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

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First published 2000 (DOST Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

S(c)harping, S(c)herping, vbl. n. Also: scharpp-, sharpe-, charp-, scherpe-, s(c)hairp(e)- and -ying, -in(e. [ME and e.m.E. sharpyng (1398); S(c)harp v.]

1. The action of sharpening, in the senses 1 and 2 b of S(c)harp v.(1) 1529 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 2.
For iii dosane pikis scharping this olk 1530 Ib. 28.
For xxiiii poyntis of pikis scharping 1532 Ib. 113.
To Alexander smyth … for scharping and laying of the querrell lumis and weggis 1552–3 Edinb. Old Acc. I 77.
For the scharping of the commone sweird ilk tyme it wes usit v s. 1558–9 Ib. 294.
Scharpying 1559–60 Ib. 314.
Scharppin 1560 Ib. II 93.
Charpine of twa matolkis 1594–5 Misc. Spald. C. V 119.
For … scharping the aix 1615 Soc. Ant. VII 554.
For scharping the maidin to bite 1618 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 89.
For scharping tuelff dinting aixes and hamberis 1627–8 Dumbarton Common Gd. Acc. 56.
For scharping the masounis irenis 1637 Edinb. Test. LVIII 62.
Ane haning stane for sharping of rasoris 1640 Dumfries Treas. Acc. 11. 1684 Fawside Coal Compt 122.
For picke sharpeing 10 s.(b) 1564–5 Edinb. Old Acc. II 205.
For schairping of the piks 1578 Edinb. D. Guild Acc. 68.
For schairping of thair … mattokis and gavillokis 1616 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 2. 1622 D. Hay Fleming Guide to St. Andrews (1953) 130.
For shairpine the aix to heed the man that slew Johnne Jak(c) 1591 Edinb. D. Guild Acc. 440.
For scherping the mattokis 1595 Ib. 566.
For scherping of the padill off the kirk 1644 Tulliallan Coal Wks. 33.
Sherping 1679 Fawside Coal Compt 44.
For nibbes and picke sherpeing £1(2) a1586 Lindsay MS 86.
The forme … of all noble actis of honouris for the experting and scherping of thair wittis

2. comb. and attrib.Scharping stone, a whetstone. Scharping corne, an allowance of corn made to a smith for sharpening agricultural implements, appar. only Sc.Scharping irne ? = schappyne knyff, see Schapin(g vbl. n. 2 for example. 1665–7 Lauder Jrnl. 68.
Theirs also poor fellows that goes up and doune with their hurle barrows in which they carrie their sharping stone to sharp axes or gullies — 1666 Stitchill Baron Ct. 41.
Ilke hvsbandland … shall pay a sufficient stouke of outfield aits yeirly proportionally in tym cumeing for shairpeing corne to Robert Lillie smythe 1675 Melrose Reg. Rec. II 411.
[For a half firlot of oats] off sharpine corne