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

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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Trad(e, Tred, v. Also: traide, tread(e, tredd, trede, treid, treed, trod(e. P.t. tre(a)d, traded. P.p. tred(e, tredd, trod(e, tro(a)den, traden, treddin, traded. [ME and e.m.E. tredenn (Orm), tred(en (a1340), tradde (c1440), treade (1535), trade (1548), tread (1583), OE tredan, MDu., MLG trēden.]

1. tr. To step on, crush, trample (something). Chiefly, const. prep. or adv. Also fig. and in fig. context.(a) 1513 Doug. xii vi 78.
Quhil blude and brane, in abu[n]dans furth sched, Mydlit with sand vndir hors feit was tred [Ruddim. trede] 1560 Rolland Seven S. 1166.
Als sone as scho the chedull had out red, Vnder hir feit incontinent it tred. And syne agane with hir teith scho it raif c1590 Fowler II 25/3.
[They] violen[t]ly casting thair hands all with one preis vpon my body & thrawing me to the ground, tred me vnder thair feite 1599 Aberd. Council Lett. I 82.
To the offence of God, contempt of us and our auctoritie they eatt tread and destroyit with their hors a greit quantitie of the corne growand thairupoun 1603 W. Alexander Darius 1247 (A).
For hauing found a crowne tred [J. foil'd] on the ground 1611 Reg. Privy C. IX 292.
Thair tramped, tred and distroyed a grite quantitie of the said complenaris peitis 1624 Kinghorn Kirk S. 27.
To set up ane foirface to … his dask, to saue his wyfe and wynis fra being tred upon be these that gois in to the yll [of the kirk](b) 1669 Salmon Borrowstounness 87.
That no persounes … eat, tramp or trade any of thair neighebours cornes or grase with their bestiall or goodsfig. pres. 1513 Doug. vi Prol. 115.
Happy war he … Vndir his feyt at treddis and down thryngis Chancis ontretabill of fatis and destane c1520-c1535 Nisbet I 3.
God … said vnto the serpent … the same sall tred doun thi hede, and thow sall tred him on the h[eel] 1585 James VI Ess. 39.
Lose not heart, though pale inuye … tread vnder foote thy verse, As if they were vnworthie to reherse 1608 Bk. Islay 124.
To suppres and trede under all and quhatsumevir rebellious lymmaris within ony pairt of his Majesties impyre(b) 1563 G. Hay Confutation Abbot Crosraguel 46b.
He spoileth the Sonne of God, … trodding him underfoote 1625 Garden Kings 33.
O're Tirrannie triumphantlie he trods [pr. trode; rh. gods]p.p. 1548 Knox III 10.
The head of Sathan shall be troaden down 1561 Knox VI 126.
Christ Jesus be not in his membres openlie troden under the feitt of the ungodlie 1650 Short Reply Unto Declaration of the Army of England 9.
Religion … is troden under foot, and layes in the dust(b) 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 16/13.
Let king, people, lawe & all be tred vnder foote 1581-1623 James VI Poems I 205/28.
Tredd(c) 1630-1651 Gordon Geneal. Hist. 182.
Promises … are commonlie traden under foote, when they ly in the way either to honor or revenge

b. specif. To thresh (grain) by trampling. Also fig. with reference to tramping grapes. 1562 Knox Ressoning 172.
The tasker, or the foot of the ox, tradeth it [sc. the wheat] out 1603 Shetland Sheriff Ct. (ed.) 69.
Magnus Houstoun is dempt to quite himselff and his hous of the stowth of Thomas Gardeis corne upoun liklines that thair wes echeris tred to his housfig. c1520-c1535 Nisbet Rev. xiv 20.
The angel send his huke into the erd, and gadrit the grapes of the wyneyard of the erd, and send into the gret lake of Goddis ire. And the lake was treddin without the citee

c. intr. To step, set foot on or in; to trample (up)on.(a) 1513 Doug. v vi 78.
This ȝongkeir heiron tred and fute set 1596 Dalr. I 225/22.
He forbad … that the sygne of the croce nane … paynte or forme vpon the ground, quhairthrouche feit mychte haue occasione to tred or tramp thairvpon 1669 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. III 100.
One of them … beat him to the ground and tread upon him desperatly with his feet(b) a1649 Drummond II 245.
Trade softlie, passenger, vpon this stone c1680 Morisone in Macfarlane's Geog. Coll. II 213.
Catle … are constantlie in the open feilds and such seeds wold not endure to be ordinarlie traded upon as bear and oats will doe(c) a1651 Calderwood IV 530.
When the emperour had called him again from exile … Yitt would he not trode within the citie

2. tr., fig. To follow a particular way of life, follow an example. c1590 Fowler I 67/8.
Thairbe confort cam to me … When as I spyed me tred that trace when gods and men did go c1590 Fowler I 295/15.
That wilde desart of youth … Uell tred and tracked euery way, and througlye beaten 1581-1623 James VI Poems II 82/25.
Here she is who makes thee trade The statelie forcked hill 1644 Rec. Kirk Scotl. 400.
They walk in a way which hath not been troden by this nation a1649 Drummond Wks. (1711) 226.
They can hardly be compared together, trading diverse paths 1661 Fugitive Poetry II xxxii 5/24.
By paving way to others to be trode

b. To track, trace, hunt (an animal or its tracks). 1567 Acts III 41/2.
Ordanis … the panis contenit thairin tobe execute aganis thame that treddis hairis in the snaw a1568 Bann. MS 156a/18.
Ane malwart tred a maw Gife ȝe trow nocht this sang be suth Speir ȝe at thame that saw 1596 Dalr. I 350/6.
And … callis a smith, quhome he causes to schue thrie suofte horses backward, that … the persewer and the ennimie follower mycht nocht find how to tred the horses fute rycht

c. intr. To tread, walk. 1632 Lithgow Trav. i 22.
I haue trod foure seuerall times from end to end of it 1632 Lithgow Trav. x 506.
These once happy iles which long agoe my feet traded ouer

d. tr. Of a woman: To tred one's scho on heill, to lose one's virtue. c1460 Thewis Gud Women 273.
Quhen scho is tred hir scho one heill Than will thai say, ‘Had scho done weill Scho had ben maryt richly’ a1568 Bann. MS 278a/33.
Thair is no berne will bring ȝow to his bed Bot every ane will say … Lo quhair scho gois hes tred hir scho on heill

3. absol. or intr. Of a male bird: To copulate with the female. a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xviii 55.
He greu so goked with that gled … With tym sho tystit him [sc. a hawk] to tred

4. intr. To trade, deal in or with a commodity. Also fig. and in fig. context.(a) 1590 Dundee B. Laws 129.
Sick persones … as traides with eggis, kaill, onyons [etc.] 1662 Kirkcaldy B. Rec. 173.
It sall be leisom to any burgess … to trad and traffique in all sorts of wares 1692 Conv. Burghs IV 647.
The regalite of Kirriemuire … trades … with all kynd of merchant vair 1692 Brechin Town Council in Misc. B. Rec. 100.
Eight or ten of the inhabitants trading in bear and maill(b) 1613 Stirling Merch. Guild 33.
[The craftsmen] cravand libertie to … tredd with … lynning, harden plaiding [etc.] 1634 Edinb. Test. LVI 263a.
I being … able to dispone transact or tred in ony thing competentfig. 1664 Pitcairne Spiritual Sacrifice 203.
Whether would you trade with your own stock or not? Whether do you expect more by your prayers, or your labour and industry? 1668 Bk. Old Edinb. C. V 143.
His debollicall lyeing discoverie … which he trades in … to gaine money

b. tr. To trade in (a commodity). 1613 Stirling Merch. Guild 33.
To by tredd or sell onie of the said stapill vairis

5. intr. To trade, do business. Also, const. at, betuix or to a place or places. 1597 Insh Colonial Schemes 12.
Instructione and devyses necessar for sic as treddis on sey, to any forane countreis 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 91/1.
Permitte & allure forraine mairchaintis to treade heir, sa sall ye haue best & best chape uairis [etc.] 1602 Dundee Shipping P. 75.
[He] thinks to treid betueix Ayrrland and Llesborne 1628 Aberd. Council Lett. I 287.
Our nichtbors who tredds to Flanders 1629 Justiciary Cases I 97.
Haifing na uther meanis quhairupoune to leave or tred with bot ane fishing boit 1633 Aberd. Council Lett. I 385.
Anent the new impost of fyve of the hundreth latelie imposed upon our nation tredding in France 1676 Edinb. B. Rec. X 273.
James Fall and Robert Douglas … promised to enact themselves not to tred at Leith 1691 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Deeds II 541.
[The said George bearing his own expense] to reading the place wher he is to treed

6. To negotiate, to have discussions. 1620 Edinb. B. Rec. VI 204.
To sie that commissioneris be instructit to tread and conclude anent the planting of ane in the said hous