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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.

Regrat(e, -grait(t, v.² Also: ra- and -greit. [Late ME and e.m.E. regrate to buy up in order to resell (1467), to retail (1582), appar. obs. after 1707, OF regrater (mod. F. regratter), ? f. grater (later gratter) to scrape, of Gmc. origin. Cf. med. L. regratare (1279), also Regratar n.]For further examples, see Edinb. B. Rec. I and II. ‘Regrating is buying victuals in the market and selling the same again either in the same market or within four miles thereof.’ David Murray Early Burgh Organisation in Scotland; as illustrated in the history of Glasgow and some of the neighbouring burghs I (1924) 330–1.

1. intr. To sell at a profit a commodity bought with a view to such resale; to retail.Freq., to regrate agane. 1471 Peebles B. Rec. I 167.
At nother man nor woman by innowth hous na oututhous na yyt at the cors to ragrat agayn quhill the nychburis be plessyt 1478–9 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I 36.
That na regratour by nor tap any vittale to regrate agane vnder the payne of pvnissing be the baillies 1487 (c1580) Ib. 53.
And fra thencefurth that thay regrate na mair in tyme cumming bot on the mercat day, vnder the payne abouewritten 1529 Edinb. B. Statutes 8 Oct.
At nane pas out of the tovne to by ony wyld foull or tayme to regrait agane

b. tr. With the commodity resold as object. Const. upon or to (till) a second buyer, also without const.(a) 1479–80 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I 37.
Swa that it sall nocht be regratit nor derthit vpoun the nychtbouris 1483 (c1580) Ib. 48.
That na commoun cramaris in the toun vse to sell or tapp ony hammermenis werk, nor regrat it agane till vthar mennis vse 1507 Reg. Privy S. I 228/1.
Inhabitaris tharof … byis all maner of wittall … and kepis tham to gret derth, regratand thame apon us and our liegis in augmentation of the gret derth of wittallis that now is 1518 Edinb. B. Rec. I 180.
The said Robert … byis wynis [etc.] … and all vther staple gudis cummand to the said port of Leith be strangearis and regrates the samyn apoun our souerane lordis lieges 1529–30 Acta Conc. Publ. Aff. 321.
That … na maner of persouns … by ony fisch to salt or regrat [etc.] 1540 Crim. Trials I i 227.
Awaytand be the way vpone nolt, scheip, horse, and catall that ar cumand to … mercatis to be sald thairin, and byand the samin fra avnaris thairof; and thaireftir, bringand thame to the samyn mercatis, forstalland and regratand thame to our souerane lordis liegis … to the vniuersale skayth of the cuntre(b) 1462 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I 19.
That na neichtbour tak in hand to by the saidis victualis or tymmer to regrait and deir agane vpoun the nychtbouris 1483 (c1580) Ib. 49.
That na fleschour bye na fische to sell and regraitt agane 1529 Ib. II 18.
The bying of butter in the gret in the merkat to regrait agane till our souerane lordis legis 1531 Haddington B. Rec. (Robb) 24 March.
Ragrait

c. To regrate the brucht or the mercat, ? to profiteer by buying up a commodity and reselling it at a higher price. 1567 Lanark B. Rec. 37.
All personis that ragrattis the brucht sall pey for the first falt xl s. 1687 Lauder Notices Affairs II 807.
[A] bill shewing how the fleschers doe extortion, forstall, and regrates the mercats

2. To buy up (a commodity) in order to be able to resell it later at a profit. 1518 Edinb. B. Rec. I 180.
He brocht [? for bocht] of his awin auentour, he sauld the best he culd, but as for vther stuff he regratit nocht, except that he tuk to the kingis vs 1529 (c1580) Ib. II 8.
At na personis … regrait nor by meill to sell the samyn agane in smallis 1540 Linlithgow B. Ct. 8 Oct.
All regratouris beand fundin within the fredom of the burgh regratand ony stuff othir merkat day or wther 1540 Reg. Great S. 494/2 (see For(e)stall v. 2). 1664 Kirkcaldy B. Rec. 182.
The candlemakers of this burgh has regreitted the haill tallo of the burghe by pynding of the samen and selling it to sea 1677 Edinb. B. Rec. X 301.
A proclamation … dischargeing any persone to buy or regrait cornes coming to the mercats of Edinburgh