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

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First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Debate, Debait, Debeat, v.¹ Also: debat, debaitt, debeit. [ME. debate (1340), debat, OF. debatre.]

1. intr. To engage in conflict; to fight, contend (against or with) . 1456 Hay I. 12/3.
The devil … sett him at all his power to debate agayne the lawis Ib. II. 31/8.
The curage of a lele knycht, that for a lele caus debatis 1513 Doug. i. Prol. 273.
Me lyst … with na bogill nor browny to debait Ib. x. i. 20.
Quhy with frawart myndis … Aganys ȝour ressonabill oraclys ȝe debait 1531 Bell. Boece I. p. liv.
Be quhat ingine, … thay have debatit aganis sa mony strong ennimes Ib. 94.
Quhen King Ganus had debaitit lang time, and saw na rescours, he randrit the castell c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 593.
Becaus he had sa weill debaitit, With euerie nobill he wes weill traitit Ib. 891. 1560 Rolland Seven S. 1768.
Quhen scho persauit the hous sa desolait, And nane thairin that durst with hir debait a1578 Pitsc. I. 116/4.
Thinkand his armye was ovir litill … to debeit aganis the Erle of Dowglas Ib. 256/7.
Quhair the arme was lyand for the tyme in France debaittand against the Inglische men a1597-1617 Hist. Jas. VI. 74.
They debaitit valiantlie at part of the borrow mure

2. tr. To fight for or in defence of; to defend, protect.(a) Brus xi. 444 (E).
To kepe the way, That na man pas that gat away, For to debate the castell 1533 Boece ix. x. 310.
That tharethrow mycht be schawin … how constantlie thare forebearis had debatit thare native cuntre 1549 Compl. 91/23.
To eschaip sic tirrany your forbears hes debatit your cuntre this mony ȝeiris be grit manhede and visdome(b) 1531 Bell. Boece I. 60.
To mak thaim the more abill to debait his realme Ib. 182.
Quhen the wal was reparit … , he left ane band of weirmen to debait the samin fra violence of ennimes 1535 Stewart 35348.
His lordis … decretit … Or tha suld lois thair libertie and landis, For till debait it baldlie with thair handis 1548 Corr. M. Lorraine 213.
This realme wilbe debaittit to the owtraist quhill we may lest 1573 Sat. P. xlii. 460.
Quhilk doutles were the reddy gait The Kirk of Christ for to debait a1578 Pitsc. II. 263/25.
The laird of Garlayis and ane broder of my lord Ruthvenis, quha debaitted the regent as lang as thay micht a1570-86 Maitl. F. xcv. 62.
Off sum grit men thai haue sic gait That reddie ar thame to debait a1605 Montg. Dev. P. vi. 64.
Then prayers … Sall mair avail than jaks and spearis For to debait thee at that bar

b. refl. To defend (oneself). c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxi. 32. Ib. xxvii. 83.
Is non so armit in-to plait That can fra truble him debait 1533 Boece i. iv. 40 b.
Thai had sickir beleif … that athir nacioun … suld mare eselie debate thame with all weris 1535 Stewart 3714.
Quhen he knew it wes neidfull to be Gif ouir the toun, … Or than in feild debait him with ane brand a1578 Pitsc. I. 208/21.
The kingis ost … debaittit them selffis manfullie a1570-86 Maitl. F. xcvii. 21.
The pure commounis of this land Fra wrang can not debait thame sell

3. To maintain or support by action or argument. 1531 Bell. Boece I. 46.
The … Scottis, fled to the montanis; and debaitit thair miserabill liffis … , with scars and hard fude Ib. II. 469.
Ane of thir clannis … wagit ane carll … to debait thair actioun 1535 Stewart 25594.
To debait the richt … Agane tha bribouris that war vnbaptist 1549 Misc. Bann. C. III. 414.
Thir ar the articlis that Patrik Erle Boithuile, promissis to bid at and debait with his body 1560 Rolland Seven S. 2215.
Cvrage prouokis hardynes, Quhilk twa … Makis a man debait his pleid 1572 Sat. P. xxxviii. 88.
Elizabeth … That cauldly and bauldly debait will our quarrell, With men and with money 1610 Crim. Trials III. i. 83.
Quhilk band the said erle hes debaited to be lauchfull 1619 Garden Elphinston 1622.
They … with thair contrar arguments Thair bussines debeats

b. To gain by effort; to earn. 1531 Bell. Boece II. 411.
He commandit na … ydill pepill to be ressauit in ony toun, without thay had sum craft to debait thair leuyng

4. To fight against; to stop by force; to face or overcome. 1533 Bell. Livy I. 34/16.
This Hostilius … debatit the Romane armye in ane maist … dangerus place 1562 Inverness B. Rec. I. 76.
The prouest wes nocht ane lachfull prouest within the bruch to debat hym fra cheking and bosting a1578 Pitsc. I. 328/31.
He had debaittit so money trubillis befoir in his defence 1642 Kirkcaldy Presb. 226.
I have suffered many things for yow, bot I hope I sall debait them all

5. To discuss, argue about (a matter). 1558-66 Knox II. 459.
This same questioun wes lang debaittit aneis befoir this in my house 1661 Decis. Lords G. 6.
The matter being debeat in præsentia 1662 Ib. 27.
When it was debate, it was alledged [etc.] 1689 Acts XII. 78/1.
The vote being asked if the clause should be debate or not, it was carried it should be debaten