Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

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First published 1990 (DOST Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Rend, v. P.t. and p.p. rent(e. [ME and e.m.E. rend(en (a1225), reende(n (Wyclif), reynd (c1485), p.t. rend(d)e, rent(e, OE rendan. Cf. OFris. renda, randa (not in any other Gmc. language). See also Rent v.]A common collocation in senses 2 and 3 is with Rif(e v. See also Rent ppl. adj.

1. causative. To cause (a hole), as by tearing. 1375 Barb. xi 160.
Or thai cum all to thar entent, Howis in haile claith sall be rent

2. tr. To lacerate the flesh of a human being. b. To chastise by rough handling, maltreatment or physical punishment. a1400 Leg. S. xxxviii 346.
Thane wes he sare with scurgis befte, Rywine & rente & dungine efte ?1438 Alex. ii 9033.
Thay war sa countred and dicht, Sa reuin, sa rent, into the fecht a1500 Henr. Prayer 39.
Thow that, but rewth, vpoun the rud wes rent, Preserue us a1500 Rauf C. 835.
The riche restles men out of the renk past, Forwrocht with thair wapnis, and euill rent withall a1497, 15.. Gray MS iv 59.
Till that I one the rude wes rent Dunb. (O.U.P.) 19/111. 1540 Lynd. Sat. 94.
To thé wes rent on rude for my redeming a1570-86 Maitl. F. 199/66.
Ane barne of blis … That Jowis rent vpoin the rude 1573 Davidson Sat. P. xl 234.
Quhylis harling thame befoir … kings, As rauing rebalds rudelie to be rent

3. To tear in pieces, or apart. Also transf. b. specif. To consume or devour (flesh), as by tearing or gnawing at. 1456 Hay I 70/34.
And tharfore … the pastouris has brokyn and rent the vestementis of haly kirk 1513 Doug. xii ii 122.
Hys halbrik … Hakkyt and rent c1552 Lynd. Mon. 4632.
Thay thare clothyng raif and rent 1560 Rolland Seven S. 8214.
Scho … all hir robbis rent 1638 Rec. Kirk Scotl. 133.
Mr. Patrick Adamsone … rent ane of them [sc. registers] 1644 Acts VI i 219/2.
And ordanes … thair armes to be rent and riven eftir sound of trumpet … be the Lyoune king at armes 1674 Sc. Hist. Rev. II 358.
[They] did … robb the wreits … from them and … did rend and ryve the samentransf. c1641–54 J. Gordon in Macfarlane's Geog. Coll. II 529.
The sea hath almost with continual wirking rent the iland in twob. a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 578.
My corps … With wormis and with taidis to be rent Id. Orph. 560.
And wyth the grype his bowellis ryvin and rent 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 317.
Ane hart … With houndis rent c1500-c1512 Dunb. (O.U.P.) 163/70.
Evir the cuschettis at him tuggit, The rukis him rent [etc.] 1567 G. Ball. 28.
The flesche … with wormis for to be rent c1590 J. Stewart 42/436.
Fair Angelique … Link till ane rock to be deuord and rent

4. To tear (one's hair) in token of strong emotion. 1513 Doug. xii x 126.
The Latyn matronys … rent thar hair with, ‘harrow,’ and ‘allaik!’

5. With various adv. compl.Chiefly in Doug., lit. and, also fig.

a. To tear or pull (a thing) (away) from (fra) its usual place; to drag (a person) out of (a place).Also const. furth, of and out.(1) 1513 Doug. i vi 127.
Troiane golddis … Quham fra amyd our ennemys I rent Ib. ii iv 34.
As he [sc. Laocoon] etlys thar hankis to haue rent Of with his handis Ib. v viii 58.
So as … the … fyr tre, Vp by the rutis rent, ruschis to grond Ib. vi v 116.
The helmstok … threw And rent away owr burd with me I drew Ib. vii xii 96.
Quhais hed ger war … Maid of the cork or bark fra treis rent Ib. xi xi 99.
The grisly tygrys skyn of rent dyd hyng Ib. xiii ii 16.
Furth haue thai rent thar entrales(2) 1513 Doug. ii i 77.
He had assayt … Hyd Grekis covert with irne to haue rent owt 1637 Baillie I 20.
If he should twitch the Service Book in his sermon he should be rent out of the pulpit

b. To draw or drag (a person) (after (eftyr) a cart). 1513 Doug. ii v 40.
As he [sc. Hector] vmquhile eftyr the cart was rent

c. To tear, break or pull down (a wall). 1513 Doug. ii iv 61.
The barmkyn down we rent Ib. ix iii 166.
The wight wallys of Troy … Rent and bet down

d. fig. c1475 Wall. x 399.
Lik a wyld best that war fra reson rent, As wytlace wy, in to the ost he went

6. intr. To split or burst (asunder). a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 691.
Ryngis of rank steill rattillit and rent 1632 Lithgow Trav. vi 268.
The rocke which (as they say) rent at his crucifying