A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: <1375, 1375-1586
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Ger, v. Also: gere, gerr(e, gerr-. P.t. and p.p. gert (gerte). Also irregular variant: kert. [Northern ME. gere (a 1300), gerre, ger, ON. gera (p.t. gerði, p.p. gerðr). The original infin. gere is rare; the usual short vowel of ger has been assimilated to the p.t. and p.p. gert (cf. ON. gert, neut. of the p.p.). The further change of ger to Gar is normal.]
1. tr. To cause (something) to be done. Cf. Gar v. 1.(a) a 1350 Facs. Nat. MSS. II. 14.
[They] sal ger [L. facient] gaynand biging be made 1375 Barb. i. 305.
That suld ger his price dowblyt be 1405 James of Douglas Letter to Henry IV in Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 59.
The kynge … chargit me til aske & ger be askyte … redresse tharof 1409 Exchequer Rolls IV. ccx.
He sal … ger it to be revelit 1456 Hay I. 138/1 i.
He may … ger him be payit of his travaill 1456 Ib. 205/19.
To ger resoun be done to men 1498 Treasurer's Accounts I. 319.
Passand with the Kingis lettrez … to ger wapynschawingis be criyt(b) 1416 Charter (Reg. H.) No. 247 a.
Al this … to kepe and gere be kepyt c1420 Wynt. v. 1927.
A barne That sall gere our goddis alle Be brokyn c1420 Ib. vii. 895.
He suld gere thare be set … a relygyown(c) c1420 Wynt. i. 677.
Sum … gerrys the kyn Gaddryde be c1420 Ib. 817.
Thai … gerrys thame drownyd be 1424 Wemyss Chart. 47.
I sal gerre be … giffyn to the said dame my moderis landis 1456 Hay II. 67/21.
For the knychtis gerris the grete lordis, … be honourit abone the small peple a1500 Buke of the Sevyne Sagis 397.
The empriour … gerris the child be brocht ws till(b, c) 1375 Barb. ii. 565.
His men in hy he gert be dycht a1400 Legends of the Saints xxviii. 72.
He … gert hyre be tacht in Cristis lacht c1420 Wynt. i. 234.
He gert twa pillars sune be made c1420 Ib. iv. 2332.
It thai gert be set wp-rycht 1426 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III. 202.
Efter that I haf … gert him be infefft 1448 Acts I. 350/2.
The hail lordis and bordouraris he gert bodily be suorne 1515 Fife Sheriff Ct. 5.
The schiref … gert the personis foirsaid … be suorne
2. Const. with infin. (without to): To give orders or take steps (to) do something. Cf. Gar v. 2.(a) 1375 Barb. vi. 66.
Gif I may heir ony thyng, I sall ger varn ȝow 1375 Ib. xix. 705.
Than ger mak our fyres bricht a1400 Legends of the Saints i. 426.
Petir … bad ger bring hym bred of bere 1398 Acts I. 212/1.
The schiref … sal … ger cry the namys of tha that may nocht be arrestit c1420 Wynt. iv. 437.
Hyr consale gave hyr to ger breke The bryggys 1456 Hay I. 268/33.
Gif my wapin failis, I suld ger get ane othir 1479 Acts Lords of Council 24/1.
The king wil be avisit and ger see the ald lawis of bondage 1490 Ib. 153/2.
[They] sall … seik or ger seik the four hede pilgrimage(s) of Scotlande a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 461.
The skippar bad ger land thé at the Bas(b) 1405 James of Douglas Letter to Henry IV in Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 59.
Qwhethir I will gere refourme the sayde attemptatis c1420 Wynt. v. 283.
He wald offt gere pyne and sla Thewys c1420 Ib. 2837.
Thow sall gere cast Downe the templys(c) 1398 Acts I. 210/2.
He may … gerre calle his officeris 1440 Antiq. Aberd. & B. IV. 192.
Our forsaid souereyne lord will … gerre deliuer the castel of Kildrummy 1456 Hay I. 153/33.
He kepand and gerrand kepe him the termes of law 1456 Ib. I. 224/21.
A man of armes … gerris put him in prisoun 1463 Lennox Mun. 76.
That ȝe mak na gerr mak na stoping to me in the serving of thame(b, c) 1375 Barb. i. 591.
The king a parlyament Gert set thareftir 1375 Ib. ii. 13.
The Bruce … Gert priuely bryng stedys twa a1400 Legends of the Saints xxii. 364.
He gert hed hyme forout fryst a1400 Ib. xxxiv. 283.
Scho … gerte mak hyre a litil cel 1389 Cart. Cambuskenneth 260.
We fynd that the forsaid Robert … hes gert skaith the said abbot c1420 Wynt. viii. 1810.
The yhettis … off the towne thai gert wp cast 1444 Chart. St. Giles 71.
In witnessing hereof to thir lettres we haue gert set our seelis c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace vii. 977.
Ramsay gert byg strang bestials off tre 1483 Acts Lords of Council II. civ.
Becaus Adam Wallace gert summond & comperit nocht to follow him 1516 Reg. Cupar A. I. 291.
The quhilk [croft] we gert met with thre suorne men 1551 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III. 21.
[The] portioneris … hes ratified the foresaid marches … and has gert set carnis
3. To make or cause (a person or thing) to do something. Cf. Gar v. 3.(a) 1375 Barb. i. 299.
Thair wes nane aueutur that mocht … ger him let To do the thing he was on set a1400 Legends of the Saints iii. 434.
The treutht … that thu … wald ger me trew c1420 Wynt. ix. 1479.
As yhe ger ws wndyrstand 1431 Reg. Great S. 45/1.
We sal ger thaim conferme this our gift 1456 Hay I. 228/30.
He mycht … ger him pay ransoune leffully 1474 Treasurer's Accounts I. 54.
To Wil Turing, to ger him send clay to Edinburgh 1497 Ib. 378.
To the werkmen, … that kest about hir [the ship] foure dayis to ger hir com on floit(b) a1400 Legends of the Saints xxxi. 588.
That thu … May gere leile folk in thé affy a1400 Ib. xxxvi. 361.
To gere thame of al dout quyt be c1420 Wynt. viii. 3319.
Lw, how a lytill thyng may gere [: were] Gret harmys fall(c) 1375 Barb. vii. 246 (E).
Quhat is he That gerris yow haiff sik specialté a1400 Legends of the Saints xlv. 271.
Thu begilis me … That gerris nocht thire bestis byt c1420 Wynt. i. 227.
The story gerris ws wndyrstande c1420 Ib. v. 3678.
The welth … Gerris thé perchans mysknawe thi syn 1456 Hay II. 97/14.
Gerr thame trow thou drinkis … , and sa sall thou gerr otheris be blythe 1482 Fam. Rose 147.
Giff … the saide Lauchlane cavs or gerrys the saide Donalde … deliuer the saide castell a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 343.
That gerris thé ryme in to thy termis glod(b) 1375 Barb. i. 422.
He gert him galay disyly 1375 Ib. ix. 296.
The king … gert his men burn all Bouchane a1400 Legends of the Saints x. 89.
He gerte thai serpentis ly al still a1400 Ib. xxxiii.623.
He gert bedalis ga Oure the cite c1420 Wynt. iv. 106.
Hewes the fyrst kyng … That gert the Romanys custum pay 1456 Hay II. 7/23.
He … gert him sytt doune … and rest him c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace viii. 1259.
Lang ws in wer gert thaim desyr thair will 1506–7 Treasurer's Accounts III. 369.
To Wantonnes that the King fechit and gert hir sing a1570-86 Maitland Folio MS xlviii. 75.
He bair ane club gert mony carle be coy(b)a1400 Legends of the Saints vii. 401.
He that kert blynd men clerly se
