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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.

Remember, -(e)re, v. Also: rem-, ra- and -membir, -yr, -ar; -mimber; Rememor [ME and e.m.E. remembre(n (Manning), remembur, (15th c.), -yr, -ar (16th c.), OF remembrer (980 in Greimas), late L. rememorārī, f. re- and -memor mindful (see also Rememorat ppl. adj.]

1. tr. To keep in, or recall to, the memory; to bear (a thought, idea, thing, etc.) in mind; to recollect.Const. clause or simple object; infin., and object and infin.(1) c1439 Antiq. Aberd. & B. IV 189.
It is to remembyr that it is … accordyte betwex my Lorde of Mar [etc.] 1484 Acta Aud. *148/1.
It is to remembir that he was summonde lauchefully … and comperit nocht 1627 Dunkeld Presb. II 368.
It is to be remembrit the rowmes off the paroche … lyes in glenis 1652 Galloway P. 4 June.
It is to be remembrid thar is thretie seauen pund … deu … to the said Wiliame(2) 1473 Acts II 105/2.
Alsa the lordis barouns remembris that thar was a statute maid [etc.] a1500 Colk. Sow i 404.
Remembir quhy ȝe come here c1500-c1512 Dunb. (O.U.P.) 210/18. Ib. 174/6.
Sum … nevir remembris that he mon die 1513 Doug. ii ii 31.
And to remembir, gude hope of ferm supple Happynnys oft to presoneris in captiuite 1524 Douglas Corr. 91.
Schir, it will pleis ȝour henes for tho (= to) ramember that ȝou promyst me … that [etc.] 1548–9 Corr. M. Lorraine 288.
We fand na pwrpos to pas fordwart remembyryng the baittaill wes hasertws 1559 St. A. Kirk S. 21.
The deponar remembyris … that he and his wyfe wes wrasland togiddir 1560 Rolland Seven S. 4655. a1568 Bann. MS 259b/5.
Remembir quhatt ma cum behind 1600 Crim. Trials II 179.
The deponar … rememberis weill that the Erle [of Gowrie] had this deponaris knaipschall on his heid(3) a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 523 (Asl.).
A … remeid Syn to reproche … Is to remembre the dreidfull day of deid c1500-c1512 Dunb. (O.U.P.) 18/99.
Off this schort tyme remembring nocht the space Ib. (O.U.P.) 192/44 (M).
Luiffis blis May lat me to remembar this c1522 Doug. in Doug. (Sm.) I p. cv.
I beseke your grace to remembre the … securite of the kingis grace of Scotland 1533 Gau 83/20.
Quhen he ramembers thay wordis with the quhilk he prayis a1578 Pitsc. I 205 h. of ch.
Hou the king remembereit the speikin of the wiche 1608 Breadalbane Lett. 12 July.
Richt honorabill my humill dewitie rememberit I haue reccauit ȝour maisteris lettre 1637 Johnston Diary I 289.
Heirafter I remembred the diminution of my estait by [etc.](4) 1540 Lynd. Sat. 3054 (B).
My lordis, … Remembir for to reforme the consistory 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 110/9.
I man not forgettette [sic] to remember … to charge you to præferre speciallie to youre seruice samonie as treulie haue seruid me 1666-74 Fraser Polichron. 145.
I remember to see … his name … upon the chaires(5) 1562-3 Winȝet II 34/24.
Photinus is rememberit to hef temptit the Kirk of Sirmitane 1567 Crail B. Ct. MS 25 Nov.
Wilyeam … rememberis vill ane of the saidis ackaris to be of mukit land

2. To recall (a person) to one's mind and affections. a1500 Henr. Abbay Walk 53 (Bann.).
Remembir Him that deit on tre 1661 Red Bk. Grandtully II 153.
We remember ȝow all veri often, and ar certaine ȝe mynd us somtyms 1664 S.R.O. Seafield MS GD248/556.
The bieng remembret bay you is that which I dou ernestly bege

b. To ‘remember’ (a person) by presenting him with a gift, paying him a fee, etc. a1500 Colk. Sow iii 82.
Colkelby … socht To his gud sone for godfadirly reward Him to remembir as schawit is eftirward 1599 Aberd. B. Rec. II 188.
The … counsall … ordanis Mr. Peter Blakburne minister to be rememberit for the interteneing of the said Mr. George 1620 Grant Chart. 326.
Our act of litis contestatioun … being buikit … at quhilk tyme aduocatis fauour keithit was rememberit

3. To record or make mention of (a matter). 1564 Craven Argyll Diocese 9.
The Iles can nocht be travellit wele throwch in wynter, quhilk ȝe sall also remember at the Assemblie gif ȝe be thair 1590 Conv. Burghs I 329.
Continewis the ansuer … to the nixt generall assemblye of burrowes, and to remember the samin in the messeues to be sent thairto 1592 Ib. 387.
The samyn to be remimberit as ane speciall haid in thair missiwis c1600 Pitsc. (1814) p. xv.
The montane Grampius is … craigie, which Tacitus in the lyffe of Julius Agrecola doeth remember

b. To commemorate. 1513 Doug. viii vi 61 (Sm.) (see Rememor).
Remembrit

4. intr. To retain a, or the, memory of (also on, unto, upon, anentis) a person or thing; to have or bear in mind; to recall, also ? call, to mind; to bethink oneself of.Also without const.(1) 1456 Hay II 8/21.
Unese mycht he speke …, rememberand of the grete honour that he had bene in a1500 Henr. Fab. 2287.
‘Schir,’ said the husband ‘remember of this thing’ ?a1500 Remembr. Passion 19.
& a man … remembris devoitly of the passion he wynnis mair merit than ane vthir 1513 Doug. i viii 87.
The goddis sall remember … Baith of gud dedis and iniquite 1551 Hamilton Cat. 6.
Bot evirmair remembre of thai thingis that God hes commandit thé to do 1590-1 R. Bruce Serm. 362. 1609 Sel. Biog. I 91.
Remember of our gracious soveraigne(2) a1500 Henr. Fab. 2378.
Lowrence wes euer remembring vpon wrinkis … the volff for to begyle 1513 Doug. x v 165.
Now euery man ramembir on his spows 1533 Gau 7/12.
Na man cane excus thayme self thair of that thay cane notht leir thayme na remember appone thayme c1552 Lynd. Mon. 2334.
Seand the image of the rude Men suld remember on the blude Quhilk Christ [etc.] 1560 Rolland Seven S. 2205.
Remember weill on the scheiphyrd and bair 1562-3 Winȝet II 8/35.
That the … craftismen suld remember on the auld prouerb 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 36.
Remembir on ȝour king and on my lord regentis pupillis committit to ȝow in tutele a1578 Pitsc. I 86/19.
Being admoneist … to remember wpoun his auld wontit curage 1581 Lanark B. Rec. 82.
Item, to remember on the burne reding 1586 St. A. Kirk S. 577.
Sche … rememberis nocht upon his name 1586–7 Cal. Sc. P. IX 280.
Feall not to remember on William my l. brother 1588 King Cat. 9b. 1590-1 R. Bruce Serm. 109.
That every ane of thir things may sa sticke with you … that … ye may remember upon them 1600 Crim. Trials II 177.
Remember on my fatheris dead!(3) c1500-c1512 Dunb. (O.U.P.) 20/153.
Thow mak me, Jesu, unto thé [M. on thé] to remember(4) 1581 Lanark B. Rec. 82.
Item, to remember anentis the multeris peying(5) 1561 Sc. Ant. IX 2.
The dets awand by me … I have … expremit safar as I can remembir

b. To make mention of a person or thing; to record, write about. 1533 Boece 72b.
Venerabil Bede in his buke … rememberis of Rewtheris returne in Albion 1622-6 Bisset II 300/2.
The … discipill Andronicus quhairof Sanct Paule remembris in his Epistoll to the Romanis

5. reflex. To keep in mind, recall to mind; to bethink (oneself).Const. clause, infin. compl. or simple object, also of or on a matter and of a person.(1) c1500-c1512 Dunb. (O.U.P.) 61/41.
The nychtingaill said, ‘Fule, remembir thé, … That … The luve of God most deir to man suld be’ 1513 Doug. ix xii 70.
Gif Turnus had than incontinent Ramembryt hym, and kauch in mynd to rent The lokkis vp, … The last day of the batale that had be c1552 Lynd. Mon. 2340.
In thy mynde, remember thé, The wordis, quhilks the propheit said a1585 Maitland Maitl. Q. 80/5.
Then I remember me That heir thair is no rest(2) 1456 Hay II 79/5.
Remember thé of this that I say here 1492 Myll Spect. 291/10.
The schiref remembrit him of his office and sped him thaire 1600 Crim. Trials II 215.
His maiesty remembred him of … Robert Rollocke 1628 Edinb. Univ. Chart. 122.
He callis the bursars to remember theme of thair injunctiounes in ringing of the bell(3) c1475 Wall. iv 48.
Sadly awisit Wallace remembrith him thar On the promys he maid his eyme befor

6. passive. To be rememb(e)rit (of, upon a person or thing), to be mindful of; to remember or recollect.Also with clause or infin. compl., and without const.(1) 1533 Bell. Livy II 152/28.
The senate suld be remembrit of the piete that thai had 1551 Reg. Privy C. I 118.
The … King of France, being rememberit of his men of weir presentlie remaning in this realme [etc.] 1552 Ib. 128.
My lord governour, … being rememberit of the … diverse utheris actis 1586 Ib. IV 100.
The contentis quhairof his majestie being than not weill rememberit of — 1566 Keith Hist. App. 135.
Gif his lordschip be remembrit thairupoun(2) 1543 Corr. M. Lorraine 50.
Plesit your grace to be remembrit how I am heir haldin in ward 1562-3 Winȝet I 18/11.
Schir, it mot pleis ȝow be rememberit that [etc.] 1609 Kinghorn Kirk S. 17.
[The session] ordains the cuncil magistrat to be rememberit to ward him till he find cawtioun(3) 1602 Dundonald Par. Rec. 9.
Becaus scho wes not weil rememberit the sessioun continewit hir to this day aucht dayis

7. tr. Of a person: To remind (someone) of a person or thing, a. In speech, a letter, etc. Const. also on or upon the thing recalled, with clause object or infin. compl., b. By being the unknowing cause of an association of ideas, perception of likeness, etc.In sense b, also with a thing as subject.a. (1) 1531 Bell. 1531 Boece I 137.
He … sumtimes remembrit thaim of the misery … falling to thaim be the weris Id. Livy I 103/1.
Remembring thame of the humanite and kyndenes done to thame be hir fader 1570 Bann. Trans. 48.
He remembrit me of ane dreame which in my grit seiknes did … present the self 1582 Edinb. B. Rec. IV 234.
Desyring thame to writt of new to the burrowes and remember thame of dyueris heidis omittit furth of thair lettres 1589 James IV in Wodrow's Life of Bruce 17.
We cannot well omit to remember you of new thereof 1618 Misc. Spald. C. II 160.
The Archbischop … remembred the auditouris of your majesties infinit benefites to the church 1623 Sutherland Bk. II 141.
He sall slippe no good occasion to remember his maiestie of it(2) 1543 Corr. M. Lorraine 39.
As to remembyr my lord of Levynnox apon the greit luf and traist Scottis men has … wyth the kingis of France 1645 Fam. Seton MS 231.
To remember [Lord Winton] … on his promise made to the synod … to report the morrie(3) 1531 Bell. 1531 Boece I 214.
Carance began to remembir thaim, how the auld affinite betwix thaim was commodius 1559 M. Napier Mem. J. Napier 64.
And ramember him, that he that wald haif all, all is able to tyne 1578 Waus Corr. 188.
I thogth guid to remember your lo. that … our summondis suld be raisit [etc.] 1586–7 Rait & Cameron King James's Secret 184.
I pray your lordship remember his majestie that ve ar heir at great chairgis 1581-1623 James VI Poems I 226/485.
The Spanish prince … Remembring them how righteous was Their quarrell, and how good(4) 1574–5 Haddington Treas. Acc. 2.
To gang to Edinburgh to remember Johne Young to rais the letters on the lard of Bas 1593–4 St. A. Kirk S. 776.
Jhone Lawsoun, and Mr. William Thomsoun, notaris, ar … requestit … to remember the seik … to leif in thair legacy sum support to the puir 1596–7 Warrender P. (S.H.S.) II 313.
It is farder our wil that ye remember the erle of Huntlie to send heir with diligence his offers to the erle of Murray(5) 1578 Acts III 97/1.
The maister of requeistis … sall euerie day remember the Lord Chancellar … concerning the estait of the causis dependand 1627 Bk. Carlaverock II 100.
Maid bold to remember ȝour lordship with these few lyneis(b) a1568 Bann. MS 45a/116.
Scho said … Dame Conscience That oft remmemberis manis myndb. 1568 Q. Mary in Ellis Orig. Lett. i Ser. II 254.
Y wil send ȝou letle tekne to rem[em]ber ȝou off the gud hop y heuu in ȝou 1600-1610 Melvill 16.
He haid a sistar, … rewlar of his hous, wha often rememberit me of my mother 1678 Mackenzie Laws & C. i xxvii 6 (1678) 276.
This remembers me of this pretty case wherein I my self was consulted

8. To recall (a thing) (to a person). Const. direct and indirect object. 1531 Bell. 1531 Boece II 271.
I wil remembir yow ane fabil

b. To mention (one's respect, etc.) to another, as in a letter. 1588 Soc. Ant. IV 426.
Cummer Petre desyrit hir dewtifull commendation to be rememberit to your l. and my gude lady 1608 Breadalbane Lett. 12 July.
Richt honorabill my humill dewitie rememberit 1637 Baillie I 11.
Remembring my service and my mastres to yow and your mastres 1683 Edinb. City Archives Lett. ii 75.
The old mamay hath hir blisshing remembred to you