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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.

Refing, Reif(f)ing, vbl. n.¹ Also: refyne; rev(e)-, rew-; reiv-; riev-; raiff-, rav(e)-; reav- and -yng, -inge, -eng; revin; ravan. [ME ræving (c1205; v.r. reuing), -ynge, reaving (1567), late OE ræfung, f. Ref(e v.¹]

1. The action of reaving, in senses 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6 of Ref(e v.(1) ?1438 Alex. ii 6694.
Reuing and wicked disherising … Garris the lord hated be 1596 Dalr. I 187/6.
Trubling the west seyes in thift, ruging, and reiueng(2) 1505–6 Crim. Trials I i 47.
And for the tressonable reving and withhaldin of his hienes lettres fra his officiarie of armez c1520-c1535 Nisbet Heb. x 34.
And ye resauet with ioy the reving of your gudis 1543 Reg. Privy S. III 39/2.
Throw spoliatioun, reving and taking fra the said officiar of the saidis poyndis 1553 Treas. Acc. X 176.
To underly the law for revyng of evyddenttis pertenyng to the aires of Ardros 1562 Linlithgow Sheriff Ct. 27 June.
The … spulȝeing reving and away taking with thame … of xviij bollis quheit 1563 Dumfries B. Ct. fol. 181b.
In the revin of the glwifs & mittanis of ane honest man 1584 Sempill Sat. P. xlv Pref. 27.
Or Corah, Dathan, reving Aarons rod 1585 6th Rep. Hist. MSS App. 693/1.
By … reveing and spuilȝeing of his tenentis guiddis and geir 1613 Lanark B. Rec. 119.
In the violent refing furth of the offecer forsaid hous of ane clok(b) 1508 Crim. Trials I i 52.
Reiving 1513 Ib. ii 91. 1557 Digest Justiciary Proc. B 140.
For the … maisterfull reifing fra William M^cClattie of ane pock of schilling 1558 Aberd. B. Rec. I 309.
The wrangous reiffing and away taking fra hir of ane plyd [etc.](c) 1563–4 Linlithgow Sheriff Ct. 19 Feb.
In raiffing fra him of ane brasin pot 1589–90 Burntisland B. Ct. 23 Jan.
The complaint … for raiffinge off thair boittis rowme(d) 1580 Reg. Privy S. VII 423/1.
In the awaytaking and raving fra Thomas Law, messinger, divers … geir 1615 Inverness Rec. II 136.
For slaying of fisch or vther wayis beggan or ravan fisch(e) 1591 Antiq. Aberd. & B. IV 52.
Rieving(f) 1657 Dumfries Council Min. 14 Dec.
For … reaving the peck from the deanes officer(3) a1538 Abell 7a.
The refyne of ane huyr Helene be Pares c1584 Maxwell Mem. II 157.
Rewing and taking away of thair dochter in wiolent maner 1596 Crim. Trials I ii 378.
Dilatit of … the away-taking of and reifing of Margret Hamiltoune(4) 1456 Hay I 242/1.
As reving of labouraris, birnying of kirkis, forsyng of wommen [etc.] a1578 Pitsc. II 273/13.
Betuix the tua pairteis thair was nathing bot rwgging and raveing of the puir laubouraris and the merchantis Ib. 285/30.
Quhat be hereing and reaving of the puir the castell was weill anewch victualed(5) 1499 Reg. Privy S. I 45/1.
For arte and parte of the birnyng and refing of Dunskey

2. ? Plunder, booty. But perh. only a further instance of 1 (4). 1588 Prot. Bk. J. Inglis 103b.
Quhare thai sall haif greit vere … & seik to haif reifing of the Crestianis, rathere than of his awin folk