Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1990 (DOST Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Revok(e, -voik, v. Also: ra- and -wok(e; -woik; -volk, -wolk; -vock, -wock, -vo(c)que. [ME and e.m.E. revoke(n (Chaucer), OF revoquer (c1355 in Larousse), L. revocāre to call back.]

1. tr. To rescind, repeal or annul (a legal act, contract, decision, etc.).(a) c1420 Wynt. v 3741 (C).
That decrete … newir sal rewokyt be 1429 Acts II 17/2.
Quhil his powere be lauchfully reuokit in courte be his ordinare 1456 Hay I 276/5.
It mycht nocht be revokit and gayncallit but leve of the prince 1459 Newburgh B. Ct. fol. 2a.
That thai suld hald al thyngis spokkyn … & neuermar revok word thairof c1460 Regim. Princ. 237 (Maitl.).
Be it in heid court of our souerane lord … Quhen dome is gevin … thair is no man on lyve May it revok but [etc.] 1474–5 Ayr B. Ct. 4 Jan.
And the said Jonete was oblist & sworn … neuir to rawok agan al the said resignacion 1479 Acta Conc. I 31/2.
The first gift that was maid of the saidis landis was maid be vmquhile our soueran lord … in the tendir and nonage of [the king] … and was tharefter reuokit be his hienes at his lauchfull age 1482 Acta Aud. 109/1. 1490 Irland Mir. I 115/6.
Oure mychtty fader suspendis and reuokis his hevy … sentens 1498 Reg. Privy S. I 26/1.
Quhill he … revok the sammyn … be his awn mowth or be his autentik lettrez Ib. 39/2.
Ravok 1534 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III 489.
We … reuokis, cassaitis, annullis and makkis off nane effect nor force chartaris [etc.] 1543 Reg. Morton II 291.
Revokit the samin befor ane notar auttentiklie 1565 Chart. Coupar A. II 214.
And siclike we be thir presentis reuok all giftis takkis rentallis fewis [etc.] c1575 Balfour Pract. 13. 1633 Acts V 24/1.(b) 1490 Acta Conc. I 176/1.
[She] for certane causis moving hir for the tyme reuoikit the said David … & all power gevin to him … & maid the said prouest hir procuratour & committ to him full power to revoik the said Dauidis power 1535 Stewart 27627.
That Modred … suld be king, Quhilk efterwart [they] revoikit and forthocht 1538 Breadalbane Doc. No. 48.
The saidis parteis ar oblist … neuir to agane say nor revoik nane of the promisis abone writine … wnder the pane of mensweirring and defamatione for ever 1540 Acts II 357/1. 1568 Anderson Collect. Mary II iv 87.
Oure said soverane … revoikit the said pretendit dimission of her crowne 1587 Acts III 440/1.
We revoik … all infeftmentis … of all offices sic as chalmerlanries and baillieries, and of the office of custumarie(c) 1498 Bk. Carlaverock II 451.
To reuolk and annull the saide power and resignatioun(d) 1549 Bk. Carlaverock II 475.
Gyf it salhappin me to rewock or discherge this my … band c1610 Skene in Misc. Stair Soc. I 150.
That all licences and giftis for transporteing of forbiddin goodis be revockeit, and dischargeit 1621 Misc. Bann. C. II 245.
I revock and discharge all vtheris my former lettre-willis, testamentes and legacies a1633 Hope Major Pract. I 3. 1633 Cullen B. Rec. 22 Feb.
The said Janet Ogiluye reuockit and be thir presentis reuockis the said deid done be hir 1665–7 Lauder Jrnl. 86.
And he subtilly getting a grip of his testaments tore it and so revocked his will 1673 Rothesay B. Rec. 316.
And that they shall never revock nor consent in the contraire therof 1687 S. Ronaldshay 115.
I, be thir presents, revock all testaments and other deids whatsomever

b. Also, rarely, with a party to the agreement, or the subject of the agreement, as object. 1534–5 Linlithgow B. Ct. 22 Jan.
And adnillis & cassis and reuokis all & singular wthir aris quhatsumeuer degre or stait — c1610 Melville Mem. 29.
This paip dispones to his bastard bairnes or neveus,—the nyxt paip reuokis the landis

c. To undo (what has been done). a1538 Abell 57 (bis) b.
Paip Steyn … rewokit the werkis of Constantin

2. To recant or withdraw (something said or written). 1531 Bell. 1531 Boece II 44.
Sa mony as wald nocht be abjurat, nor revoik thair arrouris, war brint 1535 Stewart 26288.
For clerk or preist … Thair greit errour culd nocht gar thame revoik 1555 Aberd. B. Rec. I 286.
Within Sanct Nicholace parroche kirk … to revock the vordis said be thame vpoune him and his said spowse 1567 Sempill Sat. P. viii 21.
Revoik thi wyndie wordis vane 1596 Crim. Trials I ii 376.
Quhilk pretendit confessioun he ewir revoikit and recantit, immediatlie as he wes frie of the tortour 1609 Garden Garden 78.
Could I … my scattered skrols recall … Most willinglie I wold revock them all

3. To summon back (a person); to recall (from a duty or place). 1490 Acta Conc. I 170/1.
It wes … grantit … that he haid reuoikit the procuratouris forsaid Ib. 176/1 (see 1 (b) above). a1538 Abell 34a.
The Arrianis causit Constance to rewoik Libeire agane & deponit Felice 1570 Cal. Sc. P. III 187.
Revoque 1573 Reg. Privy C. II 217.
Quhill the said generall and forces be returnit and revoked in England be hir majesteis commandiment 1592 Cal. Sc. P. X 785.
I … am in hoyp schortly to be revocquet

4. intr. To make revocation or recantation.(1) 1442 (1444) Reg. Great S. 64/1.
To aganecall, revok or to mak pley agane thir oure condiciones and appoynttmentis before writtin ?1460 Ayr B. Ct. 26 July.
That nayn of tham … suld rauolk, agayn cal na mak clame na ȝyt impediment to the said tenement 1498 Reg. Morton II 251.
All … has gevin thair bodily aithis never to revoke in tyme to cum undir the payne of defamatioune, inhabilite and perjurie 1548 Prot. Bk. J. Crawford 24.
Rawok 1569 Rec. Earld. Orkney 128.
Bundin … never to revock, agane call, nor to be hard in jugement befoir na juge(2) c1515 Asl. MS II 138/364.
It is more worschipe till his hie estait For to revoke than to be obstinat c1500-c1512 Dunb. (O.U.P.) 17/70.
Plane I revoik in thir quhair I myswent 1584 Sempill Sat. P. xlv Prol. 81.
Voratious woulfis, I wish you to rewolk