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

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First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Hie strete, streit, n. Also: strett, streitt, hea streit. [Hie a. 5. Cf. ME. hie strete (a 1300).]

1. A, or the, main street in a town.(1) 1483 (c 1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I. 48.
Thair sall [be] na oppin mercat vsit … vpoun the hie streittis [1496, hie streit] 1580 Ib. IV. 164.
That the saidis prouest [etc.] … pas and v[i]sie the said hie strettis and passages. and … remoue … the saidis staynes Ib.
To remoue all vther impedimentis maid … in the Kingis hie streittis 1601 Ib. V. 290.
That in the bigging of his land at the fute of the Over Bow he haif speciall respect to his drops … that thai rin nocht furth upon the hie streitt 1639 Aberd. B. Rec. III. 192.
The statutes … againes keipares … of middingis on the hie streittis(2) 1625 Edinb. B. Rec. VI. 289.
The north syid of the hie streit togither with Leith wynd 1632 Ib. VII. 109.
The said counsal hous … to be buildit upone the hie streit above the new tolbuith 1653 Peebles B. Rec. II. 13.
The inconveniencie and prejudice ane mid-raw of merchant crames upon the hea streit, in tyme of faires, bring to the leiges 1660 Caithness Reg. Sasines (Reg. H.) II. 49.
The hie streit or mercate pleace of Thurso wher sometyme the cook stooll did stand 1663 Edinb. B. Rec. IX. 314.
[The council] appoynts that place of the hie streitt … for Pontchus his stage

2. A highway, high road. 1582 Soc. Ant. XXVIII. 44.
[The town council of Ayr order] a hie strete and passage to be maid from Langshot Mos to Thriepland Dyke, of the breid of sex fallis