Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

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

Withdraw, Wythdraw, v. Also: withdrow, vithdraw, withedraw, withtdraw. P.t. withdrew, -drev, vithdrew. P.p. withdrawin(e, -yn, -en, vithdrawin, withedrawyn, wythdrawyn. [ME and e.m.E. wiðdraw(en (Ancr. R.), with-drauȝ(en (c1290), wit-drau (Cursor M.), wyþdraw, -dragh (both Manning), withdraw(en (Chaucer), p.t. wiþ-droȝ (Cursor M.), withdrewe (Caxton), p.p. wið-draȝen (c1250), wit-draun (Cursor M.), wythdrawne (1546).]See note at With prep. (conj.) about MS abbreviations.

1. tr.a. To remove, take away (something material or non-material). b. fig.To remove (something supportive or positive) (fra (from) a person or thing). c. To cause (a person) to go away. d. fig.To cause (a person) to remove (his loyalty) from another. e. reflex.To restrain (oneself) to do (something).a. 1375 Barb. xiv 346.
All the cattell with-drawyn [C. withdrawin] war, Swa that thai in that land mycht get Na thing that worth war for till ete 1375 Barb. xviii 249.
He gert withdraw all the catell Off Lowthiane … And till strenthis gert thaim be send a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 10.
Quhen Titan had his bemis bricht Withdrawin doun and sylit vnder cure a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 327.
O cruell Saturne … Hard is thy dome … Withdraw thy sentence and be graciousb. (1) 1513 Doug. iv xi 57.
Quod sche, Withdraw fra hyme ȝour gret mychtis quharby [etc.] 1521–2 Acts XII 39/2.
Nochtheles may it pleis ȝoure grace withdraw ȝoure credence fra sic fals reportis 1570 Sat. P. xv heading.
The exhortatioun to all plesand thingis … to withdraw thair plesure from mankynde(2) 1570 Sat. P. xv 66.
Ȝe ȝeiris and monethis, … Ȝour naturall course withdraw, In somer tyme be wynter schourisc. 1655 Dunkeld Presb. II 405.
No session this day, because the elders were withdrawine by reason of some publict ordorsd. 1606 Reg. Privy C. VII 181.
Quhairby thes restles and unquiet ministers … do quhat in thaim lyes to corrupt the hearts and opinions of his majesties guid subjects, and to alienat and withdraw thaim from thair due obedience to his majestiee. a1500 Lanc. 1946.
The … wice Wich makith o king within hyme self so nyce That al thar flattry and ther gilt he knowith … and ȝhit he hyme with-drowith Them to repref

2. reflex.a. To remove oneself, absent oneself fra (from) a person, place, situation, attitude, etc. b. To retreat from a battle. c. Of the sea: To recede.a. pres. 1410 Reg. Episc. Brechin. I 31.
The parteis awaiand to the court wpon bayth the sidis and eftir thair awaieis withdrawand thaim and fyndis borrowis of thair entre as custum is c1420 Wynt. iv 1947.
Thai … na thyng will off mercy wyt, Bot sall wyth-draw [C. withe draw] thame fra [W. Bot sa withdraw with] pete c1500 Barounis Lawis 11b.
Gif eftir tuelf monetht & a day he with drawis him the cheif lord of him sall thai landis out of the kingis handis recouir 1513 Doug. i iii 73.
Withdraw ȝou hens and to ȝour kyng say ȝe [etc.] a1578 Pitsc. I 67/3.
Ane marvalus exampill to all mortall men to withtdraw thame selffis frome all wicked counsaill abuse and wicked tiranie 1649 Sc. N. & Q. XII 75.
Becawse manie vithdraw themselves from sermones and publik vorship in the Lordes day evrie session ar to tak particular notice of suche persones as doe not keip the kirk or depart from the afternoones sermon 1663 Acts VII 455/2.
All … persons who shall … wilfully withdraw and absent themselffs from the ordinary meitings of divine worshipp.t. a1400 Leg. S. xviii 258.
Scho withdrev hyr our a vale, & one the todyr syd scho badp.p. c1420 Wynt. viii 6048.
He pressyt him to sla This ilke Williame off Dowglas Bot warly [he] hym wyth-drawyn [C. withedrawyn] was, Ay qwhill … the kyng … Forgawe … hym c1590 Fowler I 69/64.
Vertew that dois neuer … thame leawe who trustis in hir, thought sum thairbe hir blame, From whome she hes hir self withdrawen to ludge them nixt thair shameb. 1375 Barb. iii 42.
Me thynk maist awenand To withdraw ws ws defendand Till we cum owt off thar daunger 1375 Barb. iii 45.
Withdrew 1375 Barb. ix 256 (C).
Vith-drew 1375 Barb. xii 72 (C).
Than thai with-drew thaim euir-ilkane, And durst nocht than abyde to ficht 1375 Barb. xii 462.
And ȝe will trow my consaill Ȝe sall discomfy thaim lychtly. Withdrawys ȝow [C. Ȝhe sall vithdraw] hyne sodandly … Quhill that [etc.] ?1438 Alex. i 2198.
Thay behuffit thame withdraw Quhen thai war preissit attour micht ?1438 Alex. ii 1914.
Battellis withdrew thame ?1438 Alex. ii 4866.
Than Cassamus can loud cry, ‘Withdraw ȝow' c1420 Wynt. viii 6759.
A lytill thai wythdrew thaimc. a1400 Leg. S. xxi 895.
The se it-self suld it with-draw & that relyk til al men schaw

3. intr.a. To leave, depart; also to withdraw support (from a person, place, situation, etc.). b. specif.To retreat, withdraw from battle.a. c1420 Wynt. iv 1979 (W) (see 2 a above). 1513 Doug. iii x 52.
The scharp dreid maid ws so to cach haist, Withdrawand fast, as thocht we had bene chaist 1683 Melrose Reg. Rec. III 38.
Confesses that he hes withdrawen from his paroch church sincesyne, and comes in will therfore 1685 in Renwick Serm. 574.
Some … say that withdrawing from a scandalous person, is a censuring of a scandalous person; and to withdraw from a scandalous minister, is to depose him, and make him no minister. But this I deny for simple withdrawing is not the inflicting of a censure [etc.] 1706 Reid Autob. 38.
I escaped their hands at that time … and I withdrew, and was on my keeping till after harvestb. 1375 Barb. ix 156 (C).
Archaris … bykkirrit thame … Till thai … In-to thair battale vithdrawin [E. drywyn] war c1420 Wynt. viii 6768.
The lorde of Bewmanere that saw Him as he thoucht sa withdraw, Saide, ‘Cowsyng, I wend noucht in thé That thow the fyrst suld failyeand be' 1513 Doug. ix xiii 27.
Turnus … Begouth frawart the bargane to withdraw And sattil towartis the ryveris syde a law

4. tr.? Erron. for Eschew v. 1, to avoid (danger). Cf. Wythschaipe v. 1513 Doug. iii vi 200.
The batellis fortocum scho wil thé schaw, And on quhat wys al dangeir thou sal withdraw [Sm., Ruddim. withdraw; L. fugias]