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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.

Retene, -tein(e, -tain(e, v. Also: ra- and -teyne, -teene; -tean(e; -tine, -tyne. [ME and e.m.E. reteyne(n (Chaucer), reteign (1450), retayne (north., c1400), also retine (once, 1490), AN reteign-, representing tonic stem of F. retenir (c1050 in Larousse), L. retinēre.] c1616 Hume Orthog. 20.
From retineo, the north retine, the south retain

1. intr. To refrain (fra tears). 1531 Bell. 1531 Boece I 102.
Vespasian … had sic compassion, that he micht not retene fra teris

2. tr. To restrain (a person) from an action; to check or prevent. 1568 Lyndesay Pref. (S.T.S.) 403.
That it may be ane … brydill to reteyne & hald bak the: … vngodlie from … iniquitie 1609 Garden Garden 46.
Not tyrants … can retein The vildest worme from dying once the death

3. To confine (a person) ((with)in certain limits or restraints); to keep in custody or under control; to prevent from leaving a place.Also fig.(1) 1587 Reg. Morton I 154.
Retene him in ȝour custodie Ib. 155.
We … command ȝow that ȝe retene and kepe the said plege in clois firmance(b) c1590 Fowler I 227/8.
So thow … Hes me with thé but greif in greif reteind(c) 1568 Anderson Collect. Mary IV i 123.
That ȝour majestie will usse sic maneir of extremetie towart our soverane … to ratine hir within ȝouir realmefig. 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 105/5.
That ye haue & reteine (as prisoneris) uithin youre self … uertues(2) 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. i 4.
Incontinent he sal be retined, imprisoned, & sal not be relived vpon borgh c1610 Melville Mem. 42.
Leontius … boistingly asked wha durst retean or lay handis vpon Megaleas and his marrowes 1611 Crim. Trials III 166.
Not onlie he sould be reteaned, bot if he wer obstinat, sould be coerced be tortour 1630-1651 Gordon Geneal. Hist. 242.
[They] pat them all in such a fray, that it wes not possible for Earle George to retein or stay them(b) 1697 Glasgow B. Rec. IV 238.
Either to retaine the saids strengers poor or send them to their respective paroches

b. To keep in one's presence; to detain. 1570 Misc. Bann. C. I 37.
For he wold reteane thame the space of thrie or four houris

4. With personal object: To keep (a person) attached to one or in one's service (in, for, a specified capacity).(a) c1590 Fowler II 74/24.
Nather yet sal thow retene or keip these for freinds by quhase help [etc.] Ib. 99/22.
They nather culd retene nor yet … dismisse him 1594 Reg. Privy C. V 165.
That thay retene nane in thair cumpany bot sic as ar … of gude inclinatioun(b) 1585 Cal. Sc. P. VIII 78.
It sall not be weill done to leis any off hir frendis in this contrye that with honor … may be retainit(c) a1578 Pitsc. I 27/30.
The gouernoure … retinit ane gret gward of men of weir

b. To keep (a person) in a specified state or situation. c1590 Fowler II 43/17.
Tha things quhilks may reteine the lecteur in suspence 1613 Denmylne MSS in Highland P. III 138.
Seeing he wes … able to reteane these for whome he wes caution vnder obedyance 1631 Justiciary Cases I 188.
Nocht being content to retein ȝour selff within the boundis of ane faithfull subject

5. To keep possession of; to keep in one's possession (freq., in one's handis); to continue to have or keep (a material or non-material thing).To reteine (one's) awin, to hold (one's) ground.(1) 1558-66 Knox II 161.
That the parrochinaris retene sa mekle in thair awin handis c1575 Balfour Pract. 65.
[They] sall retene na mair within thair awin housis … than the availlour of iiij d. 1580–1 Cal. Sc. P. V 598.
Quha disponit upoun the haill guidis ȝit retent in hir at the present tyme of hir taking 1582 Prot. Bk. J. Mason 213.
That the said John suld retene in his awin hand … ane boll meill(b) 1588 Old Ross-shire I 26.
Alexander Ros … hes withalden and reteinit the said chaptor this lang tyme bygane 1590 Welwod 75.
He quha man be recompansit be a skatt, man do against the maister to reteine all the guds … in his custody until [etc.] 1608 Denmylne MSS in Highland P. III 110.(c) 1596 Breadalbane Ct. Bk. 140.
Quhatsumeuir officar … that takis or reteanis fra ony tennentis … siluer, butter, … or ony other gratificatioun [etc.] 1607 Red Bk. Grandtully II 133.
The … goodis and aittis … to be reteanit still vpon the ground … disponit be him 1631 Justiciary Cases I 177.
The principallis ar reteaned be his maiestie because thay lykewayes concerne otheris persones(2) c1536–7 Rec. Earld. Orkney 223.
And in kais it sall happin them … rather to retine the forsaid dewtie in ther handis as to pay the same 1594 Aberd. Council Lett. I 61.
Ye sall retene the sowme in your handes ay and quhill ye obtene suspensioun and gett decisioun thairof befoir the chekker 1610 Peebles B. Rec. I 360.
Vnder the pane of xx s. ilk falt … with power to the maister gif he try itt sufficientlie to retene sua mekill of his fea 1642 Orkney Rentals iii 19.
And reteyne these land dueties in your owne hands 1692 Galloway P. 28 April (see Retentio(u)n(e n. 1 (1)).
Reteined(3) 1596 Dalr. I 159/20.
This battel to the … Moray men, was sa duilful … that skairs war thay able to reteine thair awne ony langre(4) 1622-6 Bisset II 256/16.
The maister may retene of the hyre

b. After the Vulgate use of retinēre (John xx 23) or Tindale's rendering of this. 1562-3 Winȝet I 104/3.
Quhois sinnis ȝe retene, thai ar retenit 1567 G. Ball. 7.
Quhais sinnis ȝe retene, ar retenit vnto thame

c. To keep (a quality, attribute, etc., freq. a name or title); to attach permanently (to a person).(1) 1563-72 Ferg. Answer in Tracts 36.
Ye conclude … that we reteane onely Christes name and not him self 1567 Hosack Mary Q. of Scots I 561.
The Dukry of Orknay … quhilk name and titill it sall alwayes retene 1570 Leslie 242. 1596 Dalr. I 275/2.
He … retynit the stile of ane archebischoppe, being titillit of Athenis 1630-1651 Gordon Geneal. Hist. 76.
The laird of Tough … reteynes yit the surname of Seatoun(2) 1562 Knox Ressoning 188.
And therefore we ought not to wonder albeit the true worde of God reteane the own nature c1590 Fowler I 183/8.
My harte now knawes … quhat trewe markes of doole it long reteand 1596 Dalr. I 87/20.
The Peychtes … sume taknes reteines, in quhilkes … the Peychtis … glore ȝit appeiris 1606 Birnie Kirk-b. iv.
A Schithian sect … bespyced their gutlesse goodsirs that … they might assay to reteene fugitiue incorruption 1611-57 Mure Early Misc. P. xv 28.
Now ȝe heauins denyes This staige of toyes sould more retein thair due(3) 1562-3 Winȝet II 41/22.
In Christe, also, the proprietie of bayth the substances is to be retenit to euery ane thairof, saifing ȝit the vnitie of persoun

d. To keep or retain (a usage, practice, etc.). 1568 Grant Chart. 285. Knox II 264.
I … yarnis maist ernestle to retene the auld and renew the new 1573-1600 Burne Disput. in Cath. Tr. 128/6.
It is not than vithout greit caus … that thir toungis foirspokin hes bene retened as thay vil be retenit to the end of the varld a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 1427 (Wr.).
Sturt followes all extreames Retaine then the meane then The surest way it seemes a1633 Hope Major Pract. I 3.
In the Isles … they had reteined the lawes of Denmark [until 1503] 1646 Glasgow B. Rec. II 102.
In suche a way as the judicatories of the kirk may reteane their … auctoritie throughout the land

e. To keep (food) down (i.e. in the stomach). 1568 Skeyne Descr. Pest 36.
Becaus frequent vomiting [etc.] … ar greit impediment to retene ony cordiall medicine, the stomak maist be … strenthit this vayis Ib. 39.
Retinis

f. To keep back or withhold (a pension). 1678 Edinb. B. Rec. X 332.
The dean of gild … desyred the councills advyce whither he should reteine the saids persones there respective pensiones or not

6. Of a writing: To contain (certain topics or material). 1581-1623 James VI Poems I 23/72.
Whose mignarde writts … And fayned teares and shameles tales retaine