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Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1968 (SND Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

REVERENCE, n. Also ¶raiverence, raev-, reev-. Sc. usage in phr. to be at or in (out of) the reverence of, to be under (an) (no) obligation or compulsion to; to be in (out of) the power of or at the mercy of, esp. associated with Highland speakers (Arg. 1968).Sc. 1706 Sc. Antiquary XII. 99:
It's said ye're gane to pit down our Parliaments, and mack us nae mair a Kingdom, and gee us up to be at the Engleses reverence, to be ruled and guided in a' things be them.Sc. 1737 J. Drummond Memoirs Locheill (1842) 127:
He made some few of them prissoners, whome he destributed among such of his men as lived out of the reverence of the Garrison.Sc. 1741 Scots Mag. (Jan.) 34:
At the reverence too of these intruding, political, not gospel, Ministers.Bte. 1797 Session Papers, McGown v. Fisher (9 May) 11:
She was never farther in his or any man's reverence for keeping of secrets.Ayr. 1822 Galt Sir A. Wylie v.:
When your birses are up, I wouldna come in your reverence then for something.Inv. 1884 Crofters' Comm. Evid. IV. 3160:
They said they did not need to work, as they had made £12 at the fishing. They said “they were not in the reverence of working”.Highl. 1891 W. Grant Anecdotes 5-:
David began praising the Deity in every sort of form. As the boat approached the shore the old man observed — “That's richt, Tavit; spoke Him fair, Tavit; we'll soon be oot o' His reeverence.”Arg. 1914 J. M. Hay Gillespie III. iii.:
It's no' chancy comin' in his raiverence.Arg.¹ 1940:
“I wadna be in his reverence” i.e. I wouldn't be under obligation to him: I wouldn't accept a favour from him.