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

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First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Declare, Declair, v. Also: declar, declaire, declayr. [ME. declare (c 1330), OF. declarer, L. dēclārāre. Cf. Declere v.]

1. tr. To state plainly or openly; to announce or proclaim.In common use from c 1420 with direct object or objective clause, with complement, or in absolute use.(1) c1420 Wynt. vi. 1772 (he bade that suld declaryd be). 1456 Hay I. 17/13 (he declaris the visioun). Ib. 33/9 (to declare the interpretacioun of it). c1420 Ratis R. 1804 (it weill declaris syndry thing). 1479 Acta Conc. 42/2 (his hienes sall … declare his entent). c1515 Asl. MS. I. 327/28 (to declar all this heire war our prolixt). 1513 Doug. i. i. 14 (declare the causis quhy … ). Ib. iii. iii. 70 (thir materis me declaring). 1528 Lynd. Dreme 801 (I sall declare the suith). c1552 Id. Mon. 25 (declare thy mynde to thame). c1568 Lauder Minor P. ii. 39 (the pure pepill it declaris). 1596 Dalr. II. 97/17 (his vices … baldlie to declare).(b) a1500 Bk. Chess 1135 (to the Romanis that he wald declair thar will). a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 323 (the cause lang to declair). 1513 Doug. i. v. 60 (I sal declair of destaneis the secreit). c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 10 (to declair monie sindrie storie). 1560 Rolland Seven S. 1545 (the mairch heirof I sall declair). 1573 Sat. P. xxxix. 338 (to speik vprichtlie and the treuth declair). 1596 Dalr. I. 221/7 (mony thingis … he said he sulde declair). 1614 Highland P. III. 171 (to declair thair awin pairtis).(2) c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 1459 (quhare hee went … the story declaris nocht). 1456 Hay I. 19/13 (syne mon we declare how … ). Ib. 180/31 (to declare quha has the rycht). 1460 Peebles B. Rec. 136 (to declar that he brocht … ). 1490 Irland Mir. I. 133/3 (declarand to hire hou sche suld consaue). 1513 Doug. xi. xi. 11 (I thé declar … full deyr is sche to me). 1524 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 218 (declarit be his credence that … ). 1549 Compl. 13/17 (declarand quhou that captans suld ordour battellis). 1556 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 243 (declarit thai culd nocht voit).(b) a1500 Bk. Chess 578 (to declair hir mynd was innocent). c1552 Lynd. Mon. 1971 (declaire to me quhat signifyis one monarchie). 1562-3 Winȝet II. 48/32 (quhow grete the gloir … quha can declair?). a1578 Pitsc. II. 120/33 (declairand that hir dochter was auld anewche). 1615 Highland P. III. 215 (he writ ane lettre … declaireing that … ). 1659 Aberd. B. Rec. IV. 184 (we ar frie to declair that … ).(3) 1456 Hay I. 21/24 (now Rome is declarit hede). Ib. 164/2 (fra the weris be declarit rychtwis). 1493 Edinb. Chart. 173 (the saidis gudis to be declarit eschete). 1513 Doug. xiii. ix. 43. 1558-66 Knox II. 254 (yf ye declair your selfis cairles). a1578 Pitsc. I. 96/31 (who was declairit the kingis rebell). 1650 Nicoll Diary 2 (declaired incapable of wryting).(4) 1456 Hay I. 38/2 (as we sall here declare). Ib. I. 69/4 (as I have before declarit). 1460 Peebles B. Rec. 138 (that thai suld lelili … declar thairapon). c1475 Wall. v. 528 (he … to thaim declarde off all this cas). 1513 Doug. ii. iii. 73 (thus declaris thame Calcas). a1570-86 Maitl. F. xxxiv. 1 (off ladyes bewties to declair). 1574 Misc. Maitl. C. I. 104 (as the bailleis and eldaris declarit).

2. a. To make known. 1456 Hay II. 48/21.
Mony cowartis ar declarit, quhen hardy men ar approvit 1585–6 Montgomery Mem. 225.
I sall declair the man that dyittit it

b. To make clear; to settle or solve. c1420 Wynt. v. 2482 (C).
Gif ony dowtis ware, … Thai sulde at the papis se Referit and declaryt be a1500 Seven S. 2187.
In part ȝour questioun to declare Ib. 2631.
This mater sa sall I declaire That [etc.] a1500 Prestis of Peblis 96.
Declar me now this questioun gif ȝe can. To ȝow I gif this questioun … For to declair agane the morn Ib. 115.