Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1934 (SND Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
ARRHAE, Arrae, Arrabo, n. Earnest money.Sc. 1754 Erskine Princ. Sc. Law (1820) 316:
Arrhae, or earnest, is sometimes given by the buyer, as an evidence that the contract is perfected; but this is not necessary.Sc. 1909 Green's Encycl. Law Sc. I. 488–489:
Arrhae, arrae or arrabo. The word, which occurs in the texts in each of these different forms, appears to be of Phœnician origin, and is employed in Roman law to denote any thing — e.g. a ring — given to bind a bargain. . . . The Scots institutional writers assign the same functions to arrhae as did the classical jurists.
