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

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First published 1990 (DOST Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Raddy, -ie, adj. and adv. Also: -ye, -ay; rady(e, -(i)e, -ay; raidé. [Sc. var. of Reddy adj. and adv.] Ready.

A. adj. 1. Of persons: Prepared (for any prompt action required, esp. military action). 1536 Wemyss Corr. 4.
That ye addres you to be at ws … rady and bodin in bors and geir 1547 Cal. Sc. P. I 4.
That all maner of men salbe radye on iiij days warning and ane monthes vettale 1549 State P. (Reg. H.) No. 154.
To be rady at all sic tymes 1596 Dalr. II 208/14.
Arran in haist was radie, suner nor men beleiuet(b) 1533 Boece 617b.
Quhen cuming was the day appoyntit, athir clan come radday to the feild

2. Const. infin. a. Prepared (to) do something. 1545 Corr. M. Lorraine 150.
All the landit men … of Ros are rade to do your grace service 1581 Douglas Corr. 177.
With wnfeynit mynd to remane radie to do hir maiestie acceptable service 1596 Dalr. II 333/3.
Quhen al was radie to stryke sayle 1604 Urie Baron Ct. 8.
The said Stewyne to be radie and dilligent be hym self, or ane sufficient serwand to be raddie at all tymis … to serwe the grund

b. Willing. c1450 Cr. Deyng (S.T.S.) 251.
He suld … trow … in the haly wryt, and haf his hart rady to do thar-to a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 1680.
For the faith thai wer rady to de 1544 Sc. Hist. Rev. (1905) 300.
There is no men radyar to debait the warre as thai ar 1571 6th Rep. Hist. MSS App. 655/1.
In ony … thing ye hawe ado … ye sall hawe me rady to be imployit 1586–7 Montrose Baillie Ct. 31 Jan.
That thay wer raday to obey the saidis lettres

c. Apt, disposed. — 1596 Dalr. II 342/2.
That it … war able to set the hail realme asteir, radie anuiche to be steirit vp

3. Const. infin. (As a result of some existing condition) likely or liable to act or react in a specified way. 1596 Dalr. II 12/30.
The peple … sune ar steirit vp, and radie to put hand in thair king Ib. 26/26.
Richard, King of Jngland, … to leiue sum testimonie of his hatred … was radie to burne ma kirkes

b. Without reference to any previous condition. — 1596 Dalr. I 59/11.
Quha sailis frome thir iles is verie radie to incur sik danger Ib. 133/11.
The castel … quhair … the dauchtiris of his nobilitie, war keipet quhill thay war radye to be maried Ib. II 312/18.
As she grew in age, quhill she war radie to marie

4. Followed by a dependent phr. introduced by a prep.

a. Disposed to a certain kind of behaviour; b. Prepared for an activity, etc. c1460 Thewis of Wysmen 96.
He speris of wysdome … And euir his ere rady tyll it 1596 Dalr. I 145/23.
Throuch quhilk experiens … thay mycht be maid the radier … to al auentouris — 1540 Lynd. Sat. 226 (B).
Rady [Ch. redie] for gud and ill 1571 Lanark B. Rec. 64.
The said Thomas … sall haf thame [slates] rady for the leiding

5. Prepared for a particular purpose.Also const. (once) to (the purpose). a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 265 (Arund.).
As quhit paper is raddy to the prent Off blak & blew, fair & foull ymagry 1531 Aberd. Pynours 62.
To be keipit without skaith and to be rady at all tym to the merchandis

6. Willing; prompt. b. Distinguished by alacrity, willingness, etc. 1596 Dalr. II 111/24.
That … he be radie with his assistance — 1547 Corr. M. Lorraine 183.
Your gracis hwmyll and radye sarwand

7. Immediately or easily available; to hand.

a. predic. a1578 Pitsc. I 17/18.
To haif sum hors raddye to carie away the saidis cofferis 1578 Edinb. B. Rec. IV 89.
The said hous hes euir bene ane hous of lowage rady to serue euery honest man for payment

b. attrib.Esp., chiefly in superl., of land, goods, rent, etc. Only Sc. in this use.(1) 1562-3 Winȝet II 12/35.
Al kynd of droigis, bayth of delicat spycerie and of rady poysoun(2) 1512 Reg. Privy S. I 371/2.
To be pait to hir of the radiest malez and fermez of his landis 1591 St. A. Baxter Bks. 48.
[He] sall pay ten pundis … to be vplyftit … of his radyest gudis and geir 1600 Ib. 64.
The radiest sylver that the said James sall gett in of the craftis geir 1604 Urie Baron Ct. 5.
His radiest guidis and geyr(b) 1636 Misc. Spald. C. V 225.
Raideistabsol. 1560 Cart. S. Giles cix.
To mak … stullis of the radeast of the tymmer convenient thairfor 1580 Rec. Earld. Orkney 356.
[They shall have] regres and ingres to the radiest of our feild landis 1581 Acts III 236/2.
The radiest of the rentis money or victuallis of quhatsumeuer kirkis landis or teindis belongand to the said abbay Ib. 1601 St. A. Baxter Bks. 66.

8. Of payment or pay: Immediate, not deferred. 1503 Orkney Rentals i 53.
[They] ressavit rady payment in louse guid & rady money 1579 Acts III 150/1.
[A] proclamatioun … to command … his maiesties liegis to ressaue the said gould and money in rady and thankfull pament

9. Of a means: Direct; leading conveniently to the end desired. Cf. Reddy adj. 10. 1562-3 Winȝet I 18/7.
Quhilk geue ȝe may do … it is the radiast waye to [etc.] Ib. II 66/20.
That he had knawin aluterlie na radiar way til dissait

10. To mak rady, to prepare (a thing); to cook (food). 1580 Misc. Spald. C. II 216.
That all our tolbuithis presonis … be maid patent and radye … for incarcering of quhatsumeuer personis committeris of slauchter 1660 Aberd. Council Lett. IV 9.
That … officiaris pay for … making radie of ther meatt

11. In comb. with p.p. or ppl. adj., to express completeness. a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 1598.
Fische … Raddy graithit 1562 Edinb. B. Deeds 56b.
Thre last of ure … quhilk is all radie schippit 1580 Edinb. Test. VIII 281b.
Thay being raddy boun vpoun thair vayage

B. adv. Promptly, quickly; without delay; without difficulty. = Reddily adv. 1, Reddy adv. c1460 Thewis Wysmen 377.
Thai borow rady and quitis nocht 1596 Dalr. I 93/20.
That the radier quhen thay walde thay mycht schote Ib. II 319/28.
He vnderstude al taknes perteineng to the flycht rady anuich Ib. I 1/16.