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

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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Bute, Buit, n.¹ Also: but(te, bwte, buite, bote. [Northern ME. bute, buyt, ME. boote, bote, OE. and ON. bót.]

1. Help, remedy, relief, betterment; that which, or one who, brings help, etc.For bute associated with belde see Belde n. 1 b.(a) a1400 Leg. S. xviii. 706.
I … understud that I gat bowte [: fut] … of my bale Ib. xxvi. 579; etc.
[The] oyl … for seknes sere Gaf hop & but c1420 Wynt. i. 624.
Quhy sulde he hys gracys kyth … Ore in til bale owre bute suld be? Ib. vii. 578.
Oure confort and oure bute c1475 Wall. x. 1050.
Than wrait thai thus to get bwte off thair baill a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 39.
Resset couth thai find none That suld thair bute bene a1500 Seven S. 607.
Litill bute to tell think me, Or I haue tald gif that he de 1513 Doug. ii. xi. 36.
My fader … to the goddis carpis to be our bute Ib. viii. v. 60.
In our helpyng for to be our bute 1535 Stewart 43892.
We had no vther bute, Withoutin fude bot grene herbis and frutt 15.. Clar. iii. 2044.
Let me sterve for uther bute is none 1587-99 Hume Epistle 207.
Often times (there is na vther bute) For pouertie they man leaue of persute(b) 1535 Stewart 10643.
For buit or ȝit for baill, To thame I think neuir for to falt nor faill c1550 Rolland C. Venus i. 646.
Boyland but buit, vext with aduersite Ib. ii. 446.
As I daylie but buit heir dois bewaill 1603 Philotus xxxviii.
Sen thair may be na vther buit, Plat on his head ane horne 1604-31 Craig v. 32.
Though I bewaile, as nowe, it bringes no buite

b. Na bute, no help or remedy, (of) no use or advantage. a1400 Leg. S. xxviii. 448.
Is thé na but, For her sal thu ȝeld thé to me Ib. xxxiii. 137.
Quhen he it fand na but Forthir thare-of for to mute ?1438 Alex. i. 2736.
Heir is na bute langer to be Ib. ii. 4458.
To gang on bak him was na bute c1475 Wall. ii. 70.
Feille folowit him … To tak Wallace, bot than it was na butte Ib. iv. 273.
The mos was strang, to ryde thaim was no but a1500 Seven S. 543.
The herd sawe … that it was na bute to fle a1500 Doug. K. Hart. 881.
Quhen that thay saw na bute wes to defend c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 309.
I gert the buthman obey, ther wes no bute ellis 1513 Doug. v. xii. 80.
Quhat evir betyde, this is na bute to stryve 1535 Stewart 47888.
Quhen this schir Hew … wes slane, Na bute it wes the laif for to remane a1540 Freiris Berwik 383.
Scho saw it wes no bute for to deny 15.. Clar. iii. 79.
Thair is no bute heirin to speik no more Ib. 631.
No buite is for to carpin so 1583 Sat. P. xlv. 239.
He saw na bute but bagis to louse a1605 Montg. Son. xlvi. 9.
To brek ȝour brainis … is no bute

2. Compensation, payment. (Only in compounds: see Cornbute, Kinbute, Manbote, Thiftbute.)

3. An additional sum: an amount added to make things equal in value. 1597 Skene Verb. S. s.v. Bote.
In all excambion, or cossing of landes or geare moveable, the ane partie that gettes the better, giuis ane bote, or compensation to the vther 1673 Corshill Baron Ct. 113.
The compleant … against Thomas Wylie … for four pound scots of the bute of ane other horse 1675 Cunningham Diary 5.
[I] exchanged bridles with him giving 10 grots to buit Ib. 52.
To James Hamilton in buit betwixt horses 1696 Foulis Acc. Bk. 198.
When Sauchie exchanged his gray stoned horse with Peters gelding and 80^lib to buit