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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1968 (SND Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

RESET, v., n. Also obs. variants resett, resset(t); resait-; recet. Pa.p. reset(t). A variant form of Eng. receipt (s.Sc. 1857 H. S. Riddell St. Matthew ix. 9). Gen.Sc. usages. [rə′sɛt]

I. v. 1. To receive, harbour, give shelter or protection to (Sc. 1710 T. Ruddiman Gl. to Douglas Aeneis, 1782 J. Sinclair Ob. Sc. Dial. 92). Hence resetter, one who gives shelter, a harbourer (Ruddiman).Rxb. 1713 Trans. Hawick Arch. Soc. (1900) 123:
This day also the minister did intimate from the pulpit, that none resett strangers in their families without testimonials of their deportment.Sc. 1715 Earls Crm. (Fraser 1876) II. 165:
If the Pretender was resett, abated, or asisted in France.Sc. 1820 Scott Abbott xxxv.:
If he turns resetter of idle companions and night-walkers, the place must be rid of him.

2. Specif. to harbour suspected or known criminals. Agent n. resetter.Lnk. 1711 Minutes J.P.s (S.H.S.) 118:
Any resetters, supliers, or intercomuners with any such vagabond Egyptians.Sc. 1752 J. Louthian Forms of Process 158:
Resetting Traitors, or those who lay at the Horn for Treasonable Practices.Sc. 1826 H. Duncan William Douglas I. i.:
He's a resetter o' suspected persons.

3. To receive and keep, usu. for the purpose of reselling, stolen goods. Deriv. resetter, one who receives stolen goods.ne.Sc. 1714 R. Smith Poems (1853) 21:
Invercall would not receipt A thing that's got by stealth or cheat.Sc. 1726 Edb. Ev. Courant (22–24 March):
Five Persons charged with selling or reseting of a Diamond Necklace, &c.Sc. 1743 Scots Mag. (Dec.) 572:
Daniel Mackenzie is bruited, habite and repute a resetter of stoln goods, and is guilty, art or part, of stealing or resetting, at the time libelled, the plaid and blankets.Sc. 1773 Erskine Institute iv. iv. § 63:
Such as sell goods belonging either to thieves, or to other lawless persons who dare not themselves appear at a public market, may be justly considered, not only as resetters of the goods, if they are stolen, but as concealers of the thieves or other offenders from justice.Peb. 1817 R. Brown Comic Poems 51:
Twa tinkler-gangs, here ither met, . . . To sorn, reeve, steal, lift and reset.Sc. 1836 M. Scott Cruise Midge iii.:
Shall we carry the Black Broker — this respectable resetter of human beings — with us?Sc. 1867 Justiciary Cases (1865–7) 438:
You did, . . . wickedly and feloniously, reset and receive the gold or other metal watch last above libelled, well knowing the same to have been taken by robbery, or to have been stolen.Sc. 1933 Times (7 April) 2:
He noticed in the second letter the word “resetter”.Dmf. 1967 Dmf. and Gall. Standard (1 Feb.):
Resetting 36 bottles of whisky or other spirits, which had been appropriated by theft.

II. n. 1. The harbouring or receiving of delinquents, offenders against the law, etc.; a place where or person by whom they are received, a harbour, refuge.Rxb. 1701 Trans. Hawick Arch. Soc. (1909) 31:
That this parish might not be a resett for vagabonds and others.Sc. 1709 Analecta Scot. (Maidment 1837) II. 240:
John Young's wife has been a recet to them, so that since Munday I have not known where they have been.Lnk. 1709 Minutes J.P.s (S.H.S.) 72:
The said James Gray . . . by himself, his servants . . . and others in his name, of his causeing, sending, hounding out, command, resett, assistance or ratihabitione.Sc. 1817 Scott Rob Roy xxvi.:
There is nae laws now about reset of intercommuned persons.

2. The receiving of stolen goods, freq. in phr. reset of theft, id.Sc. 1773 Erskine Institute iv. iv. § 63:
The crime of reset of theft consists either in harbouring the person of the thief after the goods are stolen, or in receiving or disposing of the goods.Sc. 1826 Justiciary Reports (1826–29) 18:
Ann McGill, charged with theft, and Andrew McDonald, porter, with reset of theft.Sc. 1904 A. M. Anderson Crim. Law 185:
A person is guilty of reset who is privy to the retention of property known to have been dishonestly appropriated.Sc. 1936 Session Cases 2:
The jury found the panel guilty of reset.

†3. A receiver of stolen goods.Sc. 1710 T. Ruddiman Gl. to Douglas Aeneis:
The resett is as ill as the thief.