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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.

Vew, Vieu(e, n. Also: wew, veiwe, veive, weiu, vi(e)w, wiew. [Late ME and e.m.E. vewe (1415-16), vew (c1440), vywe (1476), viewe (1488), vieu (1512), AF vewe, veue, vieue, view, etc., OF veue.]

1. (Eye) sight. a1570-86 Maitl. F. 288/23.
Quha can iuge be vew of e … quhair treuth suld be

2. a. To tak (ane) vew of, to inspect (an establishment, account, etc.). 1570 Leslie 224.
Sending … certane capitanis … to take vew of the fortresse 1587–8 Conv. Burghs I 273.
The said Henrie Nesbet to tak ane vew of the comptis 1598 Conv. Burghs II 24.
To … tak ane wew of the begyning and ending of the wark and of the comptis

b. To have a wiew, to get an … viw of, to have sight of, have an opportunity to read or inspect (a document, etc.). 1615 Highland P. III 179.
Desyrous … to hawe a wiew of thair … warrant 1651 Melville Corr. 232.
I got an short viw of an peapir sent bee [etc.]

3. a. A sight or glimpse (of the person or thing seen). c1590 Fowler I 76/250.
They wer win all to his lowe at his first blinke and vew 1611-57 Mure Early Misc. P. i 50.
To Cupid then replyed … seik no to subdue And kill ane hert, bot for a vieu

b. To, in (the) vew of, in (the) sight (of the community, etc.), so as, or able, to be seen. Cf. Visage n. 5 a. c1590 Fowler I 342/4.
A man that murdred is, And after laid to veiwe 1607 Crim. Trials II 531.
Eftir he hes bene presentit to the vew of the hole people, he than be strypped of all his mess-clothes [etc.] 1647 S. Leith Rec. 78.
William Mairtan … was lying lyk a drunken beast in the open way and vieue of many people 1666 Glasgow B. Rec. III 85.
Killing and blooding their flesh in vew of the hie streit a1695 P. Hume Narr. Exped. Argyle, 1685 (1809) 62 (see Keth(e v. 2 b).
View a1714 Cromartie Corr. II 505.
Veive

4. fig. a. The critical opinion of. b. The attention of. c. A conception or assessment of.a. c1590 Fowler I 16.
So do I now expose the same to the sight and vew of all the world whose iudgement … I must vnderlyeb. 1625 Annandale Corr. 279.
He … hes … stollin him self from cuntrei and attendantis to offir him self to yowr honnouris wew 1650 Rec. Kirk Scotl. 604.
Quhen the Lord had in a wounderfull providence brought to the weiu of the parliament his Majesties bloodie commissions to James Grahamec. 1617 Melrose P. 297.
The … successe of speciall actiouns I shall heir … according to my bund deutie and cuistum tuitche vnto your maiestie that ye may have a present vieu and jouissance of the froottes of yiour happie and good gouernament