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

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First published 1990 (DOST Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Rancounter, Rencounter, n. [e.m.E. rencounter a conflict (1523), duel (1590), unpleasant experience (1632), also ran- (1652), F. rencontre Ranconter n. See also Re-incounter n.]

1. A face to face encounter, accompanied by quick, witty or pleasant dialogue. 1587-99 Hume 158/72.
Pretty and quicke conceits, and rancounters of comediens 1632 Lithgow Trav. ix 386.
The Sycilians … are full of witty sentences, and pleasant in their rancounters

2. A chance encounter or meeting. 1632 Lithgow Trav. x 488.
My formalists durst never attempt … any passing countenance in our rancounters 1685 Lauder Notices Affairs II 662.
It was only ane accidentall rencounter on the hy-wayb.
A happening or coming together of events. 1638 Johnston Diary I 368.
This rancounter of Gods particular providence incouraged us al 1645 Misc. Spald. C. I 52.
The first rancounter I had at Campheir was that thair I hard that [etc.]

3. A dispute or argument. 1638 Baillie I 125.
After the rancounter I wrote off … the advocat's service was no more required 1641 Ib. 388.
The continuall harshe rancounters of the English Parliament 1651 Dickson Matthew 251.
This is Christs rancounter with the disciples of the Pharisees 1665 Laing MSS I 346.

4. An engagement between two armed parties, a skirmish; an unpremeditated fight; also, specif., a duel which is not premeditated but follows on a chance encounter and is so distinguished from a regular duel. 1632 Lithgow Trav. ix 419.
Tartars are not … so manly as the Polonians, who counter-blow them at rancounters 1663 Justiciary Ct. Rec. I 70.
That the slaughter was committed on occasionll rencounter, … that the slaughter was upon a casuall rencounter and without any precogitate malice 1666-74 Fraser Polichron. 113.
Niel Murray … surprised them unawarse … and in the first rancounter killed one Donald Dow 1678 Mackenzie Laws & C. i xii (1678) 139.
Whether he be not punishable who kills in a rancounter only, or he who tells the provocker that he is going to such a place 1686 Mackenzie Observ. 311.
Fighting by rencounter may be punished as a duel, though there was no formal cartal