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.

Rift, v.² [ME and e.m.E. rift (a1300), ON rypta, røpta. Cf. ON ropi belching, Icel. ropa to belch.] intr. a. To belch. b. To rift out, to emit from the mouth, as by belching; to utter (threats). c. To rift up, to come up into the mouth; to be belched up. Here fig. = to return unpleasantly to the memory. —a. c1500 Interl. Droich 43.
The hevin reirdit quhen scho wald rift 1540 Lynd. Sat. 4353 (B).
Scho riftit, ruckit … Till scho had cassin a cuppill of quartis —b. 1600-1610 Melvill 308.
Sa that the barme of thair drink began to rift out crewall thretnings against … Mr. Andro —c. 1636 Rutherford Lett. (1894) 154.
When we shall be awakened, our yesternight's sour drink and swinish dregs shall rift up upon us