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

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First published 1983 (DOST Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Operatio(u)n(e, -acio(u)n(e, n. Also: operatiowne, operacoun, operatiounn, opperation. [ME. and e.m.E. operacio(u)n (Chaucer, Gower), operation (1432), F. operation, -cion (14th c., Oresme, an action, deed), L. operātio.]

1. Working or acting upon something or the manner of doing so, action.(1) a1500 Henr. Fab. 48 (Makc.).
Quhow mony men in operatiowne Ar lik to bestis in conditiowne Ib. 1634 (H).
Oure mirk and deidlie corps naturall Blindis the spirituall operatioun Id. Orph. 481 (Ch. & M.).
Thesiphone is operatacion. That makis final execucion 1490 Irland Mir. I. 69/2.
The … moving & flowing of thare humoris garris at the wndirstanding procedis nocht in operacioune quhil the … persoune haue rest Ib. 109/27.
My faderis werk may nocht be ressoune stand lang without operacioune Ib. II. 6/31.
Na creatur may … exced the proper natur and operacioun without help … of vthir natur aboue it Ib. 7/21. c1515 Asl. MS. I. 160/26.
The hale occiane is strangare & makis mar operacioun of the mone than ony part be him self 1527 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 85.
It sal be leffull to slay hir for hir fals operatioun a1538 Abell 56 b.
Thai ma considdir the sacrimentis & operatioun of our faith 1549 Compl. 57/26. a1568 Bell. Bann. MS. 2 b/116.
Richt so the Fader and the Halie Spreit Off man tewk nevir incarnatioun And ȝit thay war … Participant in operatioun 1570 Misc. Bann. C. I. 48*.
The souer operatioun of the eternall God(2) 1490 Irland Mir. I. 31/8.
For be the operacioune of the speris and hevynnis aboue He gouernis natural thingis Ib. 99/1.
The concepcioune of the persoune … is done be the operacioune of the wertu formatiue Ib. MS. 256 b.
The achorne is changit be operacioun of nature in a gret ack tre c1520-c1535 Nisbet III. 319/2.
Bot be the operatiounn and wyrkyng of the spret 1533 Bell. Livy I. 47/24.
That na felicite mycht follow be thare operacioun 1551 Hamilton Cat. 50.
All wytches … workis be operatioun of the Devil under a paction … to him Ib. 215.
Bot with the operatioun of sum hailsum medicyne gevin to him a1561 Q. Kennedy Breif Tract. (ed.) 119/9.
Operacione

2. In plur. Operations, actions, pieces of activity. = prec. sense. 1456 Hay II. 141/25.
For [wine] … lettis the operaciouns of the body Ib. 108/9.
Operaciounis 1490 Irland Mir. II. 17/22.
And thre of the thre operaciouns quo ad esse nature gracie et glorie c1500-c1512 Dunb. x. 11.
And all ȝe hevinly operationis, Ster, planeit, firmament and speir, Fyre, erd, air and watter cleir Id. lvii. 1.
Be dyuers wayis and operatiounis Men makis in court thair solistationis 1549 Compl. 56/26. 1551 Hamilton Cat. 13/1.
For mony excellent operations quhilk it [faith] workis in Christin men and wemen c1580-90 Rules of Health.
Maiking diuers fumes ascend vnto the heid molesting the animall operationis thairin

3. Practical work of some kind, esp. as a trade or occupation; craftsman's work; a job of work. c1515 Asl. MS. I. 326/10.
In the vj dayis operacoun God creat man 1529 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 6.
And the thrid falt spanyng fra thair operatione 1550 Reg. Cupar A. II. 89.
For the said Dauidis dalie operatioun and werk in our said abbay 1552 Edinb. Hammermen 192.
For the furnissing of xx libis to the opperation of the alter a1578 Pitsc. I. 354/8.
And caussit the said craftismen to apparall his pallaceis in all maner of operatioun 1676 Edinb. B. Rec. X. 280.
For … vending of his medecines and useing his operatioun in chirurgery