Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
MELIORATE, v. Sc. Law, gen. of a tenant: to make improvements upon the buildings, fences or land of his holding. Hence melioration, an improvement made by a tenant upon the land or buildings rented by him, most commonly applied to the allowance made for such improvements to the tenant by the landlord upon the termination of the lease (Inv. 1795 Stat. Acc.1 XIII. 383). Attrib. in combs. as melioration letter, — paper, a written agreement or compensation for improvements.Sc. 1803 Morison Decisions 15264:
It did not make the house larger than was proper for such a farm; so that, in fact, it was a melioration.Sc. 1838 W. Bell Dict. Law Scot. 641, 644:
An obligation on the tenant to meliorate or repair, if not implemented by himself, falls upon his representatives. . . . A clause binding the landlord to make the necessary meliorations.n.Sc. 1884 Crofters' Comm. Evid. III. 2362, 2492:
A man lost £20 valuation, through having mislaid or destroyed his “melioration paper”. . . . We are deprived of this melioration labour as well, which is bound to make us worse than in Sir George Gunn Munro's time. I put in a copy of the original melioration letter, which is as follows: — “I, George Gunn Munro, . . . bind myself and my heirs and successors whomsoever to pay melioration to the small tenants . . . for any neat stone and lime cottages, byres, barns, &c., and stone dykes they may build”.
