Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

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

Recover, -ir, v. Also: ra- and -ire, -yr(e, -cower, -yr(e, -cuver, -ir. [ME and e.m.E. recouere(n (Manning), recourien (1340), recuuere(n (c1350), recoeuren (Piers Plowman), recouver (1532), OF recov(e)rer, -couvrer, -coevrer, etc., AF recoverer (Britton), L. recuperāre, also ME rekeu(e)r(e, rekyuer (14th c.), AF rekeverer (1292–3). Cf. Recur(e v.]There is perh. some overlapping between senses 1, 2 and 3.

1. tr. To get, or take, back (a material thing) into one's possession; to regain (possession of something lost or taken away).(1) 14.. Reg. Maj. c. 107.
The recognicone has stede of new dissessing for to recouer sessing 14.. Acts I 110/2.
Befor that he that is disseysyt hes recoveryt his stayt 1511 Reg. Privy S. I 338/2.
Ay and quhill the richtuis aire or airis recover state and sesing 1533 Bell. Livy I 76/7 (see d below). ?1572 Bann. Memor. 340.
I am dispossesseth of my whole leving … ; he hes thocht to lay the mae blokis in my way to recover it 1584–5 Laing MSS I 39.
They saw na uther meane how to recover thair levings and former estait(2) ?1438 Alex. i 1995.
Ane … spere … He had recouerit in his hand 1456 Hay I 131/29.
Gif a man may … mak were … to diffend gudis wrangwisly conquest or to recover thame agayn Ib. 136/21.
Gif it hapnys him to recover his harnes at the thefis hand Ib. 167/33. 1526–7 Acta Conc. Publ. Aff. 255.
Cautioun to keip all the intromettouris with the saidis gudis recoverit … scaithles tharof 1549 Wemyss Chart. 177.
Ane pynnische, quhilk wes drownit at Sanct Mynnanis … and eftirwart wes recoverit and relevit [etc.] 1559–60 Soc. Ant. XI 521.
Be hir menis industrie and laubour scho hes recouerit agane of the said chenye xxj vnces 1580 Misc. Spald. C. IV 69.
That ye … rendir … in the handis of … James Lord Innermaith the house of Reidcastell lautlie recoverit be you furth of the handis of James Gray … together with the haill plenising and insycht ye fand thairin 1586 Edinb. Test. XV 549b.
Ankeris, saillis [etc.] … quhilk war recoverit of the flie boitt 1663 Decis. Lords G. 55.
The other … has recovered the minute out of the hands of a third party haver 1680 Inverness Rec. II 284.
His acceptation … shall inferre no obligation upon him to advance money … except he recover the samin of the debitoresfig. 1490 Irland Mir. I 92/8.
We haue tynt the hevinly heretage of paradice, that we may na way recouer be oure self

b. To regain (territory, a stronghold, etc.) by conquest; to win back (ground lost in fighting).(a) 1375 Barb. viii 420 (E).
To luk giff he Mycht recower his countre a1400 Leg. S. xxxiii 904.
Quhen Cristine men tuk on hande To recouer the haly lande Fra Sarasenis ?1438 Alex. i 1607.
Quhen thai of Grece recouerit the place The fecht richt fell and noious was c1420 Wynt. vi Prol. 17.
The Scottis … Recoweryd swa thaire herytage Ib. 39.
Thame, that recoweryde oure land To thame and thayris wyth stalwart hand c1515 Asl. MS I 248/22.
Fergus recoverit & gat agane the realm of Scotland out of the Pictis … handis 1533 Boece 120.
Contending … to recovir the parte of thare kinrik loist afore c1500-50 Brevis Cronica 338. 1570 Leslie 231.
To recover agane all that the ennemies heild within Scotlande a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. 30/5.
The Duik of Gweis recouerit Calice toun 1573 Reg. Privy C. II 215.
That the same [castle] being recoverit may immediatlie and indilaitlie be deliverit … to his hienes [etc.] c1615 Chron. Kings 62.(b) 1568 Cal. Sc. P. II 466.
Quhairby scho may racover hir strenthis … and stableis hir agane in hir auin realme

c. Of a tree: To regain its sap. — c1420 Wynt. vii 551.
This tre may happyn for to get The kynd rwte … And sap to recovyr syne

d. To retrieve (loss, etc.) to oneself. — 1533 Bell. Livy I 76/7.
I decerne … all thir gudis or iniuris … to be recouerit with just & lauchfull batall

2. Of a superior: To take back (lands); to resume possession of (lands, etc.) from a vassal. 1406 (1427) Reg. Great S. 17/1.
Quhil tha landis fra me or myn ayris be lauchfully racoverit be the ayris of Schyr Alan … quhen that tha said landis be recoverit, I wil [etc.] 1415 (1430) Ib. 39/1.
Quhat tyme that the landis of Wchtirach be recoveryt, the sayd Huchon … and the sayd Jonet sal resayf tha landis into joyntfeftment 1443–4 Cart. S. Giles 70.
It salbe leful to the said Thomas … to … recouer the said land … for the said annuel … efter that the said annuellis … be vnpait [etc.] 1529 Reg. Episc. Aberd. I 396.
Gif the saids landis of Ardlar happynis to be recouerit fray us … be the law 1593 Acts IV 25/2.
And the pretendit titles … may be annullit … and the same rentis recoverit … to be intromettit with be hir hienes

3. To acquire or obtain by exercise of one's legal rights; to gain possession of, or a right to, by judgement in a court of law or by legal action.Const. apon, fra, also of, against (a person). Also without const.(1) 1399 Holyrood Chart. 113.
The fiffe mark … excedand the some contend in the chartir … mai be recuverit of him — 1496–7 Acta Conc. II 50.
To preif sufficientlye quhat teyndis … was recoverit in the law fra him 1497 Acta Conc. II 71.
The said fisching … to be lattin to borgh to the … convent … ay and quhill the samyn be lauchfully recoverit fra thame(2) 1402 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 55.
For til recouer ane obligacion of fourtipondisworth of land apon the ayris of vmqwhile erle Jamys of Douglas 1476 Acta Aud. 55/2.
Elene Tulloch … wes marijt the tim that the said det wes recouerit apon hir 1483 Acta Conc. II cxxxiii. 1498 Ib. 228.
The sade soume … recoverit before the Lordis of Consale … apone the sade umquhile Robert 1507 Reg. Privy S. I 212/1.
Scho has recoverit divers soumes of money apon the said James 1512 Ib. 375/1. 1535 Glasgow Prot. IV 70.
All wder cawsis, actionis, slawchter and assythmentis … recoverit be me … upon the sayd Jhon … in our souerane lordis justiceaer(3) c1420 Wynt. viii 2390.
To that rewme he had mare rycht, He sayd, than he recovyre [C. recuuir] mycht 14.. Acts I 389/2.
The wyff deis may the sone recouer the heretage? 1466 Reg. Morton II 214.
Gyfe the said James Erle of Mortone may be coursable brevis of the kingis chapell … recouer the landis of Kincavile 1508 Reg. Privy S. I 264/2.
With power to tak up to his use the … avale of the said mariage quhat may be recoverit thairof 1565–6 Reg. Privy C. I 431. 1581 Acts III 223/1.
That quhen thai haue … recoverit thair sentence they ar deforcit in executioun thairof 1621 Edinb. Test. LI 49b.
Quhill my debtis be recoverit and ingottin(4) a1633 Hope Major Pract. I 139.
The lords … found ane horneing execuit against her … upon ane decreit recovered against her

b. Const. infin. clause. 1491 Ayr Friars Pr. Chart. 65.
At the said hale merke of annuell beis recoverit to be yeirly pait 1571–2 Canongate Ct. Bk. 346.
Nocht doand his lawchfull diligence to recover him self to be servit tutour of law

c. To be recowrit of, to be put in possession of by a legal judgement. 1582 Perth B. Ct. 27 Nov.
To be seruit as ane of the thre airis … to tuenty pundis annuell and to be recowrit of the thrid therof

d. To obtain redress for (harm or injury). 1398 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 38.
That al schathis that has ben recoueryt befor wardanis … sal be payit … be Kandilmesse day 1456 Hay I 136/26.
Be the accioun that he has to the thefis, the said lorde may recover on his behalf his scathis

4. To regain, resume or acquire again a. A former state, condition or quality, b. One's health or strength, c. Remedy or cure.a. a1400 Leg. S. xvi 248.
That mane suld eftyre syne Recouire his blyse ?1438 Alex. i 1410.
Quhan that he his point culd sie Recouer couth he weill his bountie c1420 Wynt. v 2706.
He Behuwyd [etc.] … Gywe he recowyr suld hys stat Ib. vii 1343.
The Archebyschape off Yhork … Recoveryd the benevolens a1500 Lanc. 3308.
Thai ar recomfort, thar manhed is recoueryt 1513 Doug. xii xi 121.
Hys rememberans The lycht of resson has recoverit agane 1533 Bell. Livy I 133/11.
The commoun liberte, sa recentlie recouerit 1590 Burel Pilgr. i 314.
The Alcions likwais left the see, And to the schore richt fast culd flee, For to recouer restb. a1400 Leg. S. i 105.
Recouir thi strinth, and speke with me Ib. 110.
Sum mycht recouerit he sone c1420 Wynt. v 2699.
Till medicynarys in hy For to recowyre hys hele he soucht a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 1314 (Asl.).
Hele to recovire … Men will abstene fra lustis sensuall 1531 Bell. Boece II 62.
Drinkis be quhilkis he suld … recover his heil 1560 Rolland Seven S. 102.
Ȝe will recouer ȝour helth 1590 Crim. Trials I ii 202.c. c1420 Wynt. v 2804.
Bettyr … to be dede Than to recovyr … remede Off my langwre wyth the blude … Off barnys

5. To get back (a person) (from captivity); to restore to freedom. c1400 Troy-bk. ii 2765.
Syne his wyf recouered [L. recuperavit] he And brocht hire home c1420 Wynt. iv 1719.
The captywys … Tane before wyth Hanyball Recoveryd wes throuch Scypyon

6. To restore (a person) to health. c1420 Wynt. v 2768.
And set thai mycht recowyr me

b. To be recovered, to be restored to health or safety. a1400 Leg. S. xlvi 255.
Gyf he mycht be Recouerit of his maledy 1513 Doug. i ix 7.
Thou may se Thyne navy and thy ferys recoverit beyn, Wantand but ane, … Quham we saw droun

c. To get over (an illness, fright, etc.); to recover from. 1534 Yester Wr. 152.
Quhar I … gat seiknes and malady quhilk I will never recover a1578 Pitsc. I 67/20.
Quhill he recoverit the feir and dredour that he had taine in his sleipe

7. Other, rare, transitive uses. a. To find or come across (a person).Only in Alex. ?1438 Alex. ii 5819.
Nyne or ten Of the nobillest and worthiast men That men may in the warld recouer Ib. 11138.
Neuer mare sik ane lord as he Sall in this warld recouerit be

b. To return to, get back to (a place). 1513 Doug. vi ii 106.
Tharfra to return agane on hyght, And heir abufe recovir this aris licht, That is difficil wark

8. intr. To return to consciousness or fitness (after a blow, etc.); to get well again, to regain health, strength or life. Also fig. c1400 Troy-bk. ii 2533.
The watter … I devoded; syne come me till Sic spreitis, that I couth recovire ?1438 Alex. ii 2484.
I will discouer That I may in my wit recouer c1420 Wynt. v 2766.
To recowyr fullyly Be na way can I certane be ?14.. Ship Laws c. 7 (H.2).
Geif thai recouir thai aw to haif thair feis 1460 Hay Alex. (S.T.S.) 1913.
Alexander recouerit of the straik c1475 Wall. x 26.
vij thowsand doun thai bar, Dede on the bent, that recoueryt neuir mar Ib. 785.
Byschop Synclar was wesyd with seknas … and syn throu Goddis grace He recoueryt 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 336.
He fallis flat doun. … And when he had lyne half ane hour or thairby, he recovereth 1590–1 Crim. Trials I ii 232.
The Lady Roslene quha wes seik … wes nocht hable to recoverfig. c1460 Consail Vys Man 352.
Lawte brekis nocht … And suppos for a tyme it bow, It sall recouer

b. To recover vp, to get to one's feet. — 1460 Hay Alex. (S.T.S.) 3270.
Tholome … Richt as he was recoverand vp agane Schupe him a straik

c. To improve (one's situation) to (a better one); to recover from misfortune. — a1500 Colk. Sow ii 191.
Witnes this pig … That was fangit … To be killit, and recouerit agane To so grit grace as is foirsaid certane

9. a. To rally. b. Only in the St. A. MS of Wyntoun: To return (to (in) one's country).a. ?1438 Alex. i 2290.
Thay of Gaderis rushit ware And thame withdrew … Bot at ane hill recouerit thayb. c1420 Wynt. ix 2819 (St. A.).
The erle of Mare … Recowerit [R. Retowrit] agane in his cuntre Ib. 3227.

10. To recover in, to restore, or improve, (the colour) in a piece of cloth. 1688 New Mills Manuf. 199.
To inspect the scarlet cloaths that are lying in the ware-house here and to indeavour to recover in the collour