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

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Thank, v. Also: thankk-, thanck-, thonk, thange. P.t. also tankit, thankat. [ME and e.m.E. þonk (c1175), þank (c1200), thank, thanc (both Cursor M.), thanck (1537), OE þancian, þǫncian.]

1. tr. To thank, to express gratitude, give thanks to (God, His Name, a person, also occas. a thing), (of, for something).Sometimes in collocation with loue in reference to thanking God in an act of prayer. Also with following clause chiefly introduced by that. Also with God as the subject.(1) 1375 Barb. i 578.
To Schyr Jhon Cumyn said he That he suld … Be rewardyt … And he him thankit humyly c1420 Wynt. vii 2128.
This Rychard hym thankyd grettumly 1460 Hay Alex. 844.
Alexander … Gart wryt the names of all the mast worthie That he mycht haue into perfyt knawlege To thank ilkane efter thair vassalege a1500 Lancelot of the Laik 2791.
Sche thonkith hyme and syne sche goith her way a1500 Golagros and Gawane 1311.
I thank thé mekill, schir knight, said the ryall a1500 Bk. Chess 1997.
This mirakill that hasatour he saw Thankit gret God and fell on kneis law Become a monk and tuke the habit tyte 1533 Boece 362b.
Pichtis … convenit at Camelodune to loif and thank almychty God with deuote oblaciouns and prayeris 1533 Gau 20/13.
Ane man lwffis notht God ower al thyng and thankkis and lowis hime notht baith in prosperite and aduersite 1551 Hamilton Catechism 255.
O God almychty our eternal father, geve us grace that Thi name … mocht be knawin, thankit and louit amang us 1560 Rolland Seven Sages 346.
The empreour … thankit thame ilkane And said ‘I am indettit to ȝow all' 1567 Gude and Godlie Ballatis 115.
I will thé loue my gracious Lord & King Thankand thy name for euer wil I sing 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 57.
I most neid thank you 1629 Maxwell Mem. II 202.
I thank God he gat ane honorabill bureell, and is laid in the Maxwellis ayle 1671 Justiciary Ct. Rec. II 33.
He was altogether displeased and said they had done too little … and that he would have thanked them if they had haged an spail of the tennents cheecks(2) a1400 Legends of the Saints v 644.
This ringe … Me gafe a pilgram to gyf ȝow, … & thange ȝou of ȝore gud vyl ?1438 Alex. ii 6515.
[He] thanked Cassamus the hare Of all his erand and welefair c1450 Craft of Deyng (STS) 190.
He … suld thank God of his grace at lent hyme thir warldly gudis … thankand hyme thar-of and gyfand thaim to hyme gladly agane a1500 Henr. Fab. 348.
I thank ȝone courtyne and ȝone perpall wall Off my defence now fra ȝone crewell beist c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace xi 544.
Thai … Heyffyt wp thar handis and thankit God off grace, Off his gret help c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace xi 972.
Bruce … With hys awn hand agayn wrayt to Wallace And thankyt him off lauta and kyndnas ?a1500 Dewoit Exerc. 11.
Sueit Lord, I desire richt hertlie to loif and thank ȝow with all my hert for all the panis ȝe tholit in ȝour blist tender heid c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 99 (M).
Everie blome … Full law inclynit to thayr quene so cleyr Quham of thair nobill nurissing thay thonk c1552 Lynd. Mon. 516.
I thank ȝow hartfullye Off ȝour conforte and cumpanye 1568–9 Reg. Morton I 42.
I thank your Lordship hartly of the rest of the novellis contenit in your Lordshippis lettre a1578 Pitsc. I 231/11.
He thankit the king of Scottland for the deliuerance of his men and the intertenement of them(3) 1375 Barb. iii 545.
Thai … till our Lord syne lowyng maid, And thankyt hym with full gud cher That thai war mete on that maner a1400 Legends of the Saints xxvi 525.
The byscepe … bad thame thank God, & hym nocht, That He sic meraklis for hym wrocht 1460 Hay Alex. 14034.
Thane Alexander him tankit mony syse That he tald him the perrell in this wise 1589 Cal. Sc. P. x 248.
His lordship … receaved her majesties lettre verie kindlie, thancking her hyenes verie humblie that it pleased her soe graciouslie to thinck of him 1560 Rolland Seven Sages 270.
Thay thankit him all seuin … That he to thame of his sone gaue credence a1570-86 Maitland Folio MS 330/49.
I thank my God I want my ene And am so ald 1584 Sempill in Sat. P. xlv 117.
They thankat God that they had fund him(4) 1560 Rolland Seven Sages 2712.
God thank thee, doctour, for thy dayis wark Thou hes thee schawin ane nobill cunning clark

b. In passive use, chiefly as an exclamation, freq. parenthetic thankit be …, … be thankit. c1409-1436 Kingis Quair § 191.
Thankit be the fair[e] castell wall, Quhare as I quhilom lukit furth and lent 1460 Hay Alex. 19342.
Thankit be God now neirhand I haue endit This noble buike and pairt of faltis mendit a1500 Taill of Rauf Coilȝear 853.
Now thankit be Drichtine, That ane of vs sall neuer hine Vndeid in this place c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace iv 348.
Her is a land of gret boundance, Thankit be God of his hye perwyans c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 165/22.
Sanct Francis, loving be thé till, And thankit mot thow be of thy gude will To me 1540 Lynd. Sat. 1472 (B).
I heir tell devyne correctioun Is new landit, thankit be God our Lord 1540 Lynd. Sat. 151 (B) (see Thank n. 2 a (3)). a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 564.
Thanked 1638 Henderson Serm. 492.
Say: God be laued, or God be thanked

2. intr. To give thanks for something or to a person. ?1438 Alex. ii 8206.
‘Grant mercy!’ than said the king, ‘That is to thank in mekill thing!’ c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 101.
Syne to dame Flora … Thay saluse and thay thank a thousand syse 1561 Q. Kennedy Compendious Ressonyng (ed.) 171/32.
I will say na thing, bot thankis to God thair is nane sic in this realme