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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.

Serve, v.² Also: serwe, scherve, serf, sarve. Pres. t. also service. [ME serfe(n (c1250), sareue(n (Layamon), sarue(n (c1400), serve(n (c1250), e.m.E. (once) serve (1575), aphetic f. Deserve v., or a use of Serv(e v.¹] tr. To deserve. Also proverb.Also const. at, of, to (till) (= from) someone.(1) a1400 Leg. S. ii 242.
Tak thi med That thu has servit fore ill dede! a1400 Leg. S. vi 573. ?1438 Alex. i 1913.
Now, gentill lordis, turne agane And serue [F. desservés] ȝour soldis of the king That geuis sa mony ryall thing To vs ?1438 Alex. i 2611. c1420 Ratis R. (STS) 1699. c1420 Wynt. ix 1934.
It ware baith syn and schame Mare than thai serve, thaim to defame 1456 Hay I 176/15.
Thai that tynis the bataill has servit na blame tharfore 1460 Hay Alex. 3466.
For [thocht] ȝe had neuer vther seruice made Till Alexander ȝe seruit ȝoure warisoun a1500 Rauf C. 742. c1475 Wall. i 399.
Wallace ansuerd said; ‘Thow art in the wrang.’ ‘Quham dowis thow, Scot? in faith thow serwis a blaw’ c1475 Wall. vii 551. 1490 Irland Mir. III 37/11.
And ve saw the diuersite betuix the hoste consecrat and it that is nocht consecrat and than trowit the verite thar of we seruit na merit 1490 Irland Mir. II 118/1. a1500 K. Hart 608. a1500 Prestis of Peblis 249 (A). a1500 Seven S. 2246. 1493 Acts II 234/2.
Statutis making contrair the commone proffet and for thair singulair proffet and auale, quhilk seruis greit punytioun a1500 Lanc. 3461.
Gret harm it war yhe tyne the hie encres Of vorschip, seruit al this day before a1500 Peblis to Play 118.
Be God thow seruice ane dunt a1500 Rois Garlandis 111.
Bundin … as ane theif that had seruit the dede c1500-c1512 Dunb. (STS) lix 12.
Seruis [R. schervis] 1513 Doug. fol. 329a/7 (C).
Quhidder I serve thank or wyte 1533 Gau 19/17.
Supos he … hes seruit the hel 1540 Lynd. Sat. 1174 (Ch.).
I think ȝe serue [B. sarve] gude recompence c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus ii 167. 1560 Rolland Seven S. 1176, etc. 1570 Sat. P. xiii 192. a1578 Pitsc. I 195/15.
It is tyme to seik ȝour reward quhan ȝe haue serwed it 15… Edinb. Univ. MS La.iv.6.
He seruis small portar fe(b) c1460 Consail Vys Man 57.
Fore all suppos thow serf na blame 1513 Doug. i Prol. 78 (Sm.).
Quhar I offend, the les repreif serf [C. serve] I(c) 1540 Lynd. Sat. 481 (B).
Thow hes saird [Ch. deseruit] beth meit and feeproverb. a1598 Ferg. Prov. (1706) 270.
He that does bidding serves [pr. seives] no dinging(2) 1460 Hay Alex. 325.
Sayand thow aw weill sic ane ded to de: In tyme bygane thow hes it seruit to me c1475 Wall. viii 907.
All seruit thank to Scotland euirmar, For manheid wit 1535 Stewart 56931.
Gif I haif seruit ony thank of ȝow, I ȝow requyre to lat sic murning be 1560 Rolland Seven S. 3034.
Within seuvin ȝeiris space Better rewaird I haue servit at ȝour grace 1686 G. Stuart Joco-Ser. Disc. 26.
And ye shall nev'r serve twice of me The smallest penny of your fee

b. With infin. or infin. clause as object.(a) a1400 Leg. S. xxxvi 1191.
Thu seruit of Cryste lowit to be 1456 Hay II 107/30.
Worthy men the quhilkis servit to lordis tobe in honourable … remembraunce a1500 Henr. Prayer 37.
Retreit the sentence and thy iust iugement Aganis ws synnaris that servis to be schent c1475 Wall. iv 751. a1500 K. Hart. 528.
All fals tratouris I may ȝow full weill call, That seruit weill be draw c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 75/1.
How nane servis to haif sweitnes That nevir taistit bittirnes c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 15/22. c1536 Lynd. Compl. Bagsche 119. 1540 Lynd. Sat. 1321 (Ch.).
Thay serue richt weill to get thair paiks 1540 Lynd. Sat. 4245. c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus ii 366.
Sum said he seruit for to be cruciat c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus ii 335, etc. c1552 Lynd. Mon. 4823.
Off that office thay serue to be degradit 1560 Rolland Seven S. 3695.
Ane schamefull deid doutles thay serue to die 1567 G. Ball. 193. a1568 Bann. MS 28b/50.(b) c1460 Wisd. Sol. (STS) 486.
Thane suld a man … do sua her that he serf nocht to cum thar [sc. to hell] a1500 Bk. Chess 935.
Thai serf weile mor … To haif honour and lordis baith to be That to thair lord has kepit sic lawte

c. absol.(a) a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 535 (Harl.).
Off all oure lyf sall follow iugement, As we haue seruit c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 206/12.
Sum askis mair than he deservis; Sum askis far les than he servis 1513 Doug. xi xvi 36.
He sal … with his deth aby as he hes servyt c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus ii 362.
Thow sall haif afflictioun As thow did serue c1600 Montg. Suppl. ii 20.
My blyithnes for to beit, As I serve at ȝour hand(b) a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 197 (Asl.).
For as ȝe serf ȝe sall haf sensyment