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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.

Reform, -fourm(e, v. Also: ra- and -forme, -fowrme; -furm(e. P.p. also refformett. [ME and e.m.E. refo(u)rme (Rolle), -foorme (Wyclif), reffourme (Piers Plowman), OF reformer, L. reformāre.]

1. tr. a. To restore or re-establish (peace). b. To renew (a promise).a. c1400 Troy-bk. ii 1411 (C).
But reformed Anthenores [= ? Anthenor(h)es] pese Amonges thame Ib. 2613.
And so the pece reformed was Betuix thaim two In-to that placeb. 1596 Dalr. II 64/17.
That the promise quhilk thair elderis maid … now tha reforme [L. renovarent]

2. To restore (a thing) to (in) an original state or earlier condition. a1400 Leg. S. v 128.
Ger thu ȝone gold and stanis be Refourmyt in thar firste degre Ib. 136.
Sancte Johne … Tuk vpe the pecis small, And … be his prayere … Reformyt tham to the fyrste state

3. To form or create again; to make again in a new form. c1420 Wynt. ii 466.
The men that tyme thai said wndone, Wes throw hym reformyd sone Ib. 484.
Refurmyt 1511 Treas. Acc. IV 532.
Foure howsouris … to be reformit and maid in vestimentis, tabulis, and altar pendis

4. To rebuild, reconstruct or repair (all or part of a building or structure); to restore to (in) a previous and better condition.Also, to reform the distructione of (a temple).(1) a1400 Leg. S. xxii 582.
Lumbardis had Brynt it in were … Thane gat he men of craft to wyrk & to reforme this haly kyrk 1448–9 Aberd. B. Rec. (S.H.S.) lx n. 3.
[That] housis that ar fundin unsufficient be the assise sal be refourmyt be thaim at aw thaim 1533–4 Dunferm. Reg. Ct. 106.
The said Jhone decernit … to tak in and reform the samyn [building] say at the said Symont be skathles thairof 1535 Stewart 41286.
This king … The kirk of Durhame … Reformit hes … In forme and fect as it wes wont to be 1537 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III 17.
An ald carn of stanes new reformit 1538–9 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 260.
Ane part of the turnpek that is now reformit 1547 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. II 130.
That the thesaurer … vesy the faltis of ports and wallis of the towne, and to reforme the samyn incontinent 1554–5 Edinb. Old Acc. I 142.
To ane masoun to hew the saids rabatts and lintale and to reforme the said yet 1557 Peebles B. Rec. I 243.
The heid dykis to be substantiouslie reformit 1558 Haddington B. Rec. (Robb) 20 April.
The saidis personis ordanit to perambill and reforme the said gait 1559 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 297.
The otheris tymmer werk bayth in palais and stabillis I sall reform a1578 Pitsc. I 389/10.
To reforme his castell and palice thairof 1588 Aberd. B. Rec. II 61.
To mend and reforme the batteling of the said poirt 1662 Glasgow B. Rec. II 481.(2) 1549 Compl. 77/17.
Ther eftir thai reformit the distructione of the tempil

b. To repair (an artefact); to cause to function correctly by repair or alteration. 1528 Stirling B. Rec. I 33.
The baillies sall … misour the sammyn [measures], and quhar tha ar faltius to refourme tham as efferis 1556 Haddington B. Rec. (Robb) 20 July.
And in cais the said knok be spoilt or striks not justlye, … the said David to … mend and reforme the samyn 1605 Glasgow Chart. I i dcx.
The … counsall to owersie and reforme the mettis and mesouris [etc.]

c. To adjust (boundaries). 1583 Banks Sc. Cal. Customs I 119.
The provest … sall pas, visy and reform the said mairches vpoune fute

5. To improve, or correct, the face, form or constitution of a person; to alter to (in) something better. c1450-2 Howlat 77 (A).
His halynace Throw prayer may purchace To reforme my foule face Ib. 260.
To … se gif that Nature Mycht reforme his figour In a fair schape 1456 Hay II 119/14.
To put him in his rycht proporcioun of humouris and reforme his complexioun

6. To alter (usu. for the better), improve, reform (a state of affairs, practice, way of life, institution, etc.). Also absol.(a) c1400 Troy-bk. ii 1511.
And they shold ger … All thynges be refourmed ageyn Withouten … bargeyn 1409 Exch. R. IV ccx.
The party feland him engrefit sal ask the thingis to be refourmit and amendit at the tothir(b) c1439 Antiq. Aberd. & B. IV 190.
Al appoyntmentis … in thar indenturis beande wnfulfyllyt sale be reformyt and fulfyllyt 1490 Irland Mir. II 77/37. 1498 Acta Conc. II 205.
And the sade James be nocht sikkir aneuch be ressone of the condicions … contenit in the sadis endenturis that tharefore ilke ane of the partiis abone writin sall reforme utheris richtis and mak thame sikkir aneuch a1508 Want of Wyse Men 54. 1537 Boyd Fam. P. No. 13 (28 March).
Geif this obligatioun be nocht sikir enuch I bynd and oblys me … to reforme the samin … kepand the forme and substance abone wrytin 1540 Lynd. Sat. 3079.
My lordis we mon reforme thir consistory lawis 1553 Edinb. B. Rec. II 180.
The dekyngis … desirat the prouest … to reforme the act maid be the Conuentioun of Borrowis 1567 Reg. Privy C. I 536.
Promeissis faythfullie to reforme the scolis, collegis, and universiteis 1568 Skeyne Descr. Pest viii.
Reformand our deprauat and corrupt leuing in tymis bypast a1568 Scott i 63. 1558-66 Knox I 82.
Pack you, Jefwellis … and reforme your awin lyves 1588 King Cat. in 1573-1600 Cath. Tr. 202/1.
The kallendar of lait reformeit be the authorite of Pape Gregore 13, and … expert mathematicians 1596 Bk. Univ. Kirk III 873.
The queens majesties ministrie to be reformit 1622-6 Bisset II 72/4.
Thir prices of the letteres and processis … ar reformed and renewed be act of parliament 1638 Nat. Covenant in Facs. Nat. MSS III xcvii.
For defending the true religion as it was then reformedabsol. 1565 Edinb. Univ. MS La. iii 388a fol. 20a.
Gif nane of the pairteis reformis … the schireff sall pronunce his interlocutour 1567 Sat. P. vii 143.
Guid men sould not than to reforme refuse

7. To correct, emend or recast (a writing or document); to improve by alteration.Also ellipt. or absol. in quot. Bamff Chart. 1466 Misc. Spald. C. II 251.
To eik or repar or refovrme thir saide endenturis 1475 Acts II 112/2.
That in tyme tocum the said brefe be reformit and a claus put tharin to inquere of the foly and furiosite [etc.] 1482 Bamff Chart. 32.
And gef thair be ony thing to be refurmyt for the guid of the said contrak and securite of the samyn, batht the said parteis sal refurme and mak sicker … be secht of frendis 1482 Antiq. Aberd. & B. IV 35.
Gif thir writs be … nocht cleir in ony thing, at thai be reformit and correckit be the sicht of the frendis of baytht the said parteis 1571 Misc. Bann. C. III 122.
I receaved ansuer from Court to reforme some wordis of my letter 1578 Conv. Burghs I 72.
That the taxt rollis of the burrowis of this realme suld be alterit and reformit 1617–18 Reg. Privy C. XI 396.
Unles he causit the said testament ather to be nullit or reformit to his contentment

8. To take away, withdraw (documents, etc.), to abolish, eliminate, destroy (a system, etc., also its material aspects), as a measure of, or by way of, improvement. 1493 Acta Aud. 182/2.
Certane charteris letteris and evidentis … retrettit reformit cassit and annullit and declarit of nane avale 1536 Prot. Bk. Thomas Johnsoun 20.
This … contract … quhair it falis in ony pont … to be raformit and retretit be the awys of men of law 1571 Bann. Trans. 285.
Gif that misordered creatione of bischopes be not reformed a1578 Pitsc. I 385/27.
The King of Ingland had laitlie refformett and cassin doune the abbayis and all the rest of idolatrie

9. To put an end to (something wrong or undesirable) by introducing improvements or an improved state of affairs; to put right (a fault). c1439 Antiq. Aberd. & B. IV 190.
The sayde Lorde of Forbes … and his sonys [are] … to refowrme … that thai halfe defawlttyt 1456 Hay I 255/26.
To reforme dedely syn and vicis 1473 Reg. Cupar A. I 173.
And quhen ony faut fallis it be oukley refurmyt and correkyt a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 1473 (Asl.).
Reforme in tyme thi raifand rudnes 1535 Stewart 3101.
[He] mony falt reformit in his tyme 1543–4 Corr. M. Lorraine 67.
That … ane conventioun be maid … quhair my innocence may be tryit first and quhair I have falyt, to be reformit be the awis of … the thre estatis 1549 Compl. 160/28.
On to the tyme that the speritualite reforme ther auen abusion c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus i 216.
I sall for thy plesance … Thy fault reforme a1568 Bann. Bann. MS 168a heading.
Becaws the samyne abvse is weill reformit … praysit be God 1573 Sempill Sat. P. xxxix 26.
Scho reformit the fals idolatrie 1630-1651 Gordon Geneal. Hist. 46.
In places of greatest danger he wes alwise present, repairing the decayes, reforming the disorders and incouraging his companies

10. Chiefly Sc.: To redress (a wrong or grievance); to make reparation for (loss, damage, etc., also, once, with a stolen article as object).Cf. late ME, in this sense (once, 1461).Also, once, to reform of (a wrong). See also the quot. 1512 under (1) below.(1) 1405 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 59.
The gret attemptatz that yhour men dois … I suppos & yhe wist it, ȝhe walde … ger it be refourmyte & redressit 1424 Lanark & R. 283.
The quhilks bailȝeis … sal … reform wrangs and plants done agayn thair fredomis 1456 Hay I 166/25.
[He] makis him questioun askand him to restore and reform the wrang that he haldis him Ib. 185/14.
Bot gif he wald geve him hostage to reforme all harmes and scathis that suld be done throu his men 1512 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 18.
Geiff … Jhone Wychtman hes done hir hirt and wrang that he raform it agane of the said wrang 1535 Stewart 14306.
To reforme the greit dampnage and cryme Tha had sustenit 1553 Edinb. B. Rec. II 182.
That the pairty being fund to haif done the wrang to reform the samyn 1555 Aberd. B. Rec. I 285.
Sic wrangis hurtis and enormiteis as is done to the saidis burrowis and inhabitantis therof to be reformit and ther auld … liberties … restoirit [etc.](2) 1471 Banff Ann. I 20.
The forsaid Sir James sal reforme vpricht and agane bring the fisch reft fra thame(3) c1439 Antiq. Aberd. & B. IV 190.
Ande rycht swa the sayde lorde erle sale refowrme … of al wnkendnes wrangkis [etc.] … don be thame to the sayde Lorde of Forbes

b. To make good (expenses). 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. ii 126b.
Vntill … he be summoned, … and his expenses payed and reformed to him

11. To lead (a person) (fra, of a fault) (in or till virtue); to improve or reform (a person in respect of conduct or way of life). Also reflex.(1) c1450-2 Howlat 875 (A).
Quhat way ȝe wald that I wrocht To reforme the howlot of faltis full fell(2) 1456 Hay II 31/29.
Syk men that begylis thair lordis may never be refourmyt na redressit till lautee, na till honour of knychthede 1531 Bell. Boece I 179.
The commoun pepil … wer reformit in gudde maneris(3) 1500 Fam. Rose 179.
We sall reforme and punys the faltouris in our awne curtis 1540 Lynd. Sat. 2393.
It is our will … For to reforme all thay that makis debaitis Contrair the richt a1570-86 J. Maitland Maitl. F. 435/40.
Inglis forcis … will sit to our sydis as sair As now thy rebellis quhome thay sould reforme(4) reflex. 1540 Acts II 370/2.
All archibischopis, ordinaris and vthir prelatis … to reforme thare selfis 1558–9 Reg. Episc. Aberd. I lxiv.
And cause his lordschips servands to reforme thamselfis 1562-3 Winȝet I 8/32.
Bot in deid neuir reformand thaim selfis fra the ydolatrie of auarice

12. intr. a. To return, or restore oneself, (to God, to conformity with the will of God). Cf. 2 above. c1490 Irland Asl. MS 11/15.
Sen man … offendis God … thai ar oblist to reforme to him and do him … obediens in thir thre thingis

b. absol. or intr. use of 9, 10 or 11 (4) above. a1568 Bann. MS 125b/112.
Quhair I offend thame in my landwart leid I salbe reddy to reforme agane