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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.

Hecht, Heicht, v.¹ Also: heht, heght, heichte, heycht, height, haight, hech, heft, and Hicht v.¹ (and cf. Het v.). [ME. heghte, heȝte, hehte, heȝt, OE. heht, p.t. of hátan. In Sc. the infin. and present stem have the same forms as the p.t. and p.p.] tr. To promise, vow, undertake.With various constructions: (1) with to and infin.; (2) with that (also omitted) and clause; (3) with direct object; also in absolute uses.(1) 1375 Barb. x. 262.
He his man hecht for till be Ib. xii. 386.
Thai may als hecht till fulfill [etc.] 1388 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III. 294.
The forsaid John hecht faithably to deliuer … al the evidentes and chartres 1456 Hay I. 178/28.
Gif a man hechtis till his maister to pas with him to the haly grave a1500 Bk. Chess 960.
He had hecht to wnderlye the pane 1502 Treas. Acc. II. 149.
To ane callit Foulartoun that hecht to the King to mak precious stanes 1560 Rolland Seven S. 9293.
To counter him be my hand I haue hecht 1587 Waus Corr. 382.
My lord secretare hes hecht to hald his majestie in remembrance(b) a1400 Leg. S. xi. 122.
The epystil … Quhare-in he heycht to mend his stat 1402 Dundee Chart. No. 22.
The saidez parties … heicht for thaim & thair successours til haue ferme & stable [etc.] c1420 Wynt. vi. 458.
He heycht a denere To pay … Off ilk fyre hows a 1570 6th Rep. Hist. MSS. App. 652/1.
The doctour … heicht to send our sum thing that suld he remeide for the wormis a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 897 (Wr.).
I height him, … To perish first, ere he prevaile(2) a1400 Leg. S. iii. 964.
I … , Goddis servand, hechtis thé That thu sal hafe thi vphalding [etc.] 1385 Red Bk. Menteith II. 261.
The forsayde … faythfully heht … that thai sulde halde [etc.] 1388 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 12.
We haf heft trevly we sal manteyn hir [etc.] 1389 Ib. No. 17.
Be it knavyn ... ws ... hafe grantit and lely hech til ... Jon of Montgumry ... that [etc.] 1393-4 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 29.
I hech lelly ... it sal be doyn eraste to the said Colyn 1456 Hay II. 164/10.
Thare is mony that will hecht and say thai sall do wele c1475 Wall. x. 172.
Lord Stewart … hecht … he suld repent full sar The gret trespace c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxvii. 26.
The tailȝeour hecht … That he suld ding the sowtar doun 1560 Rolland Seven S. 6473.
He tuik on hand and hecht to this lady Fyue scoir florens of him suld haue reddy(b) a1400 Leg. S. xxvii. 843.
He heicht hym he suld do swa 1380 Yule Collection (Reg. H.).
Wit al men ws … til have heicht … that we sal [etc.] 1381 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 4.
That we lely heichtis & grantis [etc.] c1420 Wynt. v. 5053.
He … sayd he heycht hyr trewly To that web that he suld wewe 15.. Clar. i. 1530.
I ane thing sall height ȝow heir … That he salbe … ane crounit king(3) a1400 Leg. S. xxxvi. 1022.
Bath gold & fe Hechtand hyme in-to plente c1420 Wynt. v. 1897.
As wemen … Hechtys and awowys mare Than efft to qwyt off wyll thai are 1456 Hay I. 228/7.
And [= if] I had hecht a man a noble suerd a1500 Henr. Fab. 2372.
That he had hecht ane caboik he forthinkis c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxvi. 78.
Vpon the heid of it is hecht Bayth unicornis, and crownis of wecht 1531 Bell. Boece II. 260.
The croun, quhilk wes hecht be the thrid sister a1568 Scott iii. 34.
Hecht thame giftis, howbeid ȝe gif thame nocht 1596 Dalr. II. 338/4.
He hechtis the forsaid deukrie to the Gouernour 1614 Misc. Maitl. C. I. 422.
Mr. George … hechtand him ane discharge wold not give him it(b) 1490 Irland Mir. I. 18/26.
The vij promittis that he has promittit and heicht to his … heretaris of paradice 1512 Lennox Mun. 204.
Ane sowme of monȝe heicht and promyttit to me a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 498.
Hope gude hap hes heichte 1587-99 Hume 37/110.
God … whose promissis are trew … hes height vs vthers new

b. absol. To make a promise. c1420 Wynt. vii. 202.
Off that gave he hym na thyng, As he had heycht Ib. viii. 1038.
Nakyt … Scho rade, as scho had heycht beforne ?1438 Alex. ii. 2667.
Hechtis and geues thame largely c1530-40 Stewart Bann. MS. 89 a/17.
It that thow gevis deliuer quhen thow hechtis Ib. 22.
He that hechtis and causis me attend Syne gevis me nocht 1570 Sat. P. xii. 160.
Suppois ȝe hecht, to se ȝow fecht That day will neuer daw 1587-99 Hume 41/15.
Yet as I haight, so sall I hald, to magnifie the Lord

c. Parenthetically, I hecht, I undertake, I avow, I dare say.(1) a1500 Seven S. 2638.
Certis, it sall be so; I hecht in verbo regio c1500-c1512 Dunb. xlii. 55.
I hecht, … I houp to lows the presoneir 1560 Rolland Seven S. 4657.
I hecht be the rude, Do ȝe not sa, I sall se ȝour hart blude 15.. Clar. iv. 847.
Scho … Saide to the poune, ‘I vow and heightis thus, [etc.]’(2) ?1438 Alex. i. 983.
Few eschewit his strakis, I hecht Ib. ii. 2934.
Thay ar baith hardy, stout and bald, … suthly I hecht 1513 Doug. i. vi. 94.
Dido heirat commovit, I ȝou hecht, For hir departing falloschip reddy maid