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

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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Uphald(e, -hauld, -hold, v. Also: up(p)ehald, uphaild, -haud, wphald(e, -hau(l)d, -haulde, -hold, wppe hald, ouphald. P.t. upheld(e, -heild, wpheld. P.p. uphaldin(e, -ing, -yn(e, -en, -ne, -holdin, -en, -hald, -held, -heild, -heldyt, -heildit, wphaldyn. [ME and e.m.E. upholde(n (Ancr. R.), vphald (Cursor M.), vpphalde (Cath. Angl.); cf. OFris. op-, uphalda, MLG upholden, MDu. ophouden.] tr.

1. To lift up, raise (something).p.t. a1400 Leg. S. ii 261.
He … to the est his handis vphelde a1500 Henr. Fab. 1508.
Scho … baith hir handis vnto the heuin vpheild [Bann., Ch. vpheld] Cryand [etc.]p.p. 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 1366.
Now sank scho [sc. the ship] law, now hie to heuin vpheildit [L. vpheldyt](b) 1513 Doug. Concl. 8.
The bettir part of me salbe vpheld [Sm., Ruddim. vpheild] Abufe the starnys perpetualy to ryng

b. specif. Of a person's hand raised in oath-taking. Only p.p.See Acta Conc. II lxvi-lxix for further discussion of this practice.(a) 1427 Charter (Reg. H.) C.O. No. 40.
And til al thir pvnctis & condiciounis … bathe the partyis handis ar vphaldyn 1460 Montrose Baillie Ct. 12a (26 Jan.).
The consaill has … drawin Andro … for the saide swim to the saide Vat be his hande wphaldyn be payit at Witsunday 1489 Aberd. B. Rec. I 416.
Both the forsaide parties was oblist be the fath of thar bodis, thair hands uphaldyne, to stande and abide at their deliverance, in presens of the alderman and bailȝeis 1503 Dunferm. B. Rec. I 137.
[Thai] promittit be thar handis vphaldyn … to stand and abid of all actiounis debatable clamit be Vilyam Qvariour 1620 Aberd. Eccl. Rec. 93.
Quhilk thay all promeist to do be thair handis vphaldin(b) 1497–8 Acta Conc. II 95.
[The] lord of Murray has consentit … upholdin his hand(c) 1515 Fife Sheriff Ct. 24.
Beatrice band and oblist hir be the faith in hir body hir hand uphald to the said Dauid to releife warand & keip hyme scathles [etc.]

c. To support physically, prop up. Also fig. 1513 Doug. xi i 91.
Thys prynce … fra that he dyd behald The … vissage of … Pallas … Hys hed vphald [L. fultum] mycht nocht the self sustene 1642 Edinb. B. Rec. VIII 6.
With provisioun quher they sall not build to uphold the dyk quherupoun the calsey is uphaldenfig. c1590 Fowler I 289/28.
My sure fondations be far more suerlye layd Then iff they wer be heauen and earth vpholden and vpstayed

2. To maintain, sustain, support; to keep intact, preserve from harm (chiefly, a non-material thing).pres. a1400 Leg. S. v 384.
Than mad he byschoppis … To strinth and vpehald Goddis lare a1400 Leg. S. xxxiii 332.
& ay the kirk haf in cure, Til vphald it & honoure c1420 Wynt. ix 1119.
Gyve hym gras To govern and wphald his land 1456 Hay II 67/31.
That thai all suld defend, manetene, and uphalde the honour of knychthede a1500 Henr. Fab. 2613.
It settis na seruand for to vphald weir c1552 Lynd. Mon. 4279.
The Romane empriouris … Had princis, knychtis [etc.] … Uphaldyng thare aucthoritie a1568 Scott viii 16.
Sen ȝe haif, hairt, my faythfull hairt in cure, Vphald the hairt quhilk is ȝour hairtis awin a1570-86 Maitland in Maitl. F. 431/52.
It pertinis to thi maiestie This college to wppe hald or lat it doin 1588 King Cat. 17.
Quhilk hope vphaldis ane richteous man so mekil in extreme trouble that [etc.] 1584-9 Maxwall Commonpl. Bk. 24a.
Deith is a pillar to the prence Trew iustice to wphauldep.t. a1570-86 Maitl. F. 423/134.
Sic hape and honour eftir harm to hawe Wpheld his hous, sa mony hundrethe ȝeirisp.p. c1420 Wynt. vii 375 (W).
Of that ilk translacioun … The fest is ȝit vphalding ay 1456 Hay I 11/33.
Sanct Urban … was the first that ever tuke rentis and possessiouns temporale in the name of haly kirk. For before that, all the haly kirk was bot uphaldin apon thair teching 1515–16 Mill Mediæv. Plays 122.
That the auld laudibile consuetud amang the craftismen anent the processioun one Candilmes day be vphaldin as it has bene obefor in all thingis

b. To cope with, manage. a1658 Durham Commandments (1675) 230.
So a man sinneth when he eateth or drinketh beyond that which he may uphold

3. To maintain in good condition or repair or so as to function satisfactorily; to keep supplied (in, with something) so as to maintain in good condition or a particular state. Also with the required state in apposition. b. To keep up and support (a function, service, duty.). c. To support (a person), financially, etc. d. intr. To live, subsist (vpon something).(1) a1400 Leg. S. xxii 634.
Thre housis that gewine ware To vphauld Sancte Laurens altere 1397 Douglas Chart. 37.
To vppehald his castel in als gude plite as he ressayvis hit in 1427 Melville Chart. 245.
It salbe leyffull to the said Jone … the said myllin dam to mak and vphalde 1440 Cop. St. A. 197.
He sall uphald and sustene oure maner … that is to say, oure hall, chaumer [etc.] 1478 Reg. Cupar A. I 212.
Tha makand the drauchtis as tha war wunt to be of ald tymys for the water and vphald tham and ekand tham gife neid be 1507 Reg. Dunferm. 361.
The said venerable fader and convent … sal wphald the said Symons werk lumys or ellis ane conter tharfor till wphald thaim 1508 Reg. Cupar A. I 274.
And thai sal vphald the net for our fischin, … that is to say, at the said net salbe xxxiiij fawdome of lintht [etc.] 1511 Reg. Privy S. I 344/2.
That the saidis landis salbe uphaldin and keipit unharmit or skaithit utherwais than thai ar now 1528 Lynd. Dreme 203.
Off haly kirk the patrimonie and rent … Quhilkis suld haue bene trypartit … to vphauld the kirk in honestie 1551 (1575) Reg. Great S. 659/2.
Sustentantibus aggerem circa dictum lacum prope exitum aque, vulgo uphaldan the e of the said loch 1573 Davidson in Sat. P. xlii 406.
Gif that the teindis … May not … the pure and scuillis vphaud [pr. vphauld] 1654 Dumfries Kirk S. 9 March.
They are to … wphold twa glazin windowis on the north syd of the kirk(2) 1549–50 Reg. Soltre 113.
Uphaldand the quheir of the kyrk of Eister Vemis vattirticht 1555 Edinb. B. Rec. II 218.
Thai to vphauld the said luging watter teicht(3) 1496–7 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I 70.
[To] vphald the saidis mylnis in all maner of gangand grayth bigingis [etc.] 1503 Chart. Coupar A. II 112.
Frely uphaldin half the bate in al costis and chargis 1529 Reg. Episc. Aberd. I 396.
To … uphald … the brig forsaid in pillaris … brasis, battaling [etc.] 1563 Montgomery Mem. II 198.
To vpehald the samyn place in … sclait, tymmer, glas … and all vtheris neceissaris(b) 1566 Peebles B. Rec. I 302.
To vphaild the said millis in all nessisairis: in eir, irn, milstanis [etc.](c) 1519 Selkirk B. Ct. MS 70b.
Robert alsua sall wphaud and fynd the said myll in irene and wod and all other necessaris that efferis(d) 1537 Reg. Episc. Aberd. I 414.
[To] ouphald mend and repair the forsaid tenment … in all necessar thingis — 1539 Soc. Ant. II 397.
The paroch clerks till uphald the lamp with oyle that hingis in the queyrb. (1) 1462 Peebles B. Rec. I 145.
Maister Thomas vphaldand and ger doand the sayde seruis of Sant Mechelis in Sant Androis Kyrk 1496 Cart. S. Nich. Aberd. II 339.
Robert Huchosone sangstar … to singe keep and vphalde mes [etc.] … within our paroche kirk of Abirdene 1527 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 89.
Alsua ve ordand all induellaris to uphauld thair vaich with nychtbouris 1539 Glasgow Prot. IV 118.
The said maister to uphald and fynd ane pryckat of wax nychtlie byrneand(2) 1444 Aberd. B. Rec. I 12.
Williame Mathouson, for the supprise done be him to John Galt, sal begyn to morne … and … vphald the ladymesse with uoce on Twisdai [etc.] … ilke owke for a yherc. (1) 14.. Burgh Laws c. 69 (B).
Gyf he has ryches to lyf wyth and to be vphaldyn of thaim … he sal be put in the spytaile 1534 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 141.
This inqueist … ordines the bailyeis to uphauld thre weychmen at every end of this toun 1535 Stewart 36680.
The husband men full lytill now ar ment, Quhome be we ar vphaldin and sustent 1567 Stewart Mem. 102.
Quhilkis barnis the said Jame … sall wphalde and sustene honestlie … vpoun the excresence of thair said barnis pairt of geir 1573 Davidson in Sat. P. xlii 380.
Gif that thay fundatiounis auld Wantis rentis sufficient to vphauld Ane gude number of sic studentis 1573 Davidson in Sat. P. xlii 406 (see a above). 1596 Dalr. I 91/22.
Thay war nocht now vphaldne to the weiris on the kings waiges, bot [etc.](2) 1546 Reg. Cupar A. II 36.
[He] sall vphald honestlie in meit and claytht … the said Jhone Alane 1557 Rec. Earld. Orkney 108.
To uphald him in met and clathis to his deand dayd. 1585 Inverness Rec. I 299.
To be brynt on the cheikis and banneist … as thai quha ar commoun hwiris [etc.] … leiffing and vphalding vpon pykrie and thift

4. a. To support by advocacy, give backing to (a person). b. To vouch for, guarantee (a state of affairs).a. c1420 Ratis R. 423.
Do so wertows thi part That all thi frendis … Haf caus to wphauld thé but faill That thow has done with thar consaillb. 1549 Lanark Sheriff Ct. 16b.
He maid fayth he vpheld na kow to be with cawf 1578 Elgin Rec. I 153.
To pay … fyvetein schillingis for nocht keiping his promeis to vphald the cow with calf quhilk he sauld to the said Johne Murray 1630 Monteith Stewartry Ct. 24 June.
The loose of the milk and calff of ane kow coft … be the said compliner fra the said Jon Wrycht quhilk he vpheld to be new cald and was not 1646 Falkirk Baron Ct. 28 July.
For tua bollis auld beir quhilk he alledgit was not sufficient and that the said Johne promeissit to have vphaldine the samen to have beine alse guid as fyfteine bollis of new beir quhilk he sold altogidder to him