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First published 1986 (DOST Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Preparative, n. and adj. Also: preparit-, -yt-, preperat-, prepart-, preprat-, præparat-, praparat-, proparat- and -iwe, -yve, -ywe, -ife, -yf, -eve. [e.m.E. and late ME preparatif (Lydgate), -yfe (c 1440), -yue, -iue (16th c.), noun = incentive (c 1440), preliminary (1533), omen (c 1430), military signal (1635), also adj. = preparatory (1530), F. préparatif, -ive, adj. and n. (14–15th c. in Hatz.-Darm.), med. L. præparativus.]

A. noun.

1. Only Sc.: An instance or circumstance serving as an example for subsequent cases; a precedent; an exemplar.Freq. in collocation with such adjectives as bad, dangerous, hurtful, ill, etc.To make or induce, also to infer a (na) preparative, to provide a (no) precedent.To pas in preparative, to become a precedent.(1) 1546 Acta Conc. Publ. Aff. 555.
Becaus the mater … is greit and wychtie and ane preparative apperand to be in tym cuming [etc.] 1549 Compl. 12/11.
Thir prolixt vordis befor rehersit ar ane preparatiue contrar the detractione of inuyful clerkis 1558-66 Knox II 354.
Whitther it was law or not, we dispute litill thairintill; but it was a preparative to otheris that after war served with that same measure 1565 Edinb. Skinners in Bk. Old Edinb. C. VI 59.
Prepartyf 1571–2 Reg. Privy C. II 110.
Thay wer unwilling to entir a preparative consenting to the few of the landis and rowmes … possessit be auld and kyndlie rentalit tenentis a1578 Pitsc. I 221/30. 1607 Reg. Privy C. VII 516. 1610 Conv. Burghs II 300.
Ane preparative for sutting of mae monopollis 1620 Ib. III 111.
The … commissioneris … declaires this forme … not to be ane law nor preparative in vther borrowis as the most fittest mids for procuring of the quyetnes … of the same [burghs] a1634 Forbes Rec. 459.
That if their honours would abrogate the processe … that it might not remaine as a preparative thereafter, to the prejudice of the church Ib. 460. 1660 Dumfries Kirk S. 4 Oct.
The sessione doe declaire that this may not be a preparative to put any persones to thair oaths wpon neidles repoirts ?c1675 J. Gordon Hist. I 15.
If such a praeparative gott waye in the beginning [etc.] 1673 M.P. Brown Suppl. Decis. III 35.
That cannot be drawn into a preparative and example 1679 Ib. II 249.
The lords refused both these desires, as being a preparative opening a way for prompting and instructing of witnesses how to depone 1688 Nat. Reg. Archives (Scotl.) Rep. (Ewart Lib., Dumfries) 34.
I have begun with severalls of my own tennents to make them preparatives to the rests of the commons 1701 Conv. Burghs IV 317.
This not to be a leading caice or preparative in tyme comeing(b) 1663 Kirkcaldy B. Rec. 181.
Leist any such proparative should be prejudicial to the burght [etc.](2) 1565–6 Reg. Privy C. I 432.
Gif the king and quenis majesteis … sall permit this preparative of removing of kyndlie tenentis to cum in the Bordouris [etc.] 1600-1610 Melvill 70.
Yit wald noch suffer the preparative to pass untean ordour with Ib. 71.
But or that preparative pass, that we dar nocht correct our schollars for fear of … clanned gentlemen [etc.] 1623 Aberd. Council Lett. I 209.
This propositioun … can not be yeldit to in respect of the preparative and consequence that it may import to this estait 1635 Wodrow in Hay Geneal. 94.
This preparative of myne will be introduced as a practicke 1651 Laing MSS. I 265.
So that this course and preparative sall cutt away all possibilitie of trusting to saife conducts 1670 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. MS 29 Sept.
And for preventing the lyk preparative in tyme cuming c1680 Mackenzie Affairs 229.
Hoping that this preparative would be of more advantage to them than any thing they could lose by this subsidy(b) 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 98/2.
Præparatife(3) 1544–5 Acts & Decr. II 31.
Like as has bene … kepit be the practik of this realme … and neuir preparatiue nor impediment knawin … in the contrar 1578 Edinb. B. Rec. IV 97.
The forme in … making of the said generall taxatioun is nor sal navyis be interpreit as preparatiue, innovatioun or diragatioun of the forme and ordour appointit be the saidis actis of parliament(4) 1515 Douglas Corr. 69.
So that syk doyng … be na preparatyve to otheris in tyme to cum 1549 Acta Conc. Publ. Aff. 587. 1551 Dundee B. Ct. II fol. 89 b (24 Sept.).
The said o till [be] takine dovne & the wall to be closit wp … swa that na preparitiue remane thare of 1582 Perth Kirk S. in J.P. Lawson The Book of Perth 145.
Forasmeikle as no preparative has been before [etc.] 1584 Haddington B. Rec. (Robb) 12 Oct.
And protestit the samyn be na prepartive in tyme cuming 1594 Paisley B. Rec. 156.
Providing alwayis that the gifing and granting tharof in manner foirsaid [be] na preparytive to utheris to seik the lyk 1673 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. MS 29 Nov.
And this gratuitie to be no preparative in tyme cuming(b) a1633 Hope Major Pract. II 28.
The king's majestie … declairs that this their willing offer shal be no preprative in tyme comeing(5) 1559 Edinb. B. Rec. III 57.
That the samin sall nocht be hurtfull preparatiwe 1578–9 Reg. Privy C. III 96.
Gif this dangerous preparative sould be sufferit to … pas fordwart 1585 Reg. Privy C. IV 12.
[The letter] salbe ane dangerous preparative tending to the confusioun of all ordour 1616 Crim. Trials III 405.
Ane most pernicious and wiket preparatiue and example 1642 Rec. Kirk Scotl. 337. 1651 Douglas Corr. 262.
Which all noblemen … wold look on as an ill preparatiue from sojours 1671 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 277.
Which if not preventit wold be ane dangerous, and ane vnhard of preparative 1672 Edinb. B. Rec. X 114.
It maks … a bad preparative for laying on impositions upon uther imported commodities 1683 Lauder Notices Affairs I 394.
This is a most dangerous preparative laying a foundation for arbitrary proceedures 1689 Edgar Old Church Life II 182.
That no ill preparative be laid for others — a 1691 Kingarth Session Bk. 159.
Lest this [use of a forged testimonial] might be of ill preparti[v]e and consequence afterward the session thinks fitt [etc.](6) 1520 (c 1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I 201.
That thai sall mak na preperatiue in tyme cumming 1555–6 Edinb. Guild Ct. 14 Feb.
That the said licence … mak na preparatyve to the said James to haif ony ma windois in his sydwall 1557 Corr. M. Lorraine 409.
Nocht to mak ane preparative in tymes cuming with the clerkis expensis 1562 Reg. Privy C. I 213. a1650 Row 237.
Bidding them take heed that they made not a preparative of poore Andro Melvill 1659 Aberd. Eccl. Rec. 252.
Wie … will bee verie loath to make such a preparative — 1567 Reg. Privy C. I 525.
Provyding that this caus … induce na preparative to utheris personis 1569 Crim. Trials I ii 2. 1595 Conv. Burghs I 460.
Quhilk will induce ane strange prepratiue aganis the haill estait of burrowis gif he preuaill — 1682 Urie Baron Ct. 96.
This noewayes to infer any preparative of yeirlie service of such nature(7) 1575–6 Reg. Privy C. II 496.
Yit wes it nevir menit … to pas in preparative, that [etc.]

2. = Preparatio(u)n n. 1. 1549 Lamb Resonyng 51/18.
Your kyng … send Schir Robert Bowis … to mak raiddis and waisting in Scotland as a preparatiue befor weir 1568 Cal. Sc. P. II 467.
For your majestie seis the preparatyve thairof alreddie begun c1610 Melville Mem. 371.
The chanceler … maid his preparatywe till part aff the contre … that he suld [etc.] — 1537 Lynd. Depl. Magd. 99.
Saw thow nocht the greit preparatiuis Of Edinburgh

3. ? — 1566 Treas. Acc. XII 35.
xl elnis of taffeteis of cord to be sevin preparatevis for the baptisme a1586 Lindsay MS. 47 b.
The tymmerall suld be alwys a pairt or preparative of the armes quhairby ane noble man sall be knawin

B. adj. a. Serving as a precedent. b. Given by way of ‘preparation’, see Preparatio(u)n n. 3.a. 1540–1 Linlithgow B. Ct. 23 Feb.
Nochtwithstanding to wthir that it be nocht preparatywe 1642 Kinghorn Kirk S. 41.
This favour shewed him shall be praparative to others to sute the likeb. 1655 Blairs P. 87.
The paris minister in the preparatiue sermon, discouered all hir secret sinnes publikly before all