Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

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

Repair(e, -par(e, n. Also: rea-, ra- and -payr(e, -pear. [ME and e.m.E. repair (Chaucer), -payre (Lydgate), -peyre (c1350), -peir (Manning), OF repeire, -paire return, etc. (11th c. in Hatz.-Darm.), f. repeirer, -pairer Repair(e v.]

1. The act of going, coming, or returning to or from (furth of) (a place). 1375 Barb. xviii 557.
Northwart tuk thai hame thar way, And destroyit, in thar repayr, The wale all planly off Beauewar 1540 Lynd. Sat. 1618.
I am ane judge … Cum to do justice … Thair is, thairfoir, richt mony in this yle, Of my repair … quhilk dois repent 1547 Tytler Hist. of Scotland III (1864) 381.
And also my repair again to Carlisle c1564 Lennox Mun. 247.
In his reapare furtht of France

2. Frequent, habitual or continual going to, till (and from) a place or person or amang people; resort.Also const. in (within) a place, with consequent possible ambiguity with 4 below.Common in the phr. to have repaire, to mak (ma) (one's) repaire.Also in fig. context.(1) a1400 Leg. S. xii 292.
In the ayre, Quhare the feyndis has mast repare Ib. xxxi 104.
A lytil tone … Quhar Cristine men had repare Ib. xlvi 176.
The prefet yddire had repare c1420 Wynt. v 1680 (C).
A woman … Wes nere duellande that abbay, And gret repayr had til it ay Ib. vi 1626 (R).
This milnare had a dowchtyr fayre, That to the kyng had offt repayre [C. rapayr] c1420 Ratis R. 149.
Into that sted Sum wyce will rut and haf repar a1500 Bk. Chess 1531.
Him to se the folk had gret repaire a1540 Freiris Berw. 106 (B).
For on no wayis will I repair haif heir(2) ?1438 Alex. ii 7370.
Grece, quhair vertew maid repare c1420 Wynt. iii 337.
Syne oysyd he repayre to ma Tyll a queyne callyd Dalyda Ib. v 52.
In to that tempyll fayre, Quhare thai mad access [W. hanting] and repayre Ib. 440.
Quhen … thai off Brettane ostage had, He gret repayre amang thaim mad Ib. vi 1903.
His modyr to woddis mad offt repayre 1456 Hay I 190/21.
He saw … him mak grete repaire till his hous c1475 Wall. ii 16.
In Laglyne wode quhen that he maid repayr Ib. 381.
In that passage offt Sothroun maid repar Ib. vi 932.
Wallace … Maid playne repair quhar so him likit best c1500-c1512 Dunb. (O.U.P.) 194/2.
Thir ladyis fair, That makis repair, And in the court ar kend 1533 Boece 39.
Scottis thareeftir to the Ilis with thare store and bestiall made oftymes repare(3) c1400 Troy-bk. i 259.
Byrdes … That thidderward maid thar repare For suetnes of that nobile ayre c1420 Wynt. ii 1038.
The egyle … bere hyme wp in to the ayre Quhare Jupitere maid his repayre ?a1450 Florimond 402.
Thidder he [sc. a lion] mas oft his repair 1456 Hay II 6/4.
In the quhilk herbare the noble knycht was custumyt to mak his dayly repair a1500 Henr. Fab. 421.
Ane thornie schaw …, Quhairin ane foxe … Maid his repair and daylie residence c1500-c1512 Dunb. (O.U.P.) 28/107.
[Good Fame's heir] to the court maid his repair(4) 1423 (1430) Reg. Great S. 31/1.
We oblys us lely … that our repair in the forsaid castel … sal mak the said Michel na prejudice to the keping of the forsaid castel 1528 Douglas Corr. 127.
As twiching the repare of the Duk of Albanie, within this realme 1540 Lynd. Sat. 594. 1670 Rothesay B. Rec. 189.
The advantage the brughe may reip be the trade and repair of Cornet Johne Davidsone … in the Iylls(5) c1420 Wynt. iii 316.
Thare tyll a woman yhung and fare He oysyd mekyll his repayre(6) 1460 Hay Alex. (S.T.S.) 2558.
Thair was the tempill of Apollinis Ane gret repair of sacrifice thair is(7) 1619 Perth Kirk S. MS 25 Jan.
That the new biggit calsayis … ar misvseit be repair of hors and standis thaironfig. 1653 Binning Wks. 186.
To cleanse even vain thoughts, and shut up, from that ordinary repair, his own heart. He is about the enclosing it to be a garden

b. Opportunity for visiting or having access to (tyll) (a person or thing). c1420 Wynt. i 1657.
In publyk place … Quhare comowne acces and repayre Men mycht have tyll that figoure fayre Ib. v 1681.
Off that repayre swa that scho hade, … scho yharnyt inkrely Till have hade off hym copy 1513 Doug. vi xvi 24.
Thai schawis, quhamto repar nane aucht tobe

c. ? A place of resort. But perh. only a further instance of 2 above. a1500 Henr. Thre Deid Pollis 47.
Heir still sowld be ȝour study and repair

d. To have (or mak) … repair with (a person or persons), to stay or reside with; to associate with. a1500 Bk. Chess 2093.
Quhill with hir brother held scho hir repaire Scho wergyne was c1500-c1512 Dunb. (O.U.P.) 212/17.
Be I ane lady fresche and fair With gentillmen makand repair [etc.] 1531 Bell. 1531 Boece I xxvi.
The peple thairof hes na repair with marchandis of uncouth realmes 1540 Lynd. Sat. 4228 (B).
All curst vnhappy wyvis, That … quyetly with rebaldis makis repair 1560 Rolland Seven S. 3056.
Sen he with vs remanit or maid repair c1590 J. Stewart 74/44.
Scho … in ane bowhouse vith him meed repair

3. a. The action of coming together, or of meeting. b. A place to which people repair; a meeting- or rallying-place; a rendezvous; a usual haunt; a dwelling-place.a. 1375 Barb. iv 479.
Wald yow me wis To that place quhar thar repair is, I sall reward thé Ib. vi 550.
Syne till his prewe folk gan he say … In quhat sted thar repayr suld be 1685 Logie Par. Hist. 128.
Their ancient place of repairb. 1375 Barb. xvi 314.
The Irsche kingis than euerilkane Hame till thar awne repayr ar gane ?1438 Alex. ii 8099.
Thare … sall be our repare Efter the fecht c1500-c1512 Dunb. (O.U.P.) 202/58.
For the court and the sessioun The great repair of this regioun Is in your burgh [etc.] 1527 Douglas Corr. 117.
And couthe get na knawlege of thare habitude, [ha]nting nor repare within the bondis of my office

4. Concourse (of people) in a place; extensive resort of persons to a place.(1) 1456 Hay II 5/14.
Sa that he was content to flee the sycht and the repaire of the warld 1520 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I 196.
That this contagious seiknes of pestilence spreddis yeirlie, throw the repair of infectit personis 1529 (c1580) Ib. II 20.
Ane fair … quhair that repair of infeckit personis is habill to repair with infeckit geir 1531 Bell. 1531 Boece I xxxii.
Ane riche toun … quhair sum time wes gret change, be repair of uncouth marchandis 1560 Bk. Disc. 242.
In everie toune, whaire schollis and repair of learned men ar 1585 Reg. Privy C. III 752.
The cheif occasioun thairof being the confluence, grite repair, and resorte of … wicked personis 1594 Acts IV 80/1.
Edinburgh quhair commoun repair is of ane greit part of the liegis of this realme 1615 Kirkwall Sheriff Ct. Act Bk. 6.
The great … repair … of sturdie beggers … from Orknay Caithness [etc.] 1622-6 Bisset I 160/13.
That confusioun in the uttir hous … dois proceid frome the greit repair of the liegis 1694 Glasgow B. Rec. IV 133.
Considering that there is a great repair of strangers … to the said port — c1475 Wall. ii 24.
The Persye was in the castell of Ayr, With Inglis men gret nowmber and repayr(b) 1460–88 Facs. Nat. MSS II lxxvi.
The king desiris the … fauouris of his said cousing … becaus of … the repare of his liegis … in his lordschippis and tovnys(c) 1550 Reg. Privy C. I 103.
The gret dampnage … sustenit … throw the rapear of strangoris … bryngand with thame all kynd of merchandice(2) c1460 Consail Vys Man 255.
Gud mothir child gud … Sa scho be kepyt fra ill custume, Fra ill rapar and ill cumpany a1500 Prestis of Peblis 6.
Thai lufit nocht na rangald nor repaire a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 486.
In sum desert, quhare thare is na repaire [etc.] 1526 Edinb. B. Rec. I 228.
Because of the gret repaire in Edinburgh throw resorting of our souerane lord his lieges and vthers strangearis [etc.] 1533 Boece 452.
In partis quhare was maist repare, the cowpouns of thare mutulate bodyis war hungin 1611-57 Mure Dido & Æneas ii 875.
With earnest repare the paths do seeme to sweate(3) c1420 Wynt. v 418.
That wes a cyte … Comowne and off gret repayre 1609 Pont in McKayHist. Kilmarnock 6.
Kilmernock-toune and kirk is a large village and of grate repaire(4) c1475 Wall. iii 416.
He suld him kepe fra merket toune or fair, Quhar he mycht best be out of thair repair 1504 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I 101.
Gif it sall happin ony of the burearis to cum … amongs ony repair, or in the toun c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyt. 153.
In till ane glen thow hes out of repair Ane laithly luge that wes the lippir menis 1535 Stewart 49237.
And he him self flemit out of repair a1568 Bann. MS 69b/32.
Oure haistelly se ȝe speik not ammang repair 1571 Sempill Sat. P. xxviii 11.
Endlang ane park, I past without repair Be Snawdoun syde a1605 Montg. Flyt. 190 (T).
Quhair howland howlattis ay do hant, With robene reidbrest but repair