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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.

Refrene, -frane, v. Also: ra- and -freyn(e; -fraine, -frayn(n)e; (referne). P.p. also rafraneide. [ME and e.m.E. refreyne(n (Wyclif), refrayne (c1400), -frain(e (1602), OF refrener (12th c.), L. refrēnāre to bridle, f. frēnum, frænum a bridle. Cf. Refrenȝe v.] To refrain.In senses 1–3, appar. confused in sense with Refrenȝe v.The examples quoted f. Nisbet are all after Tindale.

I. tr. 1. To hold back or restrain (a person) (from (fra) some act, course of action, feeling, condition, etc.). Also reflex.(1) c1475 Wall. (1570) xi 1110.
Allace Scotland … fra payn quha sall thé now refrene c1508 Ch. & M. Prints vi b 45.
Refrene vs fra all frawart fleschly lust a1538 Abell 45a.
He cuth nocht be mesit na refrenyt fra mowin of batell(b) 1591 Reg. Privy C. IV 653.
For eschewing of the multitude of pleyis and to refrayne malicious pleyaris [etc.](2) 1513 Doug. vi ii 45.
For on sik wys Apollo hir refrenys, Bridillis hir sprete [etc.] a1538 Abell 39b.
Theodos … mycht nocht refrene the Gothis be prouisioun of God(3) 1456 Hay II 83/25.
He that refreynis his handis fra wrangwis ravysing of his subjectis gudis a1500 Quare Jel. 402.
The first verteu … Is tong with wysedome to refreyne and stere(4) reflex. c1475 Wall. x 583.
Was na man thar fra wepyng mycht hym rafreyn c1500-c1512 Dunb. (O.U.P.) 198/18.
Be glaid … Fra our lang fasting ȝe ȝow refrene [M. referne](b) 1560 Rolland Seven S. 4588.
Ȝe sall me sa constrane … that I can noe refrane My self fra schame a1585 Maitl. Q. 44/38.
To reif can na man thame refraine

2. To control or restrain (one's own feelings, desires, actions, etc.); to put a check upon.(a) a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 300 (Arund.).
For than thai [sc. children] wald of ȝouth refrene the rage 1513 Doug. i xi 38.
Dydo … mycht not refreyn [Sm. refrene, Ruddim. refrane] nor satisfy hir consait Ib. iv Prol. 182.
God grant … ȝe turn ȝou to pennans, Refrenyng lustis inordinate a1568 Bann. MS 54a/45.
My counsale is thy foly thow refrene(b) 1531 Bell. Boece I 161.
Gif ye can nocht refrane your ire, than sla us all 1567 G. Ball. 238.
Refraine thy lust c1600 Montg. Suppl. xxxii 18.
As thow artt … meik, thai [= thy] wrathe refrane

3. To curb, check or stay (an action, quality, feeling, etc.). 1531 Bell. Boece (M) I 52.
Quhen he [sc. a young king] has maist neyd of ane tutoure to refrene his insolence 1533 Boece 488.
Turstane Archbischop of Ȝork cummyng … to pray the king for pece refrenit his passage procuring trewis for thre monethis a1538 Abell 4a.
It wes neid to refreyn the ewill inclinatioune of thame Ib. 77a.
It is nocht conuenient to refreyn the malis of man in [etc.](b) c1520-c1535 Nisbet III 318/5.
Rafraneide 1567 G. Ball. 169.
That Lord … Quhilk deit … Our sinnis to refraine 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 45.
Thinking him to be ane greit brydill to refrane hir appetitis 1558-66 Knox II 103.
Ane brydill quhairby oure carnall lustis ar refranit

4. a. To avoid or eschew (something evil or undesirable); to abstain from; to give up. b. To avoid or shun (danger).Cf. Refrene v. 4.a. 1551 Hamilton Cat. 85.
Without this halie crabitnes nother can … synnis be refrenit(b) c1540 Lynd. Kitteis Conf. 56.
That I mycht feir, and vice refrane 1567 G. Ball. 16.
Als oft as we repent, and sin refraineb. a1568 Scott xxxii 23.
To refrane that denger plane, Fle alwayis frome the snair

5. To control, restrain, put a check on (a person or thing), to bring to a halt; also, to cause (a person) to control himself. Also absol. 1513 Doug. i ii 7.
Quhar Eolus … the wyndis … And braithly tempestis by hys power refrenys 1531 Bell. Boece II 256.
Refrene thy swerd 1533 Bell. Livy I 232/11.
Nowthir schame nor fere of thare inemyis mycht refrene thame 1533 Boece 145.
Fleing … ourthwort … hillis, quhil thai war be the river of Tay refrenyt(b) ?1438 Alex. ii 4152.
Ȝe haue refraned me with skill a1578 Pitsc. I 402/13.
That the kingis mynd could nocht be refranitt from battellabsol. c1590 J. Stewart 53/1.
Quhair luife dois reule no resone may refraine

b. To hold, contain (water). 1542 Inv. Wardrobe 72.
Twa doubill planttis [? for plattis] maid to refraine heit watter in maner of schoufer

II. intr. 6. To abstain, forbear (to do something).(1) a1538 Abell 115a.
As thai suld defend halie kirk in the thing at spirituall stait ma nocht refreyn(b) a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 544 (Ch.).
Than swounit scho oft or scho culd refrane c1520-c1535 Nisbet I 4.
Quhar trew faith is thar can not the man that has i[t re]frane, bot … brekis oute be gude wor[kis] Ib. III 338/33.
Refraynne a1568 Scott xx 30.
Thocht thow knew hir slicht Ȝit wald thow [nocht] refranetransf. c1600 Montg. Suppl. ix 11.
Love … caus my wofull cair refrane(2) a1568 Bann. MS 224a/2.
Bot I may nocht refrene [: complene, mene, dedene] it for to tell(b) a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xxxvii 10.
Whairfor suld we refrane, To suffer pain for ony bodies bost?

7. To keep oneself fra (= from) some failing or fate. 1540 Lynd. Sat. 3912 (Ch.).
Everilk persone … Teiching thair folk from vices to refraine 1560 Rolland Seven S. 4354.
Fra crabitnes na way he culd refrane a1568 Weddirburne Bann. MS 260b/62.
Quhill fra sic foly my hart dois now refrane c1568 Lauder Minor P. i 518.
Ȝit nocht wil mak thame from thair sin refrane a1570-86 Maitl. F. 448/11.
None mey frome daith refraine