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.
Report, -poirt(e, n. Also: rea-, era- and -porte. [ME and e.m.E. report (Chaucer), raport (1534), OF report (rare) or raport (1279 in Greimas), vbl. n. f. reporter, rapporter.]
1. Rumour. b. A rumour.a1500 Lanc. 776.
Bot Arthur by report hard saye How Galiot non armys bur that day 1528 Lynd. Dreme 1072.
And fals reporte out of thy courte exclude 15.. Clar. iv 733.
Ȝour … bewtie … Whom we of sikane vertew hes hard reporte 1567 Reg. Privy C. I 515.
That … the actouris of sic fals reportis owther in previe or patent sall … find thame selffis frustrat of thair inventionis 1603 Ib. VI 551, 552.
It may be that your hienes heiring by a bair repoirt only of the death of our leat quene … may ather ressave repoirt or consaive doubtis of uther matour [etc.] 1611 Crim. Trials III 157.
Efter your lordschip hard the vulgar report of the … pvneisment of the lairdis [etc.] … yow did desyre to have a full and verie particular relation of … that mater
c. Fame, repute.1540 Lynd. Sat.1897 (Ch.).
[In] The Chroniklis … sall ȝe finde baith gude and euill report: For … [a prince's] deids sall neuir die c1590 Fowler I 109/159.
I manye thingis of great reporte dois in ane boundell knitt 1686 G. Stuart Joco-Ser. Disc. 28.
A lown of very ill report [gl. fulsome sloven]
2. An authorised account (of a particular matter) brought from one person to another.1494 Loutfut MS 6a.
The quhilkis madenys bure the report & message of armes fra prince to prince … and thair wes na lesingis na fals report amang thaim c1590 James VI in Misc. Spald. C. III 215.
As for youre information in all thingis concerning you and my mynde thairin I remitt it to the said beararis report —1547 Douglas Corr. 168.
Assured I am by the reaport of spiall that [etc.]
b. A formal statement; a declaration.1494 Loutfut MS 51a.
To that exemple mariag of princis suld be annonciet be the report of herauldis 1590-1 R. Bruce Serm. 104.
For the books of our own conscience … sall be opened, and every man sall receave according to the report of the decreet that is within his awin conscience 1625 Justiciary Cases I 28.
In court … thay all … be the repoirt and declaratioun of the said chanceller … declairit the saidis persones on pannell
c. specif. A formal statement of the procedure or result of an inquiry or investigation.1626 Justiciary Cases I 49.
The persewaris … producet tua writtis ane contening the tryell of Euphame Corstorphin and the repoirt maid be certane commissioneris quha conferrit with her Ib. 51 (see Reportar n. 1 b). 1667 Cochran-Patrick Coinage II 155.
The report underwryttin from the committy appoynted to consider of the coyne being read [etc.] 1674 Acts Sederunt in Hannay College of Justice 100 (see Reportar n. 2).
3. An account, written or spoken (concerning (of) some person or thing), (by (of) a person). b. To put … in repoirt, to write down.(1) 1494 Loutfut MS 7a.
As the ancienneris historis and report of noblis sais Ib. 6a (see 2 above). a1568 Scott xii 10.
Gif trew report To ȝow resort Of my gud port, So tak me 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 44.
He … wes sone be gud report of thame and ane fenȝeit gudnes in him self put in credit with the quene regent a1578 Pitsc. II 211/20.
Quhow my Lady Lennox was informed of him … be fals report of thair nychtbouris ?1579 Montg. Misc. P. xlviii 75.
We shaip to saill … Touards the North and helthsome regione Nou callit Scotland as we haif hard report Of wandring fame a1585 Arbuthnot Maitl. Q. 128/67.
And ruffianis now gettis best report 1584 Misc. Bann. C. I 121.
Sa that his majestie did account thay raports trew 1643 Fam. Rose 334.
He hard never any man misconter yow by any evill report(2) 1521 Acts XII 39/2.
Quhatsumever licht report is senistirly maid … for his demeritis 1585 Waus Corr. 325.
For he hais ane pyk at me for ane pece of the land of Vig … and hais maid vrang report of me 1584-9 Maxwall Commonpl. Bk. fol. 7a.
I ȝow exhorte To say the swithe & ay mak guide repoirte 1600 Edinb. B. Rec. V 277.
Commissioun … to intreit … with Mr. Johnne Dalyell … and to mak report to the counsall 1604 Aberd. Council Lett. I 98.
That the burgh of Wigtoun mak report in writt to the nixt generall conventione of chesing of commone metstairis c1623 Old Ross-shire I 33.
We ar commandit … to value the lands and make reportb. c1530-40 Stewart Maitl. F. 355/76.
I … tuke my pen and putt all in repoirt
c. specif. A written record of legal proceedings.1597 Skene Verb. S. s.v. Recordvm.
Alwayes recorda summonitionis signifies the rehearse, report, or testification of the execution of the summondes breve or vther precept… Recordum curiæ signifies the report, rehearsall, or minute of that quhilk is done in court [etc.] 1677 Acts Sederunt ii 135.
The clarks especially in the outter-house to set down distinctly the defences, replys, duplys, &c. as they are proponed at the barr, without necessity to add the reasones for inforcing thereof, which will be contained in the information and report 1681 Stair Inst. iv ii § 9.
These great avisandums are so named in distinction from avisandums for reports or for witnesses
4. In music, ‘a response; a note or part answering to or repeating another’ (OED).1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 492.
Fresche ladyis sang in voice virgineall Concordis sweit, diuers entoned reportis 1549 Compl. 37/21.
There vas mony smal birdis … singand melodius reportis of natural music Ib. 64/17.
In melodius music, in gude accorddis and reportis of dyapason
b. Appar. only in the Scottish Psalter of 1635: Only pl., in in reports.
‘Old English and Scottish term for points of imitation. From the eight examples in the Scottish Psalter of 1635 … it would seem that the term was used in the more general sense of a setting of certain tunes in which the parts moved in a kind of free polyphony, not in strictly imitative style.’ (Grove Dictionary of Music (1954) s.v. Reports).Cf. med. L. portare (antiphonam), to sing (it) before another person (Du Cange). 1635 Metrical Psalter ii Facsimile No. 17.
The Psalmes of David… With … some psalmes in reports; The Psalmes of David in Prose and Meeter (1635) Title page in Livingston Ib. Preface in Ib. xvi/1.
As also some psalmes in reports for the further delight of qualified persons in the said art [sc. of music]
5. ? Formal announcement by the captain of a ship that his vessel has reached port. Cf. Report v. 6 c.1589 Skipper's Acc. (Morton) 1b.
Deborset … for our part of pylo[t] fey ine, xl lib. For my report, xxii s. 1595 Ib. 10a.
