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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.

Revelatio(u)n(e, -acio(u)n(e, n. Also: rewel-, rewl- and -atyoune, -acoun. [ME and e.m.E. reuelacyun (Manning), -acioun (Rolle), -ation (?c1475), OF revelation, revelaucion (late 12th c. and early 14th c. in Larousse), L. revēlātiōn- f. revēlāre Revele v.]

1. The disclosure of knowledge to man by God, or by supernatural means. a1400 Leg. S. xxxvi 602.
In to visione Sancte Johne mad reuelacione Of that sted, quhare his hevid lay c1420 Wynt. vii 331.
Come wyttyng till Saynt Margret sone Be revelatyoune [C. rewlacion] 1456 Hay II 114/32.
The quhilk science he [sc. God] has maid revelacioun of till oure alde ancienne faderis [etc.] c1520-c1535 Nisbet Galat. i 12.
Nocht of man … bot be reuelatioun of Jesu Crist a1538 Abell 111b.
Renowand all the puntis of owr saluitoris passion quhilk wes knawin be godlie reuelatioun

b. A particular instance of this; a communication from a divine or supernatural source; the content of a revelation or body of revelations. 1490 Irland Mir. I 62/17.
The knawlage of the faith or reuelacioune that we haue Ib. II 5/16.
The buk of the hevinly reuelacioun callit the Apocalips 1513 Doug. iii i 10.
Syndry landis … forto seik, … Of the goddis by reuelacionys, We war admonyst Ib. vi 9.
The reuelationys Of god Apollois diuinationys … at Delphois c1552 Lynd. Mon. 6219.
That brycht Jerusalem, Quhilk Jhone saw, in his revelatione 1558 Q. Kennedy Tractive 123.
Thair come ane voce saying, ‘Peter, ryse, slay, and eait;’ he wes astonissit of the revelatioun a1578 Pitsc. I 166/17.
Scho had the rewelatioun thairof be ane familiear spreit

c. The last book of the New Testament; the ‘Revelation’ of St. John. c1515 Asl. MS I 327/4.
The Buke of Apocalips, alsmekle to say as Reuelacoun c1590 Fowler II 53/13.
The Reuela[tion] of S. John

2. Disclosure of information by a human being. 1456 Hay II 162/5.
Traist messageris to bere thair messagis … and secretly report again all ansueris bot any revelacioun bot quhare it effeiris 1533 Boece 280b.
Be revelacioun of hir chalmerere … thay brak vp the portis