Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

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First published 1971 (DOST Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Moderat, a. Also: moderate, modreth. [ME. (Trevisa) and e.m.E. moderat(e, L. moderātus p.p. of moderāri Moderat v.]

1. Of persons, their attributes etc.: Avoiding excess or extremes, temperate, reasonable. 1533 Boece viii. ii. 249.
Britouns, … neclecting the moderate temperance of ancient forefaderis, war gevin to glutony 1562-3 Winȝet I. 78/18.
To beleue in simplicitie of mynd thir thingis … nocht … in idolatrie nor superstitioun bot in ane moderat reuerence 1578 Misc. Abbotsf. C. 46.
To tak ane … plane pairtt with the ressonabill and moderat pairtie aganis the willfull stubburne and obstinat 1600 Colville Palinode 32.
To trouble … the Christian … estate … of a prince so moderate

2. Of things. a. Not excessive in quantity. c1460 Dietary 75.
Modreth fude giffeth to a man his helth

b. Not extreme in degree, ‘tolerable’. 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 32.
Bot it is na moderat nor tollerabill thing that thai seik. It is the blude … of ȝour innocent King 1651 Craven Ch. in Orkney 2.
This … upstart generation have no love to presbyterial government but are … feeding themselves with … moderate episcopacy 1692 Vindication of Calvin, [etc.] Preface.