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

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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Upricht, -rycht, -right, adj. and adv. Also: upe-rycht, upracht, (upright), wp rycht, -right, oupright, -ryght. [ME and e.m.E. up-riȝt (c1250), upriht (Ancr. R.), vp right (Cursor M.), vp-ryght (Hoccleve), OE up(p)riht, ON uppréttr.]

A. adj. 1. a. Erect, having a straight back. Also fig. b. Facing upwards. c. Directed upwards. Only in fig. context, with allusion to 2 a below.a. a1400 Leg. S. xii 381.
Crippolis he [sc. Mathias] gert gange vpe-rycht ?1438 Alex. ii 10367.
He of him-selfe na power had To stand vp richt c1420 Wynt. iii 928.
A bull off bras … sa rowme wyth-in … That ewyne wp rycht [W. vprycht] a man mycht syt Wytht-infig. 1611-57 Mure Hist. Rowallane 245.
[They] grew to considerable families, able quicklie to stand vprycht among their neighboursb. a1400 Leg. S. i 716, 717.
[Peter was crucified upside down] Lord, I ȝarnyt to folow thé, Bot crucifit durste I nocht now Be vpe-rycht as wes thu For thu is richt and vpracht [L. excelsus et altus]c. a1650 Row 431.
Everie Christian should be an hawk; his course should be upward and upright, or right up

2. Honest, honourable: a. Of actions, advice, attitudes, etc. b. Of persons or their attributes. Also const. to (another). Also absol. c. Of things, with ironic intent.a. 1467 Coll. Rebus Alban. 80.
To tak oppin upricht pairt in all and sindry thair causses and querellis 1482 Reg. Morton II 246.
I sall tak vprycht & plane part wyth hyme in all & syndry his accionis 1509 Buccleuch Mun. 118.
[To] take ane afald plane and vpricht part with vtheris, in all thair leifful and honest materis 1561 Bk. Univ. Kirk I 9.
Beseiking your honours, with upricht jugement and indifferency, to [etc.] 1585 Elgin Rec. II 4.
To declair his uprycht mening [the elders] ordanit him to repair the north windok 1623 Aberd. B. Rec. II 388.
They sall giwe wnto thame thair trew and upricht counsall whan the same salbe askit(b) 1563 Cal. Sc. P. ii 71.
To miscontrue mens actions, be theyr dealing never so oupryghtb. a1400 Leg. S. i 717 (see 1 b above).
Vpracht 1558-66 Knox II 92.
God … give yow upricht hartis, seiking His glory 1558-66 Knox II 325.
The … erle … embrased him and said, ‘Yf the hearttis be uprycht, few ceremonyes may serve and content me’ 1573 Dickson & Edmond Ann. Sc. Printing 260.
Goddis … maist vpricht seruand, and feruent messinger of Christis evangell, Johne Knox — 1591 10th Rep. Hist. MSS App. i 76.
That thay may leif togidder in luif, upricht to God(b) 1560 Cal. Sc. P. i 558.
Sic as with oupright hartis do seik the advancement of the treutht of Godabsol. 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 110/8.
By setting youre eye upon the faithfull & upricht of the lande to duell uith youc. 1638 Bk. Pasquils 40.
A whyted bauk of rotten timmer, Is th' upright emblem of that limmer

3. Genuine, authentic. b. Rightful, legitimate. = Richt adj. 10.(a) 1581 Edinb. Test. IX 106b.
vj elnis counterfute Lyones canues … fyve elnis vpricht Lyones canues 1590 Edinb. Test. XXII 72.
Ane pece of vpricht canves 1610 Brechin Test. II 102b (see Walting vbl. n. b).
Vpricht 1612 Edinb. Test. XLVII 126b.
Thrie vpricht kellis of gould & siluir 1633 Monteith Stewartry Ct. 24 Jan.
With ane dog dolour quhilk the said James gave him for half ane vpricht dolour 1641 Edinb. Test. LIX 286.
Certane gold and silver pairling and freinȝeis vpricht and counterfott(b) 1612 Bk. Rates (Halyb.) 310.
Gold and siluer threid vpright called Venice Florence [etc.] 1665–7 Lauder Jrnl. 66.
In the mor southren provences of France to my admiration I fand they had and eated upright cheries 2 tymes of the year 1661 Hist. Carnegies 351.
A glass bottellfull of wpright Renishe wyne 1665–7 Lauder Jrnl. 95.
In Octobre heir, tho reasonably sharp, they have upright summer weather, its so fair 1681 Inverness Rec. II 296.
All such as presumes to … refuse the said upright money they sall be persuit … as wilfull refusers of His Majesties coyne 1683 Inv. in Donibristle Mun. (Earl of Moray's MSS) 20 (9-10 May).
Ane ovall looking glass sett round with 16 diamonds whither upright or not is doubted 1684 Lauder Notices Affairs II 536.
The people ware imposed on by the venting of that rum made of the mollasses of sugar as upright French brandie(c) 1621 Edinb. Test. LI 140.
xlij elnes vprigt [? abbrev. for vpright] waterit campblet at xiij li. the elneb. a1500 Henr. Fab. 470.
Ȝe ar ȝour fatheris sone and air vpricht [Bann. vp rycht]

B. adv. a. Vertically upwards; into a straight or erect posture. b. Uprycht above, straight or directly above.a. c1520-c1535 Nisbet Acts xiv 9.
Rijse thou vp richt on thi feet a1568 Bann. MS 28a/33.
The deid him knew that rais vpricht Quhilk lang tyme had the erd lyne vndirb. 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 93.
The assemblie decried to aduerteis the lordis of sessioun (wha war in the hous vprycht aboue thame)