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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.

Red, Redd(e, v.¹ Also: rede, reid. [ME and late ME redde(n (c1330), p.p. readde (c1275), appar. obs. by the end of the 15th c., OE hreddan, OFris. hredda, MDu. redden.Also in the mod. dial., in which it to some extent falls in with next.]

1. tr. To free, deliver, rescue or save (a person) fra, (away) from, (furth) of (the hand(is of) a person, or (out) of a place or unfavourable situation.(1) 1497–8 Acta Conc. II 152.
[They] had … slane him had nocht … ane chepman … red him fra thame 1560 Old Dundee II 290.
It wes her awn husband that strack her, and James Watson [only] red her away from him 1567 Anderson Collect. Mary I 92.
He [sc. Bothwell] red himself of the handis of thame 1558-66 Knox II 71.
God … red us frome the rest of the Guysiane blude 1590–1 Crail B. Ct. MS 23 Feb.
Thei had … slane him war nocht he wes red furth off thair handis be honest nychtbouris 1600-1610 Melvill 180.
Your tender king, and sweit native countrey, to be redde from the abbusars and misrewlares of the sam 1611-57 Mure Psalmes cxliv 11.
O, red and save me from their hand(2) 1567–8 Crim. Trials I i 502.
The hous … wes fallin about thame; oute of the quhilke how sone this deponir could be red, he [etc.] c1600 Montg. Suppl. xxxiii 45.
I red him out of that thrang 1603 E. Melville Godlie Dreame 319.
Lord Jesuscum, and red mee out of thrall 1630-1651 Gordon Geneal. Hist. 480.
He did red himself happily out of many incombrances and troubles 1669 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. III 27.
To rede and frie him of the said bondage

b. To put out, or quench, (fire). c. To save, or to prevent, (something) from burning.b. 1375 Barb. iv 132.
The fyre our all the castell spred, Thar mycht no fors of men it red 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 325.
[They] brunt the mane barne … and schot continwallie enduring the fyre, that nane suld red nor stope the samin Ib. 326.
Thair wes nane that preist to red the samyne [sc. a fire] bot the toun menc. 1375 Barb. xix 677.
Quhen the man Saw his mantill ly byrnand than, Till red it ran he hastely 1604 Ellon Presb. 49.
That ane kill whereon he had corne dryand wes on fyir … [and that he brought the fork] to red his cornes

d. To regain or recover (stolen goods). 1557 Crim. Trials I 1 398.
Thai for reskewing and recouering of the saidis gudis … followit the drift … and red ane pairt thairof 1571 Peebles B. Rec. I 327.
My lord Newbotle hoggis quhilkis wes red fra the thevis

2. a. To red one's hands (of something), to dispose (of). Also in the later dial. 1450 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I 12.
It sall be lefull to thame to red their handis of it … betwix this and Candilmes

b. To free or rid (oneself or another) of (an unpleasant thing, a hindrance, or a troublesome person). Also absol. Also, to be red of, to get red of.(1) 1570 Sat. P. x 50.
We haif him taine out of that wickit lyfe, And red him of all miserie 1572 Buch. Detect. (1727) 41.
Scho covetit to set the gude ladyis husband and the king togidder be the eiris, and sa red hirself of twa cumbrances at anis a1578 Pitsc. I 108/30. 1607 Denmylne MSS in Highland P. III 98.
This gentilman … hes red the countrie of such a … lymmair 1619 Crim. Trials III 473.
He … to red and exoner him self of his cumpanie devyset … the … murthour of the said vmquhile Johnne M^cKie a1634 Forbes Rec. 532. a1670 Scot Staggering State 54.
Like the mouse that redd the lyon of her snares a1689 Cleland 64.(b) 1665–7 Lauder Jrnl. 72.
He said he would blood himselfe … to reid himselfe of any blood already poisoned(2) 1570 Reg. Morton I 51.
That ȝe will caus me be red of sic faschius men 1572 Buch. Detect. (1727) 47.
Scho culd not liue ane gude day, gif scho wer not red of the king 1581 Bann. Memor. 318.
I am but newlie come out of a new truble, whairof as yit I am not redd 1583 Edinb. Test. XII 244b.
I am sa seik and is nocht sa red of all thingis as I wald be 1630-1651 Gordon Geneal. Hist. 141.
Seing himself now red of his impediment 1641 Acts V App. 706/2.
Resolveing … to be red of the said … Issobell … [they] resolveit to put hir to death … by strangling hir with ane cord c1650 Red Bk. Grandtully II 144.
When ȝour cheifest cair and peans should tend to be red of debts 1661 Black Sc. Witches 46.
Thair came … a heavie spirit wpon hir … and … shoe could not be red therof(3) 1661 Dalyell Darker Superst. 7.
Shoe has been at my bed syd all this night standing, and I could not get red of herc.
absol. ? To free oneself of unpleasant or troublesome thoughts. — 1598 Misc. Spald. C. I 126.
Fra thynfurtht he culd newir red him self on doing sum ewill or wickit turn