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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.

Support, n. Also: supporte, suport. [ME and e.m.E. support (Gower); Support v. Cf. MF support (1466 in Larousse).]

1. Assistance, aid; backing. Also (once) an instance of aid. In various constructions and collocations.Freq. in the context of military support, reinforcements.Freq. in possess. viewed as belonging to either the giver or receiver of the assistance.(1) 1513 Doug. iv x 107.
Besekyng thé assist to ws frendly Help and support 1531 Bell. Boece I iv.
Thair weris lang continewing aganis the Romanis, be support of Scottis 1531 Bell. Boece I 274.
Now is Britane drery, and nakit of al support 1533 Bell. Livy I 40/13.
Romulus ȝit havand na supporte, bot alanerly of the agit and maist exercit campiouns of Rome, put thame to flicht 1543 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. II 113.
The said dene … to furneis irne and skalfatting and support of leiding and conveying of ledderis 1544 Corr. M. Lorraine 90.
And at the support that tha mycht hew sowlde be hestit on to hir grace 1540 Lynd. Sat. 4566.
Had not bene the support of France We had bene brocht to grit mischance 1562-3 Winȝet II 17/32.
It sal suffice me for the support of my memorie or rather forȝetfulnes to hef præparit to me self this memorial quhilk pece and pece reduceing to memorie [etc.] 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 280.
Ane orisoune, in the quhilk he pantit furth … the great buntifulnes, ayd and support schawin … be the quene of Ingland a1578 Pitsc. I 20/22.
The chancellar … tuik purpois to … desyre at him to haue support aganis the gouernour and queine quhome he supponit schortlie to cum to invaid him 1596 Dalr. I 148/13.
Nathir in this necessitie and in tyme of neid lyes the Pechtis abak with thair supporte c1650 Spalding I 284.
To furneish out fyve fute soldiouris to help to mak wp Monrois regiment, who had moir neid of support to hang in thair lives(2) c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 16/37.
To the ignorant nocht gaif I my teching … Nor unto saulis support of my preching(3) 1513 Doug. vi v 37.
Thar stude thai prayand sum support to get, That thai mycht with the formast owr be fet 1540 Lynd. Sat. 1383.
I dreid to droun heir be Sanct Blais Without I get support 1549 Compl. 73/25.
This sair complaynt is to me rycht hauy, bot the litil support that I vil get of ȝou is far hauyar 1570 Warrender P. (SHS) I 52.
To se gif we may drywe tyme quhill we get support(4) 1531 Bell. Boece I 282.
Send us support in haist, that we be nocht … cruelly betrasit 1570 Leslie 193.
The haldaris of the castell, mistrusting the appointment to be kepit, send to the King of Ingland for support a1578 Pitsc. II 90/6.
Ane Itallieane … send to thame out of Ingland to thair support a1578 Pitsc. II 163/16, 18.
They consallit and send to Ingland for suport … quhilk suport was grantit to thame(5) c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 27/52.
Than Lawlines to Petie … said … Lat we ȝone presoneir be schent Will no man do to us support 1537 Lynd. Depl. Magd. 59.
Thy slyding gyftis maid hir no support c1549 Reg. Episc. Aberd. II 307.
And for vtheris gratitudis helpis supportis and guid dedis … done to ws and our said seyt a1578 Pitsc. I 21/3.
He promeissit faithfullie to mak the said Erle mutuall support(6) 1531 Bell. Boece (M) II 107.
Ane landvert man, namyt Haye … come haistlie in support of Kenneth 1533 Bell. Livy I 179/33.
Vetusius consul was send in thare supporte 1533 Bell. Livy II 3/24.
Virginea beand richt effrayit, hir nuris gaif ane lamentabil cry, requiring the Quiritis and Romane pepill to cum to hir supporte a1568 Bann. MS 14b/28.
In thair suppoirt his benner is displayed a1570-86 Maitland in Maitl. F. 310/42.
Gif ȝe … For ȝour support the Englismen imbring 1571 J. Maitland in Sat. P. xxvii 78.
Nationis … Thatt … Feychitt forayne forces into thair support a1585 Maitl. Q. 138/62.
Monye nobill natioun I may name … That … Fetchit forraine forces into thair support

b. Spiritual aid. Also aid from the Devil.(1) c1500-c1512 Dunb. (STS) ix 37.
To ignorantis nocht gaif I my teiching, … Nor to my nychtbouris support of my praying 1568 Skeyne Descr. Pest 17.
Not pretermittand sic support as it hes plesit His Godlie will to schaw vs, be guid succes of dew prescriptioun of nature a1570-86 Maitland in Maitl. F. 32/9.
Almichtie God send ws support and grace Off mannis help we ar all disparit(2) 1590–1 Crim. Trials I ii 241.
Drawing thame fra the lening to the mercie of God, and to beleive in the support of the Dewill

c. Of God, as a source of spiritual aid. 1513 Doug. x Prol. 146.
My makar my redemar and support Fra quham all grace and gudnes cumis at schort

2. specif. Financial assistance or subvention (of a person or thing); supplying (of a person) with money or other benefits.(1) ?1543–4 Corr. M. Lorraine 59.
I have maryit ane dochter laitlie and as youre grace knawis sik materis requiris coist and expensis quhairfoir I wald desyre youre gracis supporte in that mater 1560 Waus Corr. 21.
Ye may expone my necessite to hyr maieste: bout [= without] quhais helpe and support … it is noth possibill I may remain in Rome: gyff ony riddy siluer maybe gottin send to me 1561 Edinb. B. Rec. III 110.
That xij d. of euery tvn of wyne that salhappin tobe ventit … be … gevin … to the support of pure misterfull falit brethirne 1562 Edinb. Hammermen 216.
Item gevin to Alexander Pomfra for support & help of him x s. 1573 Treas. Acc. XII 345.
To Mr. Petir Young, pedagoge to the kingis majestie, for his supporte 1576 Glasgow Burgesses 4.
[William Spang made burgess and freeman gratis] for his support to hald his booth in medisene drogis for serving of the town and utheris 1584 Acts III 325/1.
Throw the quhilkis [sc. poverty] … Without ony moyoun of support they haue bene forceit to employ thair credite at syndrie merchandis … for diuers great sowmis of money 1592 Acts III 580/2.
The maister … [of the hospital] sall gif ȝeirlie to the leprois of Hadingtoun remaning in the leprois hous thairof ane chalder of wictuall … for thair … support 1613–14 Ayr B. Acc. 59.
To Michael Wallace notar for his support [£10] 1618 Stirling B. Rec. I 149.
James Schort … producit … ane hundreth pundis Scottis, quhilk he ressavit fra Maistres Murray for the support of the pure 1626 Fraserburgh Kirk S. II 8 March.
Reportit that thair was certane strangeris Hungarianis in thir pairtis seikand support 1690 Act 19 July.
It may be fit to have some small money conȝied in copper, for the easie exchange and support of the poor(2) 1540 Acts II 360/2.
That oure said souirane lord … suld annex to his crone for the honorabill support of his estate riale … sic landis and lordschipis as ar now … in his handis 1547 Aberd. B. Rec. I 255.
That thair be ane generale taxt stentit and rasit vpoun all … the inhabitaris of the said burgh, … for support to the furnesing of the premisses a1578 Pitsc. II 272/1.
Thair come furth of France and Flanderis to the support of the castell ten thowsand crownis 1584 Coll. Aberd. & B. 630.
Ane thousand markis money to the … support of thair maregis quhan happinit to be 1584 Conv. Burghs I 197.
Anentis supportt cravitt for reparing of the dekyitt harberres and briggis of Craill, Renfrow, [etc.] 1593 Reg. Privy C. V 63.
The fyve hundreth merkis quhilk hes beine already liftit of taxt to the support of the heavin wark 1613 Banff Ann. II 212.
[A supplication … for] support for helping of thair harberie

b. Payment, defraying (of expenses); paying the cost of (something).(1) 1547 Treas. Acc. IX 115.
To Davide Ker, … in support of his expensis 1590–1 Exch. R. XXII 102.
Assignit to the comptar in support of the chairgis and burding of his office(2) 1594 Reg. Privy C. V 151.
[£4000] to the supporte of the apparrelling of hir laydis madynis of honnour [etc.] 1597–8 Bk. Old Edinb. C. VI 98.
Delyverit to James Moncreiff … for support of his claythtis: £iii. vi s. viii d.

c. A tax or levy, or the money raised by such a tax. 1557 Aberd. Council Lett. I 3.
It is not yit certane to us quhat somme the quenis landis will extend unto … But in the meyntyme stent ȝour burgh as the support of the quenis lands suld releif the burrowis for ane feyrd part of the taxt 1614 Breadalbane Lett. 13 Oct.
To be cairfull of the ingatheringe of the support grantit be my lordis freindis 1634 Cochran-Patrick Coinage I xxxvi.
In cace the members of the said coynehous … shall … grant any taxatioun … that the saidis supportis and contributiounis be taken vp be the wairden and keiper and that na person sould mell … in setting doun of the saidis supportis

3. Supply, provision (of necessaries). 1590 Misc. Spald. C. II 114.
The day of the coronacioun … approcheing … ye will not faill to haue hither sic support of stuff and prouisioun as ye haif alreddy or is able to gett

4. Care, welfare, more generally. 1568 Skeyne Descr. Pest 3.
I … seand the pure of Christ inlaik, without assistance of support in bodie, al men detestand … communicatioun with thame 1574 Reg. Privy C. II 393.
The lipper hous [at Aberdeen] … with ane croft and ane braid myre adjacent thairto, annext to the same for support of the lippermen and wemen dwelling thairin 1651 Burnett Fam. P.
The hospitall built … for the … support of old indwelleris, depauperat & decriepit persones

5. a. The action of holding up or holding on to (a person), to prevent their falling or collapsing; the condition of being so held. b. In law: The requirement for a servient tenement in a building to support the weight of the dominant tenement above. c. That which sustains or holds up the weight of a structure.a. c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 473.
On he lap Upon his hors, without support c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 545.
The squyer lap richt haistelie From his cursour, deliuerlie, And to Sir Talbart maid support, And humillie did him comfortb. 1681 Stair Inst. ii vii § 6.
The prime positive servitude of city-tenements is, the servitude of support, whereby the servient tenement is liable to bear any burden for the use of the dominant; and that either by laying on the weight upon its walls … or by putting in joists [etc.]c. 1595 Duncan App. Etym. B 13.
Columen, the chief support of a building

6. Something which upholds, sustains or bears out (a statement, doctrine, etc.). 1562-3 Winȝet II 35/2.
To sa grete a wickitnes he vseis nocht a mein and a vulgar support. For he wes … potent in quiknes of ingyne, excellent in … leirning [etc.]