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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.

Respect, -speck, v.¹ [e.m.E. respect to respite (1542–3), take into account (1548), to refer to (1563), to show respect for (1560), etc., L. respect-, p.p. stem of respicere to look (back) at, regard, consider, also respectāre to look back repeatedly. Cf. F. respecter (1554 in Larousse). Cf. also Respect,v.²] tr.

1. To regard, consider, take into account.(1) 1573 Dundee B. Laws 339.
The daylie persecutions of our bailȝies, craiffand of ws ane pais of breyd not respectand the mercat a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xiv 40.
Love … No ryme nor resone it respects 1610 Laing MSS I 123.
Giff ye respect not so meikill the advantag … as ye feir the loss 1625 Justiciary Cases I 21.
That testament … aucht [not] … to be respectit seing the persewar hes declairit that he passis fra [etc.](2) 1622-6 Bisset I 239/21.
The denunciatioun of the pairtie and the foirsaid charge … salbe respected coniunctlie as ane coniunct charge [etc.]

2. To refer to, have to do with. 1587 Orkney & Shetl. Rec. I 209.
Respecting the … lawis … mead anent the setting of fewes

3. To esteem, regard highly. c1590 J. Stewart 113 § 1.
The faithfull freind … dois so his treuth respect, That [etc.] 1616 Jervise Land of the Lindsays 41.
Quhom … I ever lovit and respeckit as my wncle

b. ? To render worthy of respect. Or perh. another example of 3 above. 1590-1 R. Bruce Serm. 98.
Ye will find that Christ has not set down his institution to nobilitate the elements, to savor and respect the elements, quhilk were bread and wine yesterday, to be Gods to-day