Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 1968 (SND Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1700-1722, 1773, 1838
[1,1,1,0,0,0,0,1,0,0,0,0,0,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0]
†REPROBATOR, n. Also reprobature. An action in law brought by a party in a case in order to challenge the honesty or impartiality of a witness. [rə′probətər]Sc. 1700 Morison Decisions 12119:
Reprobators are still competent before sentence.Sc. 1722 W. Forbes Institute I. iv. 211:
The Intendment of which Action of Reprobature is to prove Incapacity or Corruption in a Witness.Sc. 1773 Erskine Institute iv. n. § 29:
The party objecting may . . . protest for a reprobator, i.e. protest that he may be allowed afterwards to bring evidence of the witness's enmity to him, or of his partial counsel in some other article.Sc. 1838 W. Bell Dict. Law Scot. 854:
There is no recent example of an action of reprobator. The objections which were formerly the subject of this action may, by the present practice, be proved by the testimony of witnesses adduced when the objectionable witness is tendered.
