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

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First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Have, Hawe, v.¹ Also: haw, haiw, haive. See also reduced forms Ha, Hae and A v. Pres. p. havand, -eand, haw(e)and, haiv-, hav(e)ing, -(e)yng. Pres. t. havys, hawys, (h)as, hase, hace, hayis, hais(e (2 pers. haist, haest); hath(e, haith(e. Pa. t. and p.p. had(e, haid(e, hayd. [ME. have(n, habbe, OE. habban. Cf. Haf, Hafe, Hef, Heve.] To have, in various senses and uses.

After conditional p.t. auxiliaries, sometimes followed by the negative nocht, or in the infin., with a following past pple., as he micht (suld, wald etc.) (nocht) (have) done or been something, or to (have) done something, have is often omitted entirely, ? by a further reduction. In addition to the following small selection of examples, see also the various auxiliary verbs and Be v. A. 6 b: c1460 Alex. (Taym.) 3219.
Thay wald him sa fane in handis tane c1475 Wall. xi. 1175.
Had nocht beyne he, ye suld nocht had entres In to this rewlm 1490 Irland Mir. I. 78/32.
Sua that he suld nocht incurrit seknes na bodely deid 15.. Dum Wyf 85.
Thow laid in leifis thrie Quhair ane mycht bene enew c1590 Fowler I. 126/17, 18.
My self, who tymelie suld foirsene To opned wpp the lowring lidds and windowis of my ene

1. tr. With direct object, either material or concept.(a)1375 Barb. i. 157.
The kynryk ȝharn I nocht to haueIb. 224.
Quhat wrachitnes may man haue mar?a1500 Rauf C. 160.
Thow byrd to haue nurtour aneucha1508 KennedyFlyt. 474.
Boun with thé to haue a fals botwand1513 Doug. i. Prol. 56.
Nane is, nor was, … sal haue sic crafte in poetryIb. iii. vii. 27.
A prowd tawbart … to weir and havec1550 Lynd.Meldrum 44.
I think … He suld haue place amang the laif1560 RollandSeven S. 6184.
To haue the toun also the King determit(b)1375 Barb. i. 21.
Thai suld weill hawe prysa1400 Leg. S. i. 93.
Hawe no dredeIb. 252.
We hawe no nede of thi pece1425Reg. Great S. 11/1.
Til halde and til hawe the said officec1475 Wall. i. 383.
Martyns fysche we wald haweIb. ix. 1305.
With his bait thai mycht … passage hawe1576Aberd. B. Rec. II. 27.
That euerie brothir of gild … sall hawe ane halbaird … within his boith1619Elgin Kirk S. 161.
I shall hawe amendis of thé1628Aberd. B. Rec. III. 24.
To hawe resset or beild within the said burght1640Ib. 208.
[To] hawe any pairt in the kingdome of heavine1642Aberd. Council Lett. II. 345.
All the subiectis hawand entresIb. 346.
Ye haw besyd yow … our tounes wreat(c)1562-3 Winȝet I. 64/10 (MS.).
Allegeing thame to haive … auctorite1582ColvilleLett. 4.
Geiue I had better, ye sould haiue it(d) a1500 Lanc. 976.
Fourty thousand armyt men haith he(2)1385Rotuli Sc. II. 73/2.
Haveand … force and effecte in all poyntza1499 Contempl. Sinn. 582.
The wyce … Of fulis havand na awisaciomnc1490 IrlandAsl. MS. I. 9/18.
All person havand wit & discressioun1513 Doug. ii. x. 90.
With his gret mattok havand granys thre1535Acts II. 345/2.
Ilk man havand xl li. land sall haue ane culveringa1570-86 MaitlandMaitl. F. xxviii. 7.
Beseynes not sleuthe haueand tyme and space(b)c1420 Wynt. i. 670.
Weyngys … , as yhe se ernys hawand hereIb. ii. 39.
Ane archare … Hawand in his hand a bowe1545Reg. Cupar A. II. 51.
Hawand thair commonte in the mwre of Montkell1579Edinb. B. Rec. IV. 122.
Personis hawand ony cruves for swyne … fornent the Hie Streitt1584Coll. Aberd. & B. 629.
He hawand no sone on lywe(c)1562Edinb. B. Rec. III. 141.
Officeris, nocht having … detfull regaird to thair conscience1636Banff Ann. I. 75.
[John Browne, etc.] who liwe idlie as codroches out of service in privat houses, haweing na laufull calling, traid, nor vocatioun(3)c1420 Wynt. i. 668.
Thai … naylys scharpe hawys certanlyIb. 712.
Folk … [that] havys bot ane eyc1420 Ratis R. 1125.
This eild … as best [= beast] it havis feilingeIb. 1567.
Of gret eild it havis na dreid 1672 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Processes No. 128 (12 March).
The said complainer haves his residence within the stewartrie (b)c1420 Wynt. iv. 372.
The ansuere … Offt dowbyll wnderstandyn hayisa1500 Gol. & Gaw. 794.
God … alkyn myght haisea1508 KennedyFlyt. 441.
The deuill a gude thou haisc1500-c1512 Dunb. xlix. 48.
Ay rynnis the fox Quhill he fute hais(c)142915th Rep. Hist. MSS. App. viii. 10.
All accyons, qwilkis he hasse or may haf1513 Doug. i. Prol. 35.
Nane … has … sic craft in poetry(b)a1400 Leg. S. xxxiii. 302.
The king And al the puple that he hadec1420 Wynt. i. 94.
Of all thinge … Thai hade large abowndanceIb. 210.
Scho tauld quhat wyttyng that scho hadea1500 Gol. & Gaw. 566.
Throw all the harnes thai hade … wappynis couth wade1626 GardenWorthies 97.
As they highlie honor'd thé that hade them [sc. her graces](b)1375 Barb. v. 298 (E).
Douglas in hart gret glaidschip haidc1475 Wall. iv. 404.
Sotheren wist nocht that he sic plesance haid1490Foulis Chart. MS. (Reg. H.).
My landdis of erytage that I … haide vmquhille1533 Gau 39/8.
Schw hayd na payne or trowbil1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 79.
The landis … and possessiounes quhilkis he haid1600-1610 Melvill 29.
For archerie and goff, I haid how, arrose, glub and bals1631Strathbogie Presb. 2.
To [have] exceptit against it giwe he haid any just reasone1660NicollDiary 305.
The toun of Edinburgh haid 16 companyesa 1714Cromarty Corr. II. 501.
On[e] Kenneth … haid aughtein arrowes in his quiver(c)1375 Barb. vii. 941.
The wall … That had weile ner twelf fute off hychtIb. xi. 309.
In his hye cheuelry Thai had assouerancec1420 Wynt. vii. 410.
That get That Malcolm had of Saynt Margret1456 Hay I. 148/3.
The favouris that he had of beforec1475 Wall. ii. 29.
A churll thai had, that felloune byrdyngis barc1500-c1512 Dunb.Tua Mar. W. 204.
He had the glemyng of gold1531 Bell.Boece II. 472.
Scho had bot xi yeris in age1546 Lynd.Trag. Card. 71.
Off all Scotland. I had the gouernall1596Highland P. I. 170.
Ardkinglas had ane air [= heir] himself(c)a1400 Leg. S. i. 238.
Serpens … he made Sterand as thai lyf had hadec 1400Newbattle Chart. MS. (Reg. H.).
Ane pec(e) of … land … to be haldyn & haid be the said Ranald1483Grant Chart. 35.
Landis … to be haldin and haide1549Breadalbane Coll. (Reg. H.) No. 67.
All rychtis … that I haue haid … to the landis1578Conv. Burghs I. 56.
The … lang and mutuall lowe haid betuix ws1657Aberd. Council Lett. III. 297.
Albeit we haid haid … never so much ammunition(b)1498Douglas Chart. (Reg. H.).
To be haldin & to be had the said proffittis to the said Robert1533 Boece ii. xii. 84b.
Quhen he was certifyit [that] he was had in Ireland1560 RollandSeven S. 807.
We all beleuit till [have] had of ȝow solace1569-73 Bann.Memor. 140.
I remember … when we wald haue bene glaid to [have] had the mes heir

(b) (c) a1598 Ferg. Prov. No. 300.
Had I fish was never good with garlick

2. With additions denoting some condition, use, purpose, or result. a. With prepositions, esp. in, to.For other examples see daynté, e (eye), governing, keping, purpose, remembrance.1375 Barb. i. 5.
Than suld storys … Hawe doubill plesance in heryngIb. vi. 384.
His gouernyng That hade the castell in kepingc1420 Wynt. ii. 910.
Quhare I left, now to begyn I have in purposIb. ix. 54.
Ane wes he That wes had in grete daynte1450Aberd. B. Rec. I. 19.
The eucariste of siluer quhilk Theman goldsmyth had in making1456 Hay I. 261/3.
Gif a man has despyte at ane othirc1450 Craft Deyng 81.
Thai ar nocht worthy to have him to thare … redemar1494Antiq. Aberd. & B. II. 353.
That Henry … sal marrie and haue to wife Marjorie1562-3 Winȝet I. 8/18.
Havand regard to the wrek of this warld1567 G. Ball. 133.
Having my gospell in greit disdanea1578 Pitsc. I. 36/27.
Haweand the weilfair of this realme befoir our eyis1605Aberd. B. Rec. II. 278.
That euerie maister of houshold … hawe bene fyris befoir thair yettis1675Inverness Presb. 334.
They were desyred to haw ther recourse to the comishars for a divorce

b. With adjs. and pples., to with infin., and that.(1)c1420 Wynt. i. 51.
Hawande excusyde my sympylnes1488Treas. Acc. I. 94.
To pure wyfis … that had thare gudis taken away1500Ib. II. 99.
To ane woman that had her husband slane1555Ib. X. 273.
Gevvin to twa of the saidis vitnes to mak thair expens had agane  1560 Rolland Seven S. 1082.
I wald haue giuen. .Ten thousand pound for to haue had it so a1570-86 Maitl. F. clxxix. 36.
Thouht it be lost … the day That thow haid haill & sound ȝestrein1602Misc. Maitl. C. II. 145.
The Dutche merchandis … hawing thair cowpis sett … for keiping of ane lawfull tred(2)1375 Barb. i. 38.
Alexander … , That Scotland haid to steyr and leida1500 Henr.Fab. 362 (A).
Scho had ennuche to eita1500 Rauf C. 61.
I had … mair nait sum freindschip to find1493Edinb. Chart. 173.
To haue lettres to summond thair witnesc1500-c1512 Dunb.Tua Mar. W. 208.
Had I that plesand prevelege … To change & ay to cheise agane1513 Doug. x. x. 36.
Thy … mother sall thé not haue To erd, as custum is1562-3 Winȝet I. 91/10 (ms).
Nocht haweand mynd to performea 1568Sat. P. xlvii. 5.
Havand na commission To hurt Dame Venus virgenis1590 BurelPilgr. i. xxii.
Quhois ȝowling … I haue na will to heir1628Rep. Sir R. Menzies MSS. 698.
He hade warrand to take … order with them(3)1533 Bell.Livy I. 79/21.
Havand na cognissance that his sonnys wife was with chylde

3. As auxiliary verb with past pples.(a)c1420 Wynt. v. 2411.
Till hawe gottyn … Of gold and sylvyr gret plentec1490 IrlandAsl. MS. I. 73/25.
I haue nocht had … abstenance aganis gluttery1537 Lynd.Depl. Magd. 116.
The honest burges cled thow suld haue sene1577Glasgow B. Rec. I. 69.
[A] calsay maker, quhom thai hawe borrowit fra … Dundey  a1578 Pitsc. I. 220/11.
Giueand him consall to haue devoirit his sone 1580Cath. Tr. 69/12.
Nocht haiwand obteined full remissioneIb. 70/9.
Be sick meanes as I haiw declared1601Highland P. III. 105.
The misery quhilk I aknawleg to hawe … deseruid1642Aberd. Council Lett. II. 345.
Ye haw resaivit the extract of ane decreit1653Glasgow B. Rec. II. 270.
His wyfe haweing brocht out thrie childrein(2)a 1350Facs. Nat. MSS. II. 14.
[The abbot and convent] has grantit1375 Barb. vi. 256.
Aucht men … has he slanea1400 Leg. S. xxxvi. 988.
His sterne we Hes sene in the est1405Antiq. Aberd. & B. IV. 173.
The said Schir Dauid … hase tane instrumentc1420 Wynt. ii. 846.
The Scottis … Havys it … haldyn ay1454Liber Coll. Glasg. 177.
Iohne Steuart hasse gyffin and grawntyde … a tenement1488Dunferm. B. Rec. 5.
The doym that ye has gyffyn is ewyl1490Bk. Carlaverock II. 448.
I, … Sir Alexander, hace sett to my seill1495Maxwell Mem. 217.
We, … Mathew, as hungyn to our seyll1513 Doug. xii. viii. 36.
Achates Byhedit has the wight Epulones1568Waus Corr. I. 43.
Boyth parteis hais subscrywit the … contrak(b)1375 Barb. i. 514.
To hald that thai forspokyn haidIb. xi. 371.
He … thame helit hade Vith stikisc1420 Wynt. iv. 2686.
A cribe that … he fundyn hade1490Acta Aud. 139/2.
The lordis … haid gevin a decrett contrare himc1590 J. Stewart 87/266.
Boyling baile his … braine haid blont1624Peebles B. Rec. 412.
The depursmentis he hade depursit in Selkirt1660Aberd. B. Rec. IV. 191.
He haid left his charge … , and haid not acquantit the counsell(b)1375 Barb. iii. 216.
Thai … Had fled … Had nocht bene Scipioa1400 Leg. S. vi. 342.
Sene God fyrste had this warld wrocht1456 Hay I. 51/31.
Sa had thai done, had nocht bene schir Ciproc1500-c1512 Dunb.Tua Mar. W. .
As [if] Belzebub had on me blentc1540 Lynd.Kitteis Conf. 40.
I wald I had bene thare1567Sat. P. vi. 108.
Leif nathing … Unrutit out as it had neuer bene  1597 Misc. Spald. C. I. 128.
Quhilk giw scho had nocht doon, scho had deeit(c) 1492 Myll Spect. 278/30.
[They] haith tane sic vengeance that thai haif ryddyn [etc.]

4. To take or bring, carry or convey to or from a place.Frequent with away, and very common in the past pple. had.(a)a1500 Rauf C. 743.
The knichtis bad haue him to hing1482Edinb. Chart. 167.
Fremen … byand ony gudis in Leith to haue away1513 Doug. xi. i. 53.
Lat ws to erd haue The corpsys … onbegraue15.. Clar. iv. 2181.
Thairin hes [he] garte lay him doune, To have him to his friendis haistillie1549Edinb. Hammermen 181 b.
Giffin to haue away of the stanis out of the hospetall ȝard(b)1375 Barb. xv. 240.
He … syne had him to haly stedc1400 Troy-bk. ii. 417.
He … to the shippes … in hast thame hadec1420 Wynt. v. 5657.
He … hade wyth hym that croys away That Cryst deyd on?1438 Alex. ii. 3540.
Ane mariner had thame ouer Pharounc1475 Wall. ii. 342.
Scho had him wp to Wallace by the des1498Acta Conc. II. 290.
[They] strak up his duris … and had away with thame iiij horsea1578 Pitsc. I. 230/2.
The Scottis men … tuik … his thrie schipis and had them wpe to Tayc1650 Spalding I. 48.
Thay … spolȝeit a number of cattell … and avowitly had thame to Bryak fair(c)a1400 Leg. S. xxix. 881.
Hou … thai With wyld bestis war had away1398Acts I. 212/2.
The paying of custum of … hors and nowte had out of the landc1400 Troy-bk. ii. 1401.
He gert … thir asshes … For to be had in hys cuntre1497Edinb. B. Rec. I. 71.
Mylnis … brokin and had away be tempest1515Ib. 156.
He was adjugeit to be had to the trone1533 Boece iii. iii. 94.
Cesare … causit sa mony as war woundit be had to schippis1555Prot. Bk. T. Dalrymple 1b.
The … corn wes schorn and haid away1570-3 Bann.Trans. 489.
The deid corps … was tane out of the chalmer and hade into the chapell1595Edinb. B. Rec. V. 145.
Sic [persons] … to be imprysonet … and had to the crocec1650 Spalding I. 225.
Scoolis given wp, and the barnes had hame to thair parentis

5. a. In various idiomatic uses.1375 Barb. xiii. 305 (E).
Hawys gude dayIb. xvi. 236.
Thou has vrang, perfayc1420 Wynt. ii. 1405.
Sum tyme yit warthai hadeIb. viii. 6935.
The prowdast … Sall on the hevyd have wyth this mace1456 Hay I. 55/32.
Thai had lever all dee togider na to leve that noble tounec1475 Wall. ix. 1543.
Doand thar to as dede askis till hawe1513 Doug. ii. xi.49.
Haue done, … clym vp anonea1500 Peblis to Play 170.
I sall anis haue at him1554Edinb. B. Rec. II. 199.
That thai sett … wappinschawingis to be haid within thair awin boundis1584Waus Corr. II. 313.
Johnne Kennedy hes declarit … that ye ar desirous to haue your goishalk fra Robert Stewart 1603 Moysie Mem. 1.
Being admitted to the Kingis Majesteis presence, wes sa had and acceptit as theare wes ane chalmer appoynted for him in the castell  a1650 Row 419.
The dewill have it aillis yow 1676 Kirkcaldy B. Rec. 28 May.
Considering that Wm. Henderson executor to umquhile Barbara Anderson is desyrous to have up the 2000 merkes now resting to him

b. To know by heart.1609Kinghorn Kirk S. 17.
Being accusit for his ignorance in nocht hawing the commands1627Elgin Rec. II. 198.
William Coban actit for his man … that he sall have the comandis tuixt this and Pasche

6. intr. and refl. To behave, conduct oneself.c1420 Wynt. ix. 3144.
The multitude … Commendyt heily his affere … As he him hawyt adresly1490 IrlandMir. I. 16/26.
How thi hienes suld have thé anens God and thi pepil1544Reg. Privy S. III. 133/2.
Providing that the saidis personis have thame honestlie within oure realme1560 RollandSeven S. 851.
Gine I my self as dum man moste me haue Seuin dayis but speichea1570-86 Maitl. F. cxiii. 19.
Trew knowlege sall I get … How I sall haue me at all houris

7. Additional use: see Ado adv. 2.