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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.

Te, Ty(e, v. Also: tey, tay. Pres. p. also tiine. P.t. tyit, tayed. P.p. teit, teyt, teyd(e, tichit, ticht, tykit, tyit, -et, -id, -ed, tyt, tied, tay(i)ed, toyit. [ME and e.m.E. teie(n (Layamon), teȝen (c1250), tiȝe(n (c1275), tye(n (Piers Plowman), tey(yn (Prompt. Parv.), tie (1563). P.t. teide (c1290), teghit, teyde, tyed (all c1400), tied (1604). P.p. i-tiȝed (c1275), tyed, tied (both Wyclif), OE tíȝan to bind, ON teygja to draw.]

1. To fasten, bind, tether, attach (something or someone) (to, etc. something). Also const. on, up, ouir.(1) pres. 1375 Barb. xv 286.
He gert men rapys and mastis ta And set thaim in the schippis hey And sayllis to the toppis tey [C. te](b) 1652 Peebles B. Rec. II 3.
John Newtone, officiar, to tye the said Thomas his naige with ane tow 1696 Inverness Kirk S. 66.
He would cause tye him neck and heal and send him to be session's prisoner(c) 1643 Dumfries Treas. Acc. MS 10a.
For … towes to tay a thiffe 1655–6 Peebles B. Rec. II 198.
To the stepill work … To the men that helpit doune the credill out of the Neidpethe loft … To Johne Crichtone [etc.] … quhen they trained the credill to the stippill … For four towes to tay the credill for rokingp.t. a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 61.
His hors he tyit to ane trep.p. c1420 Wynt. ix 1236.
He lap downe that the kyng clerly Kend … that thai falsly leid That sayd, the Lyndyssay before wes teyd [C. teyde] 1460 Hay Alex. 1565.
His helm was teit ouir mekill to the syde Till haue mair sicht 1535 Stewart 57762.
Vpoun the Lyndsay cryit mony fy, Into his saidill sayand he wes teit(b) c1450-2 Howlat 405 (A).
Mony schene scheld With tuscheis of trast silk tichit [B. ticht] to the tre a1500 Rauf C. 457.
He bair grauit in gold … Ane tyger ticht to ane tre, ane takin of tene(c) a1500 Henr. Fab. 2013.
Ȝe In ane rude raip had tyit me till ane tre a1500 Colk. Sow i 282.
Borne wes his banair Vpoun a schule … With terletheris tyit hy 1513 Doug. ix vi 104.
The hors, per ordour, tyit [L. religatos] weill abowt, Etand thar meit he mycht behald 1683 Misc. Spald. C. II 293.
[They] came out and cutt the cords that the prisoner was tyed with(d) c1420 Wynt. v 1699.
This abbot … Wes … tane … Quhill all hyr clathys ryvyn ware Swa in that toyle quhill scho wes tyt It wes persayvyt throuch a slyt That scho wes woman(e) 1650 Rec. Kirk Scotl. 595.
With his booke and declaratione tayed in a rope aboute his necke 1657 Balfour Ann. I 165.
Robert Grhame was tayed with ropes in a cairte(2) pres. 1676 Cunningham Diary 75.
For cords to ty on the maill with, £1 4 d.p.t. c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 9/69.
To the rude thay gart him rax, Syn tyit him on with greit irne takkisp.p. 1513 Doug. xii x 121.
At ane hie balk teyt [Sm. tyt] vp scho has With a lowp knot a stark cord

b. With fig. or allusive import. Passing into sense 3. a1598 Rollock On the Passion (1616) xx 188.
He will tye the burthen of them on their owne backes a1634 Forbes Rec. 398.
To have them in a maner tyed to their girdles, to consent to any thing quhatsoever 1691 Kirk Secr. Commonw. (1964) 424.
The same knot is oft cast on a threed … when … a party is a marrying, … which ty's up the man from all benevolence to his bride, till they be loosed

c. fig. To be tyit (in) to (the, one's) bed, to be unable to get out of bed due to illness or infirmity. 1610 Edinb. Test. XLVI 132.
I … being tyet to my bed at the pleasour of God be infirmitie 1635 Wodrow in Hay Geneal. 86.
His prime advocate … being tyed to his bed extremelie sicke a1650 Row 433.
Tyed 1679 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Processes No. 285 (15 Feb.).
Ane infirme persone who for age and povertie hes been tyed in to bed for almost these five year

2. Of a thing, etc.: To have something attached or fastened to it; to be fastened by something or in some fashion. a1500 Rauf C. 473.
His cussanis … Blandit with beriallis … Ticht ouir with thopas a1500 Sir Eger 1013.
A bold steed … Tyed right well with his girths two … About his breast he laid a band To make the sadle fast a1568 Bann. MS 64b/25.
His threidbair coit … weill toyit abowt his west 1680 Cunningham Diary 115.
For ribbon to ty my sleeve

3. Of a (non-material) thing: To bind, restrict, obligate (a person or his behaviour). a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 878.
Men of pride … be ambicioun all tyid 1572 Sempill in Sat. P. xxxviii 2.
Now Katherine de Medicis hes maid sic a gyis, To tary in Paris the papistes ar tykit [: vnlykit] c1646 Ayr & Gall. Coll. VII 85.
The busines … tyes my stay in town 1657 Balfour Ann. II 161.
Lay one ma suche obligations as shall tay me by way of thankfulnes to meitt oftin with you

b. To bind (a person, oneself, etc.) into a restrictive or legally binding obligation, freq. to (do) something. 1578 Bk. Carlaverock II 488.
This corne, quhilk he wald appropriat to thame, is the cheif fieall annexit for custody of the castell of Lochmaben als meikle to say ‘tye the kirk, and theik the queir’ 1608 Stirling Hammermen in Stirling Archæol. Soc. (1927-8) 41.
For the vrang he comittit in tiine off him self with twa maisters 1629 Reg. Privy C. 2 Ser. III 197.
To ty thame to take the commoun bread of the toun 1639 Rec. Kirk Scotl. 211.
The oath of God, which tyeth us to mentaine the lawful Assembly 1639 Edinb. Surgeons 138.
To the weill and utilitie of the craft, as he was tyed in be his aith 1640 Dundonald Par. Rec. 464.
Orders to be subscribed be him … quhairwnto he shall ty himself wnder paine of deposition from his office 1665 Old Ross-shire I 84.
That all persones … tak thaim to actuall service with a maister … to cause imprisone all such lose persones … at leist till such persones ty themselfs to actuall service

c. To oblige (a person, etc.) to do something. 1611-57 Mure Early Misc. P. xv 25.
Ȝe, whom natour tyes With weiping eyes this spectacle to vieu 1634 Glasgow B. Rec. II 22.
That the toun be not tayit to by or buld ane hous to that effect 1667 Laing MSS 363.
I conseve my selff tayied in deutie to wreat to you with great fridum

4. To connect, link or unite (persons or things). b. Const. to (a person or thing). c1625 Fam. Innes 214.
That my deir mother … and my … brother … live as God and nature heth tayed you together 1699 E. Loth. Antiq. Soc. IV 26.
Nature having so linked us together that we are tayed to be brethrenb. 1611-57 Mure Early Misc. P. i 62.
Esteiming me wnwyse To ressoune to be tyed a1633 Hope Major Pract. II 73.
Personall actions follow the partie oblidged … and ar tyed or cleive to them a1658 Durham Commandments (1675) 47.
When it is tyed to such an occasion or accident, as, to pray when the clock striketh, or when one neeseth 1662 Rothesay B. Rec. 73.
Allexander Wood protestit that he wald not be tyed to the bargane

5. transf. Of a place: To be connected to another place (by land). 1632 Lithgow Trav. ii 67.
Peloponnesus … is tied to the continent by an istmus