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First published 1986 (DOST Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Practis(e, Practize, Practese, n. Also: practyse; practice; prectize; praktes; practeis(e, -eiss; prakteis; practeze; practeize; prattis; (Proxes). [e.m.E. practyse 1494), -ise (1539), -yce (c 1541), -ice (1568), praictes (1540), appar. f. Practis(e v.]In Sc. use only late and appar. remaining less common than Practik n., with which it largely, though not entirely (cf. 6 below), coincided in sense.

1. Established usage or custom, or an instance of this.(1) 1562-3 Winȝet I 74/6.
By the practise nocht only of the Catholikis, bot also of Ingland [etc.] 1581 Burne Disput. 186 b.
Ane religione that … beleis the paipis, beleis the emperoris, beleis the practeis of the kirk 1595 Lett. Jas. VI to Eliz. 111.
We both are but at a truce, and not at peax, with the Romishe and Spanishe practices 1597 Dundee B. Laws 523.
That ewill prakteis … of taking of nychtburis howsis our thair heiddes 1606 Scot Narr. 174.
By his majestie's law and continuall practice of the kirk 1608 Denmylne MSS. in Highland P. III 114.
The most wys and waliant practis of ȝour heichnes nobill progenitouris 1623 Perth Kirk S. MS 11 Aug.
That it is ane commoun practeis wseit for cureing bairnes of the caik mark 1626 Cramond Ch. Fordyce 10.
Contrair to the practese of vther sessiouns 1637 Baillie I 2.
To begin a new practis so late on our poor church 1639 Spalding I 227.
Practeiss Ib.
Practiseis(2) 1562-3 winȝet I 77/21.
And keipit in dayly practyse to this præsent in Godis kirk 1567 Acts II 552/1.
Ane licentious abuse enterit laitlie and cum in practize within this realme 1579 Reg. Privy C. III 177.
It is alreddy accordit and enterit in practize … that [etc.] 1584 Dickinson Source-bk. III 40.
In spirituall as temporall causis ar enterit in the practis and custome quhairby

2. a. The methods employed in a craft. ? coll. or ? uninfl. plur. b. One of the more or less skilled actions making up the practice of a craft. = Practik n. 2 b. (a1568 Henr.) Bann. MS. 141 b.
Sum practysis of medecyne 1635 Dunferm. Hammermen MS 40.
To … learne the said Donald in all the poyntis & practeis of the hammer man craft

c. spec. of the actions making up the practice of witchcraft. 1589 Reg. Privy C. IV 393.
Honnest wemen … spoted at na tyme with ony sic ungodlie practizeis 1591 Crim. Trials I ii 253.
The same prakteis … wes vsit … vpoun the … catt … quhilk lyke wyis wes newir sene thaireftir 1595 Highland P. I 168.
Patrick MacQueine a ministir quhae wes a far better inshanter nor any of thame and usit not in his prectizes to name God 1597 Elphinstone Chart. 136.
Practizes 1603 Inverness Rec. II 20.
Daylie vsinge thai deuliche practeisses in charminge 1618 Trial Isobel Inch 5.
As being ane skillet man quho plaid practices 1622 Crim. Trials III 511.
Margaret Wallace is airt and pairt of the devillisch practizes … practizet be the said Cristiane Grahame 1626 Aberd. Council Lett. I 253.
Practizeis 1629 Black Orkn. & Shetl. Folklore 76.
Be your devilisch practeis ye took away the profeit of Johne Herkas ky 1643 Reid Auchterarder 202.
Practeizes

3. a. Proficiency or knowledge gained by experience. b. plur. Expertise, skill (of weir). = Practik n. 3. a1570-86 Maitl. F. clxx 77.
Lat prudence, practice, and experience Ȝour weill and wo adwysidlie reuolwe 1535 Stewart 5270.
Men The quhilk of weir all prattisis do ken

4. a. Dealings or negotiation or, in a bad sense, conspiracy, intrigue. 1569 Reg. Privy C. II 27.
That he … sal mak na practize within [sic] the utheris wardouris being within the said castell 1572 Ib. 156.
Be ressoun of the daly traffique, practize and intelligence betuix the inhabitantis … and the declarit tratouris 1582 Declar. Causis 19.
Sindrie practises hes bene maid with Papistis

b. A nefarious scheme, plot or conspiracy. 1558-66 Knox I 242.
And so began she to practise practise upoun practise, how France mycht be advanced [etc.] 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 26.
I will call to ȝour memory sum of thair practizis Ib. 33.
Practisis 1570 Leslie 195.
Quha be all meanes possible labored be practises alsweill as be crewell persuit … to obtene his purpose 1571 J. Maitland Sat. P. xxvii 64.
Even at Leyth gif thatt thow latt thame land The samin practeis plainlie will appeir 1581–2 Reg. Privy C. III 438.
He … hes … at na tyme … procurit to be done … be practize or utherwyse, ony thing hurtfull … to his hienes persoun 1582–3 Cal. Sc. P. VI 291.
Practesis c1610 Melville Mem. 170.
The ma practyses hir ennemys maid, and the monyer lyes [etc.] 1615 Denmylne MSS. in Highland P. III 174.
By the practezeis and dealing of my adversair pairtie, Donald Gorme

5. a. Established legal usage. = Practik n. 6. 1629 Hossack Kirkwall 258.
Conforme to the act of parliament and comon law, and dayle practeis observit in sick caisis 1631 Justiciary Cases I 158.
And this hes both ane warrand and statute of sessioun in anno 1592 and continuall practise 1674 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. MS 26 Dec.
Contrair to the laws and practis of this burghe

b. A legal precedent; a ‘case’ which might be cited as a precedent. = Practik n. 7, 8. 1596 Melvill 512.
As the practeis of diverse lait exemples evidentlie will schaw 1600 Crim. Trials II 118.
The allegatiounis before rehersit, in the quhilkis the doctouris adduces diuers grit praktesis and decisiounis in sindrie of the maist famous judgementis of Europ 1704 Edinb. Univ. Chart. 152.
The word facultie is then first assumed and without warrand or any former practise insert in October 1686

6. a. The fact of putting something into action. Also to put (an intended act) in (= into) practice. 1581 Burne Disput. in 1573-1600 Cath. Tr. (S.T.S.) 143/18.
As for the practeis of magict, I micht obiect vnto you Willox, quhais sone raised the deuil, your doctor 1596–7 Misc. Spald. C. I 99.
In respect of thi commoun practeis of witchecraft 1597 Crim. Trials II 29.
Bot put the samyn never in practize vpoune him 1597 James VI Dæmonol. (S.T.S.) 27/4.
They may conueene, either to the adoring of their master, or to the putting in practice any seruice of his Id. Basil. Doron 99/2.
The forme of making uarris (because that arte is bettir learnid be practise nor be speculation) 1629 Reid Auchterarder 70.
To give him instructions in the practeis of all his diabolical and unlauchfull cures 1640 Dundonald Par. Rec. 467.
Let the maister … point out the faults and learn them by ocular demonstratioun in his own practeise before them 1645 Lanark Presb. 45.
Ane letter requiring ane present harmonicall practice theirof

b. A way of acting or behaving; one's conduct or behaviour; a course of action; an act or deed.Also contrasted with theoretical principles. 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 24.
And becaus thai haif fund the practize sa gude in tyme bipast now thai seik alwayis to continew it 1586 Misc. Bann. C. II 212.
The Daylie Prakteis of ane Cristiane, tua, at v s. the peice 1626 Garden Worthies 59.
My practeises too perrillous appear'd And my attemp's, the boldest thought too bold Ib. 118.
Keen Collonell, all through thy theorie, And practeises was proper wnto thé ?1665 M. Bruce Six Dreadful Alarms 9.
What need you to spear what the minister was on in the Sabbath? Read it in yon mans practice throw the week c1679 Kirkton Hist. 238.
That to-morrow they were to renew the covenant, which they believed would be ane oblidgeing practise c1680 McWard Serm. 187.
There is no law-borrows against the written vengeance, for the persons of these practices