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

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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. X).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Strenth, Strength, Strinth, v. Also: strenthe, strentht, strench, strynth. P.t. also strinthlyt. P.p. also strentit, strinthit. [ME and e.m.E. strenð- (Ancr. R.), strengð- (1297), strinth (Cursor M.), streynth (c1425), strength- (c1450); Strenth n. Cf. Strenthen v.] tr.

1. To strengthen (a person or institution) in respect of beliefs, knowledge, etc., to reinforce (a state of affairs). Also ellipt. and in or to do (something). Also reflex.(1) a1400 Leg. S. xxvii 1350.
Bot ȝet sall thu duell in this stede Thre ȝere, … & strenth and confort haly kirk a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 622 (Asl.).
Apon his pepill to mak sair pvnissing Quhilk thair suld suffer but murmuros menyng To strenth thar paciens 1490 Irland Mir. II 82/35.
The ressouns that I sall induce … sall … conferme and strenth the faith in all the gud pepil that heris thame 1490 Irland Mir. III 16/17.
This grace of confirmacioun is gevin to strenth and fortefye the saule in battal agan the innemy 1513 Doug. vi Prol. 60.
Virgil writis mony iust claus conding, Strenthing our beleve, to confound payan warkis c1520-c1535 Nisbet Ep. Ald Test. xv 43.
And he sal strenthe it [sc. his kingdom] in dome and in richtuisnes 1533 Bell. Livy I 46/12.
Numa, succeding to the crowne of Romanis, … Set him … to strenth the samyn … be lawis, relligioun, and gude maneris c1540 Lynd. Kitteis Conf. 132.
The Sacramentis schaw thé at lenth, Thy lytle faith to stark and strenth 1551 Hamilton Cat. 262.
Geve us the bodye of our salviour Christ, … to strenth our spreit aganis the feind 1558-9 Godlie Exhort.
Ȝe … re[ssave the blyssit] bodie and blude of our Salueo[ure Chryst for the] fud of ȝour saulis, to strenth ȝou a 1562-3 Winȝet I 63/5.
Sa I hoip that the grete guidnes of that Lord maist blissit … sall corroborat and strenthe also my præsent intentioun 1562-3 Winȝet II 18/16.
On double manere suld he, be help of the Hieast, strenthe his fayth. First … be the auctoritie of haly Scriptuir, syne … be the traditioun of the Catholik Kirk 1562-3 Winȝet II 58/32.
The doctrine of the Christiane religioun mot follou thir lawis of incres … to wit, that be ȝeris it mot be strenthit 1567 G. Ball. 14.
For our waiknes, God of his mercy sweit, To strenth our faith ordand this sacrament a1568 Scott i 30.
Strenth thy estait with steidfastnes to steir 1588 King Cat. 184.
Men … being be the Haly Ghaist steirit and strenthed(b) 1531 Bell. Boece I 21.
Quhidder thay list to strength peace under the auld conditionis or new(c) a1400 Leg. S. iv 55.
For to co[n]fereme and strinth his lar, Myraculis gret he wrocht that war a1400 Leg. S. v 384.
Than mad he byschoppis ay-quhare, To strinth and vpehald Goddis lare a1400 Leg. S. xvi 775.
Al the folk of that cunctre Ferme in Cristine treutht lefit he, & strinthlyt gr[e]tly Godis kirk Thru gret mervalis a1400 Leg. S. xix 332.
To strinth the treutht, as it ded ere a1400 Leg. S. xxvii 942.
With prooff of mychtfull dede He strinthit alway Godis sede 1533 Gau 44/23.
The resurrectione of our lord Jesus … hes strinthit al the marthers and halie men quhilk suffert deid … and persecutione(2) ellipt. a1400 Leg. S. xx 153.
Thu art a foule … That … trewis now Fra God verray to gere me bow, That confortis me & strinthis sa(3) 1533 Gau 45/13.
In His victorious and glorious resurrectione the quhilk strinthis wsz in our faith(4) 1559 St. A. Kirk S. 7.
Calling for the Haly Spirite to strenth us to performe the samyn 1567 G. Ball. 54.
From errour and hypocrasie, Strenth vs in the veritie, To perseueir vnto the end a1568 Bann. MS 15a/9.
Lord strenth me with thy patience To suffer ay c1600 Montg. Suppl. xxix 99.
And sen thow hes of gudnes, Forgevine all my sine, Strenthe me thai trewthe for to confes(5) reflex. 1558-66 Knox I 417.
Saiff your persone by wisdome, strenth your selff against force, and the Almychtie God assist yow

b. Of music. c1550-c1580 Art of Music 30a.
The first canon. All augmentation and diminucioun of noittis is strenthit to be haill and full choip of the semebrewe essenciall quhairthrow vndir thir singis O. C. it aw to be estimat and fully onderstand

2. a. To make more secure, to increase the fighting strength of a group. Also reflex. b. specif. To make (a part of the body) stronger by application of medicines.a. 1375 Barb. xvii 331.
The Inglis-men sa closit had Thar host with dikis at thai maid, That thai war strynthit gretumly a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 199.
I may refresch yow with folk to feght gif you nedis … with birny and brand to strenth you ful stright 1531 Bell. Boece I 42.
Sen thair is na other way sa plesand to strenth our ennimes, and to febill oure self 1549 Compl. 137/15.
To gar them be saue of body and gudis fra the crualte of Ingland quhil on to the tyme that thai [sc. commons of Scotland] maye be strynthit be the autorite to cum to resist the Inglis men 1578–9 Reg. Privy C. III 74.
Gif it sall pleis his Majestie to caus big his Hienes hous in Annand, it wald … strenth the Bordour in tyme of weirreflex. 1560 Cal. Sc. P. I 303.
Make all haste and advertise us for a special day to meet, [that the enemy get no leisure to] strentht [himself] c1590 Fowler II 154/9.
They [sc. Princes of Italy] have had litill forsight to strength or asseure theme aganst the greter & nobler sortb. 1568 Skeyne Descr. Pest 36.
And becaus frequent vomiting & swoning ar greit impediment to retene ony cordiall medicine, the stomak maist be corroborate & strenthit this vayis

3. To support (a case, right, etc.) with additional evidence; to justify, validate. 1429–30 Acts Jas. I in Ayr B. Ct. 6 March.
Gyfe he recowntyr the borch & strenthis it with hys resonis 1531 St. P. Henry VIII IV 594.
This ressoun strenchis maist our rycht, because na redrese ought to be made for ony gudis takyng furthe of ony debatable landis 1533 Wigtown B. Ct. 278b.
Geyf the compromit maid betuix tham & Jhone Blayne beis fund strentit & laucfull compromittit [etc.] 1562-3 Winȝet I 55/20.
Gif ony thing negligentlie and nocht sufficientlie strenthit be set furth in this werk, it suld be impute to my haist and feruour, and to nane wtheris iniustlie 1562-3 Winȝet II 8/23.
This my instrument … may strenthe mekle the samin vnitie 1562-3 Winȝet I 25/28.

4. To strengthen (an edifice or structure) by repairing or adding to the existing fabric. Also passing into: To improve the security or defensibility of a castle, town, etc., by so doing.(1) 1472 Edinb. Chart. 135.
We charge al … personis having tenementis or landis wythin the … burgh that thai strenth and fortify thair hede rovmys 1533 Boece 444.
The castell … was sa strenthit with new mwnicioun, that apperandlie it was inexpugnable 1546 Reg. Privy C. I 28.
He sall nocht strenth nor prepar the said hous utherwais nor it is now 1557 Edinb. B. Rec. III 15.
This town to be fortit strenthit and the wallis thairof reparit(2) a1568 Scott xxxvi 74.
Sweit Lord to Syon be suave And strenth the wallis of Thy conclave, Jerusalem, Thy haly grave

5. ? To hug, embrace tightly. 15.. Clar. ii 608.
Now fair I weill … Sen ȝe ar cum … With that scho strenthit him in hir armis thair, And he also did hir softlie imbrace