away the ten dayes, quhairby the equinoxe of springe tyme had passeit the dew tyme of the consele of Nice, swa that the anticipation being substractit the said equinoxe micht be restoreit to the 21 day of Marche as it was before