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

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First published 2000 (DOST Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Scath(e, Scaith, Schath, v. Also: skath, skaith, scayth, skayth(t, skaycht; skad; (scaithis). P.p. also skait, scaith, (skaytit); Sca. [ME and e.m.E. skapenn (Orm), scapien (c1380), sckathe (a1400), skathe (c1460), scathe (Malory), scath (Shakesp.), ON skađa impers. to take hurt, corresp. to OE sc(e)ađian to injure, rob, OFris. skathia to injure.]

1. tr. a. To damage physically; to harm by physical action; to cause (a person, thing or place) damage which is, at least in part, physical in nature.There is some overlap with 2 below. 1375 Barb. iv 363 (C).
And we sall neir enbuschit be … Than scath [E. na scaith] thame on sum vis we sall Ib. xiii 110.
Thai sall nocht scath gretly The Scottis men with schot c1400 Troy-bk. ii 1494 (C).
They shall … skaith ȝow all that euire they may ?1438 Alex. i 709.
Thay think … to skaith vs sa That nane sall quick eschaip thame fra c1420 Wynt. v 3249.
That it [sc. a wall] mycht wythstand Thare fays that thame swa skayth[it] hade Ib. ix 650 (W).
Scaithis 1456 Liber Aberbr. II 89.
Casting off petis faile na dwuate na nane othir thing that mai rede the erde or skaith the pasture 1473 Reg. Cupar A. I 173.
With draucht of water quhar euer it ma scath tham [sc. lands] 1521 Old Dundee II 318.
[A claim] agains the merchants having guids in his ship for the skaith of the mast and tackle being skaithit in this raise 1528 12th Rep. Hist. MSS. App. viii 181.
Gif it sall happin the … rebellis to birne ony cornis pertenand to the said lord Hume … our souerane lord sall … cause thame sa beand scaithit and brint to be recompensit 1538 Aberd. B. Rec. MS XVI 134, 135 (Jam. (1880) s.v. Kiche).
[He] hes skaythit the kiche of the inland of the forsaid land in the distroying, byrning & away taking of the caberis, tymer, treis & thaik of the said kiche 1550–1 Old Dundee II 327.
Twa webs of his … mynest be Katrine Henrison or skaithit 1616 Aberd. B. Rec. II 345.
I sal … nevir skaith thair wairis 1633 Stirling B. Rec. I 169.
Thair kirk quhilk wes greatumlie harmit and skaythit throw the great tempest

b. To harm (a person, also his or her character) morally; to damage in reputation.In the first Ratis R. quot., scaith may be a further instance of Scath(e n. rather than p.p.(1) 1389–90 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 18.
Robert hes sclanderit the forsaid abbot … and through his wrang informatioune hes gert skaith the said abbot c1420 Ratis R. 60.
He saw … Sum rychtwys men and god-lyk baith With wykyt men & wnewyne-lyk scaith Ib. 474.
Till fle foull cumpanye That thow may ocht be scaithit by c1490 Porteous Noblenes 181/12 (A).
He … suld nother say nor do thing … that micht empaire or scaith ane nothire man(2) a1500 Colk. Sow i 486.
Scars spending skathis gentris

c. reflex. To put oneself in physical, or moral, danger. ?1438 Alex. i 1839.
He saw him … skaith him throw his great bounte c1420 Ratis R. 130.
Thane is it misterfull to thé Till have thai placis veil in thocht And se gif thow may scaith thé ocht a1500 K. Hart 651.
Do never the thing that ever may scayth thé ocht

2. To harm (a person, (group or community of) persons, lands or interests) with specific reference to their rights and, chiefly, their financial and other interests, possessions, etc.Also const. of, in or to the (amount of) money, etc. lost or things damaged.The party scathit, the person injured in the eyes of the law; the complainer; the pursuer.(1) 1399 Melville Chart. 15.
Gif the forsaide landis … beis in the mene tyme of his take throuche commone were distroyit that the forsaide Schir Williame [his heirs, etc.] … sal als lange joyse thaim eftir the oysche of his terme as he or thai ar skathit within the forsaide ten ȝere 1424 Acts II 8/1.
Till assay & gouern all werkis that beis maide … sua that the kingis liegis be nocht defraudyt & scathyt 1449 Melville Chart. 33.
Gife A be scathit mar than amendit or beterit 1456 Hay I 225/17.
Sen the fader dois to the sone it that he aw to do … quha suld be he that suld reprove him na ȝit blame him or scathe him tharfore na do him ony injure? 1467 Acts II 89/1.
The haill realme … sulde be gretly hurt and skathyt in the changing and heing of the cours of the mone … the borowar and the lennare the lorde and the tenande [etc.] 1477 Prestwick B. Rec. 28.
The distroaris of the nychtburis gudis with thare swyne sall amend the scath or the next court to thaim at ar scathit 1493 Acta Conc. I 300/1.
Becaus it is sufficiently previt that the saidis personis has gretly scathit the said Margret and intromettit with the cornez & vitales of the said place … that … thai sall … gif to the said Margrete twentj bollis of malt [etc.] 1523 Prot. Bk. Sir J. Cristisone 6.
One [= un-] hurt harmyt, skathit or trublit 1532 Antiq. Aberd. & B. IV 231.
Ane lettre of bailyerie … be the quhilkis I may be gretlie hurt dampnagit and scathit. The quhilkis … writingis [etc.] … hurtand … me my landis and heretage [etc.](b) 1474 Edinb. B. Rec. I 28.
Sa that innocentis be nocht throu the hiding of verite hurt nor scaithit in our defaltis 1496 in Pennecuik Historical Account of the Blue Blanket 11 (Jam., s.v. Hedisman).
The said craft is … gretly skaithit by the daily markat maid in cremys … throw the hie street 1541 Aberd. B. Rec. I 175.
Nochttheles I was skaythit and wanttyt in hir defalt and sleutht … item, I wanttyt out of my hous in hir defult and sleutht ane plaid [etc.] 1545 Montgomery Mem. II 138.
I … sall neuer wit … his nor his ayeres skaithit [etc.] … be neycht nor daye bot I or thai sall warn him [etc.] 1551 Hamilton Cat. 103.
Ye sall nocht noy, hurt or skayth … ony freindles man or woman 1566 Reg. Privy C. I 468.
Throw the quhilk [false coin] … this commoun weill hes bene greitlie hurt, and oure soveranis … defraudit and skaythit 1570 Dunferm. Hammermen 27.
That none of the freemen mak wark or labour of any ither craft that nane be skaithit thereby 1571 Reg. Privy C. II 102.
The kingis majesties caus and service is greatlie hinderit and skaithit throw the frequent resort of people betuix … Leith and Edinburgh 1586–7 Edinb. B. Rec. IV 481.
[They] ar grittumlie skaithet and defrawdet be insufficient wark of ignorant persouns 1626 Garden Worthies 108.
The heven … did impairt to me … wisdome, will, And t'aide my freinds and skaith my foes a skill a1633 Hope Major Pract. I 99.
Paena conventionalis may not be asked bot in swa farr as the partie is interessed or skaithed 1633 Inverness Rec. II 173.
Be resone the said communis war preiudgit, hinderit, skaithit and intrest mor nor the said sowme ȝeirlie throwch [etc.](c) 1523–4 Stirling B. Rec. I 18.
The nebour nocht keipand him nebourheid sall recompance him at the syicht of nebouris in sa far as he is skait(d) 14.. Acts I 334/2.
At thai resaf thar fee nocht doand the thingis that pertenis to thar … office that is to say to merk clatht witht the selis of thar office be the quhilkis the byaris ar schathit quhen it mai nocht be knawyn to thaim at thai haf that law(2) 1456 Hay I 167/23.
He aw to be payit of the baroune of all his soume of lenth that he war scathit of 1535–6 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 163.
Anne Todryk to pay hym als fer as he is skaychtit of his corne as he can preiff upone hir gudis 1558 Inverness Sheriff Ct. 69b.
The said dame Jonet is dampnagit and skaythit of the saidis cornis 1589 Craig-Brown Selkirkshire I 167.
Gif … any ane of us does in the contrairie that the … persons … hurt or skaithed of thair kyndlie roume and possession, sall complean to mee(3) 1496 Acta Conc. II 38.
The persons forsaid … rasit fyre … and skaithit the sade Wilȝeam in househald geire tharethrou 1562 Peebles B. Rec. I 283.
[They] wer damnageit and skaithit … in the prices and valouris of the saidis oxin 1569 Reg. Privy C. I 664.
That he sall satisfie, content and pay all personis skaythit or hurt in thair gudis be him … at the jugement, sicht, discretioun and modificatioun of Johnne Erskin of Dun 1577 Prot. Bk. J. Scott 37b.
The saidis persones … war havelie … skaythit in eittin of thair cornes be aither of thair guidis 1579 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. I 101.
The said Thomas hors skaithit hir in hir corne this last cropt 1596 Elgin Rec. II 43.
He wes suirlie informit befoir of sum guidis that wes appeirand to do skaith him in the cornes 1690 Acts IX 205/2.
[An army quartered on estates of Lord Cardross] and his lands & tenents were thereby skaithed in at least 500 lib. sterling — 1453 Stirlings of Keir 226.
I … sal neuermar … move plede, raise stryf, distrubill, in quiete, vex, harm, scath or hinder the forsaide Henry … in the … joysing of al the forsaid landis 1622-6 Bisset II 237/1.
Men of wear maryneris … committing any enormitie quhairby they think to schorte the weyaige and skaytht the capitanis maisteris and awneris in there purpoise(4) 1519 Fife Sheriff Ct. 156.
Thai hed scaithit the said Williame … tharthrow to the soume of xij merkis 1576 Orkney Oppress. 47.
Quhilk scaythit the yle … to the valor of ane hundreth dollors and mair(b) 1516 Wigtown B. Ct. fol. 57b.
For the vrangus blesing of his corne skadan him to the sowme of ane firlot of atis(5) 1424 Acts II 8/2.
The wrangar sall assyth bath the party scathit & the aduocatis costis & trauale 1425 Ib. 9/2.
The party scathit sall folowe ande the party trespassande sall defende 1572–3 Bann. Memor. 308.
Gif the pairties skaithed intendis and persewis not within yeir and day [etc.] 1594 Acts IV 72/2.
Except … that the persoun … eiectit … had fund souirtie … for releif of his landislord and to redres partiis skaithit 1611 Misc. Maitl. C. III 28.
Besyde the satisfactioun and redres of the pairtyis skaithit 1615 Kirkwall Sheriff Ct. Act Bk. 3.
The contraveiners to pay to the partie … skaithed as followes 1635 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III 310. 1698 Misc. 3 Spald. C. II 96.
But likewayes be debt bound to satisfie the partie skaithed

b. To cause a person (financial loss).(a) 1474 Acta Aud. 31/1.
He sall … pay to the said Wil … sa mekle as he is skathit throu the sawing of the said landis 1494 Acta Conc. I 354/2.
That the said maister Richard haid scathit the kingis hienes j^c li. 1603 Paisley B. Rec. 257.
Quhatsumever the said persewar wes skaithit thairthrow, the said Robert promisit to pay 1608 Douglas Bequest 30 June.
John Futhie … sall … pay to the said personis so mekill as thay can preif that thay ar skaythit be his myln(b) 1514 Wigtown B. Ct. fol. 38a.
Ilk ȝere at thir ach ȝere skading him vii d. 1530 Ib. fol. 233b, etc.
For the vrangus occuping of ane tenement … without ony tak or assedation skadand him ȝeirlie xii crounis

c. Of stray or trespassing animals, also transf. of their owner: To damage or destroy (a neighbour's corn, etc.). 1532–3 Dunferm. Reg. Ct. 89.
Suorn … at he skaithis to the said Jhone v firlottis aittis and decernit to pay the samyn 1553–7 Old Dundee II 308.
Grantit he wes caution for ane Hielandman … for certain aits skaithit be the Hielandman's guids 1595 Paisley B. Rec. 167.
They and ather of tham had skaythit Robert Kirlie certane of his cornes be eitting tharof with foullis 1656 Rothesay B. Rec. 10.
Decerneit to pay thrie pecks quhyte corne skaythit be him to Agnes Kelsow be his stirks 1661 Ib. 62.
Donald M‘Kaichen … decernet to pay to John Kelburn elder of eattin corne skaytit be thair guids in seaven pects corne

3. To calculate the fine due for damages caused.Appar. a transf. use of 2 b above. 1517 Wigtown B. Ct. fol. 75a.
For the vrangus braking of his arm skadan his sowme to xl cronys

4. absol. or intr. To cause damage; to do harm. c1475 Wall. viii 1132.
It ma nocht scaith, suppos it do na waill a1500 K. Hart 856.
But scoup or skift, his craft is all to scayth