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.

Repare, -pair(e, n. Also: ra- and -par, -payr(e. [Appar. only Sc. till c1600; Repar(e v.]

1. The action of renewing or refreshing; refreshment. c1420 Wynt. iv 2677 (C).
Til … haf thar recreacion In met and drynk to [R. and] thar repayre

2. Provision (of sustenance, also of what is necessary to maintain one's social standing).Rarely, only in marriage contracts of Ayrshire provenance, and appar. following upon the betrothal of minors, where the future parents-in-law undertook to keep the future spouse in their household.Cf. e.m.E. repayer v., to provide (children) with (‘meate and drincke and honest apparrell’) (once, 1557, in a will). 1425 Montgomery Mem. II 9.
He sal hald the said Anny his dochtir, and a damysale with hir, and Schir Robertis resonabyl repayr, for twa ȝer in met and drynk, and buch of court, with sex horssis fyndyng at the liking of the said Schir Robert 1438 Lennox Mun. 69.
The forsayd Alexander [lord of Ardrossan] sall find his dochter for fyff yher with the repayr off hyr husband and hys famil that is to say sex hors 1496–7 15th Rep. Hist. MSS App. viii 12.
[She shall sustain her daughter in meat and clothing] togidder with the racionabill repare of the said Johne Campbel and thre personis with hyme and four hors for the space of four yeyris next eftir the completyng of the said mariage 1516 Prot. Bk. Gavin Ros 27.
[The said Agnes shall sustain Cristian] in met and clath and otheris thingis [blank] the honest repairs of the said Laurence as wse of fynding is

3. Encouragement, promotion (of a state of affairs). 1517 (1542) Reg. Great S. 644/2.
Thair … is yeirlie confluence of our liegis … with merchandice … at … Clakmannane … for repare and noressing [ed. moressing] of the quhilkis we … grantis to him and his airis that thai … bruke ilk yeir … commoun fairis

4. sing. and pl. The mending or restoration of a material thing.In repair, in good condition.(1) 1566 Inv. Q. Mary cxxi n.
The caryage of the lutis and reparris [v.r. raparyng] of thame 1647 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 79.
The repair of the said kirkyaird dyke and stylls(2) 1683 Martine Reliq. Divi Andreae 190.
The New Inns, hospitium novum … is very well in repaire 1691 J. M. Beale Fife Schools 157.
Or those [houses] in repair standing void

5. The action of making amends for or reparation of wrong. 1616 Fraserburgh Kirk S. 78 (5 Sept.).
[The session] remittis the said Cuthbert to the magistrate for repair of wrong