A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Tray, n.2 Also: tre, (traes). [ME and e.m.E. treye [v.r. þre] (Chaucer), trey (c1450), also, treis (Gower), trayse (c1400), appar. contractions for trey-ace, 18th c. Eng. tray (1772), OF and AF treis, trei, trois, L. trēs.] A three in dice. Also comb. as tre trace, traes ace, a throw of two dice in which one turns up three and the other one, trace in the Bann. MS example being probably an alteration of ace for the sake of alliteration. —1460 Hay Alex. 8624.
Be sys and trayis a1568 Bann. MS 257a/30.
That I wend had bene reid was blew That semit ane syis was bot ane tray —comb. a1568 Bann. MS 158a/39.
Troll of the tre trace [Awdelay tritrace] is reddy ay drukkin a1689 Cleland 21.
Tho men should come in such a case, I would not valu'd a traes ace
