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

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First published 1990 (DOST Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Renew, v. Also: ra-, rei- and -newe, -neu-, -nu(e, -nw-. [ME and e.m.E. renuwe(n (Chaucer), -newe(n (Wyclif), -nue (1402), f. re- and New adj., after L. renovāre; Renove v.]

1. tr. To make new, or as new, again; to restore to a better or fresher condition previously enjoyed. b. To restore spiritually; to regenerate. c1450-2 Howlat 854 (A).
He besocht … That thai wald pray natur his prent to renewe a1500 Henr. Thre Deid Pollis 18.
Farest of flowris renewit quhyt & reid a1500 K. Hart 92.
The sone that dois renew Thir vther flouris c1552 Lynd. Mon. 6055.
The heuin renewit salbe than, Rycht so the erth a1568 Sempill Sat. P. xlviii 75.
With vlis to renew it [sc. cloth], and mak it weill hewit 1596 Dalr. I 221/18.
The ordour of mounkes quhilke S. Basile afor had founded in the orient … S. Benedicte renued the same — 1591 Warrender P. (S.H.S.) II 159.
He had to renew the mynd of melancolik personsb. a1500 Bernardus 60.
Proponande that thi … vertew Sic fulechte men with worchipe suld renew a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 1143 (Arund.).
Renewis [v.rr. reves, -is] me spreit be cleir espectioun 1533 Gau 31/4.
Faith … renwis the hart and makis ane nev man

c. To make available again (with the same efficacy as previously). 1513 Doug. iv ii 23.
Wald scho … oft, with hir awyn handis, Renew and beyt the sacrifyce all day 1561 Q. Kennedy Compendious Ressonyng (ed.) 159/17.
The sacramentis … ar the instrumentis … quhairby the fructis of Christis … passioun is daylie renewit

2. To restore (a structure or manufactured article) by repairing or mending; to renovate. c1420 Wynt. vii 1922 (C).
Ioce … Renewit [R. rowmyt] the kyrk of Sancte Mongew 1473–4 Edinb. B. Rec. I 28.
That nane of the craftismen of hat making … sow renew or mend ony auld hattis 1531 Bell. 1531 Boece I 181.
Calphurnius … maid him, with all diligence, to renew the wall of Adrian 1533–4 Dumfr. & Galloway Soc. 3 Ser. XV 104.
[He] sall mak and renew the ij wyndoks 1546–7 Stirling B. Rec. I 45.
Williame Purves, knokmakair, to renew and repair the ald knok 1562-3 Winȝet II 4/17.
Nehemias … renewis, and strenthis the portis thairof [sc. Jerusalem] 1582 Edinb. B. Rec. IV 236.
To caus renew … the sam [measures] … with bandis of irne 1638 Rec. Univ. Aberd. 411.
The midmungyeallis suld be renewit of the great window 1649 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 96.
The maister of the kirkwark to renew and mack wp the cushin that lyes befoir the provost 1664 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 209.
The croves laitlie buildit and renewed vpon the water of Done

b. ? To go over (a document) again, making alterations. 1584 Edinb. Test. XIV 162.
The premisis to be alterit, renewit, & changit in haill or in part be augmentatioun or dimwnitioun thairof 1655 Dumfries Council Min. 5 Nov.
To reinew & revise the asistant rolls

3. To restore or reinforce ((the strength of) an army) with fresh troops. c1420 Wynt. viii 4199.
Offt renewyd thai war wyth men For till assayle that castell then c1475 Wall. x 58.
Till him he com with men off armes … thair power to renew 1533 Boece 158.
Renewe 1535 Stewart 26960.
This King Occa his power did renew With nobill men out of Saxonia

4. To grant afresh; to extend the validity, application or period of (a lease, gift, court of law, etc.).Appar. only Sc. till 1617. c1420 Wynt. vii 1769.
The Pape … renewyd all thare priwylage, Thare custwmys, and thare awawntage 1470 Reg. Panmure II 246.
I haf renewit the said infeftment c1575 Balfour Pract. 273.
The parliament, justice airis, nor chalmerlane airis, neidis not to be renewit fra day to day 1592 Acts III 565/1.
The gift and donatioun renewit to his hienes darrest spous of the lordschip of Dumfermling 1602 Melvill 548.
Ane speciall gressowme … condescendit upon … for … 19 yeiris, and to be renewit yeirly thairefter for the lyk space and the lyk gressowme 1607 Orkney Rentals App. 91.
And sua shall renue the said tackis a1633 Hope Major Pract. II 103. 1654 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 141.
By dead, charter patent, or infeofament, to be renevit wpon the death of eury heretour [etc.] 1689 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. XIII 460.
His majesties right to be renewed at Michellmiss

5. To repeat; to announce again; to utter (again or more than once). c1450-2 Howlat 708 (A).
Gif I suld mak end, It neidis nocht to renewe all thar naturis a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 422.
Peter … him thris denyit, Or the cok thris renewit had his sange a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 2 (W).
Birds on bewes Ten thousand times thair notes renewes 1595 Edinb. B. Rec. V 146.
The proclamatioun of the xij d. aill to be renewet 1629 Justiciary Cases I 139.
The depositioun maid be Toppok befoir hir convictioun, and eftir hir convictioun renewit and ratifeit be hir at the staik

b. To re-enjoin (a duty) on a person. 1698 Penninghame Par. Rec. I 19.
Michael M'Taggart not performing appointment about the Session bible it is renewed on him

6. To revive or reawaken (a feeling, memory or pain). a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 971 (Asl.).
Hir dule excedand his dolour couth renewe ?a1500 Dewoit Exerc. 205.
Quhat creuell drawing that thai drew renewit gretumly all the pane of ȝour deipe woundis a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 1058.
My gle is gone, renewit is my wo 1513 Doug. xi xii 108.
So … persand euery part It dowblis and renewys the manis smart a1568 Bann. MS 219b/15.
My luf, … Quhois cristall ene … Renewis [ed. reuellis] my pane but solace or repoirt 1585 Acts III 399/1.
All actioun … to be extinct … and the memorie thairof nevir to be renevit in ony sorte

7. To revive (an agreement or alliance); to reestablish; to ratify, or confirm, again.(a) 1466 (1471) Reg. Great S. 214/1.
Bundin … baith be lettir and sele for to renew and declare the auld merchis 1488 Acts II 207/1. c1515 Asl. MS I 268/3.
This renewit the band of Fraunce a1538 Abell 89b. 1535 Stewart 3119.
At Bolon … thai renewit the auld lig betuix France & Scotland c1500-50 Brevis Cronica 334.
Alexander … renewit the band with France 1570 Leslie 74. 1596 Dalr. I 339/5.
Ane ambassadour … to renew the baund and lege of frendeship standand amangis thame c1615 Chron. Kings 93.
The leig and band betuix Scotland and Emdem was renewitt 1622 Red Bk. Menteith II 322.
To iterat and renewe thir presentis(b) 1596 Dalr. I 136/8.
Peace being renuet 1630-1651 Gordon Geneal. Hist. 158.
That shoe should not renue nor keip a league with any prince against England

b. To bring (a custom, rule of conduct, way of behaviour, etc.) back into use or existence; to reintroduce. 1513 Doug. iv iv 31.
Apollo list … To vissy Delos, … Renewand ryngis and dansys, mony a rowt 1533 Bell. Livy I 191/9.
The Romanis war makand thare provisioun to renew the grete playis mony ȝere before hantit in thare ciete 1567 Reg. Privy C. I 574.
The former corruptioun and abuse wes renewit 1649 Misc. Hist. Soc. I 217.
I cannot but renue our old acquaintance

c. To revie (a previously rejected doctrine or heresy). 1580 Hay in Cath. Tr. 54/15.
Quhy have ye renewed the heresie of Berengarius

d. To re-enact. 1658 S. Leith Rec. 111.
That the old act concerning brydle lawings sould be reneued 1682 Lauder Notices Affairs I 360.

8. To resume (an activity); to begin again. a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 299 (Asl.).
Efterwart thar synnis couth renewe 1530 Lynd. Test. Pap. 1109.
The Phenix … quhen scho hir lyfe renewis 1535 Stewart 38471 h. of ch.
How he renewit the feild agane and faucht 1570 Sat. P. xvii 79.
Penitents, quha myndis not vice renew 1596 Dalr. I 148/20.
Sumtymes renueng the carmische quhair thay mycht 1616 Sutherland Bk. II 122.
The misfortunat trwble renewit … betuix McKy and his wyf 1630-1651 Gordon Geneal. Hist. 46.
Renueing

9. To replace (one person or thing) by (with) another of the same office or kind. a1538 Abell 29b.
Paip Fabian 19 … ordanit at the creme suld be renewit ilk ȝere and the auld suld be birnt 1559 Rentale Dunkeld. (S.H.S.) 355.
For lynis and iij hundreth hukis on thame; … for iij hundreth hukis to renew thame vith 1570 Leslie 156.
Thair [they] renewit thair victuellis … with freishe meitts — 1628 Fraserburgh Kirk S. II 23 Nov.
Elderis renewit

b. To refill, replenish. a1500 Henr. Fab. 1687.
Bachus … renewit hes Hir [sc. Ceres] tume pyipis in Italie and France With wynis wicht [etc.]

10. intr. To become new, or as new, again; to grow afresh. 1461 Liber Plusc. 385.
He maid this warld nocht to be ay lestande, Bot to renew, and ay be renewande

b. To begin again. a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 47.
For quhilk wanhope his teiris can renew c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 116.
Quhen that the sound of his saw sinkis in my eris, Than ay renewis my noy

c. To become again. Const. adj. compl. c1590 Fowler I 133/184.
And these fair lookes … That death and tyme did palish mak, sall brawe agane renew

11. a. To renew apon, to make a fresh attack or onslaught on. b. To renew to, to return or rally to.a. c1475 Wall. v 289.
Sad men in deid wpon him can renew Ib. vii 707.
Ynglis archaris apon thaim can ranewb. c1475 Wall. x 691.
Feill scalyt folk to thaim will son ranew