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

Fresch(e, a. and adv. Also: fres, freche, freshe, freishe. [ME. fresche, freisshe, fress(e, fressh (c 1200), OF. fresche fem., fresch, freis masc.]

1. adj. Fresh, in various usual senses.(1) a1400 Leg. S. vii. 822.
A takine … of new, fresche blud Ib. xxxix. 360.
Ȝet his flesche Is caloure inucht & als fres 1431 Coll. Ayr & Wigton I. 228.
That na gyld breder sal … sell na fres hydis ?1438 Alex. ii. 4886.
Watter that was freche and fyne 1472 Reg. Cupar A. I. 162.
A turs of fresche ate fodder a1500 Henr. Fab. 2022.
The flewer of the fresche hering c1475 Wall. iii. 315.
He … Maide him gud cheyr of meyttis fresche and fyne 1508 Treas. Acc. IV. 125.
For … frech watir … to the schip c1500-c1512 Dunb. v. 30.
To get hir ane fresche drink, the aill of hevin wes sour Ib. xxv. 57.
To drynk with ws the new fresche wyne c1536 Lynd. Compl. Bagsche 101.
I wyll leif schort tyme … Want I gude fresche flesche for my gammis 1570 Inverness B. Rec. I. 188.
Bying of leddyr hard and fresche a1578 Pitsc. I. 61/7.
Ane body … fresche [and] wncorrupt(2) c1400 Troy-bk. i. 269.
Fresche and wele flowande flude 1456 Hay II. 137/24.
Fischeis nurist in water that is myngglit fresche and salt c1460 Wisd. Sol. 355.
The somer … drawis vp fra the seye the fres watter agane 1509 Reg. Privy S. I. 283/2.
To cum within the realme be sey, freche watteris or be land 1536 Ib. II. 290/1.
The manys of the Reidcastell with the … fischingis tharof in fresche watter 1596 Dalr. I. 30/10.
The Lennox … quhairin is a fresche watir loch 1601 Reg. Privy C. VI. 313.
The slaying of … salmond fisches in fresch watteris(3) a1400 Leg. S. xliii. 180.
Fare cronis and fresche haf we ?1438 Alex. ii. 2206.
Hir visage, that was freshe of hew Ib. 2512.
Ydorus with the fresch colour 1461 Liber Pluscard. 383.
With herbe, fluris and flouris, Fair flurisand and freche a1500 Henr. Fab. 64.
Ane cok … with feddrame fresche and gay c1515 Asl. MS. I. 237/2.
Clathis of gold and silk als fresche as evir thai ware c1500-c1512 Dunb. xlviii. 143.
The fresche ros Ib. lxviii. 8.
The sasoun … fresche as pacok feddir 1513 Doug. i. ix. 16.
Hys favour … full of fresch bewte a1540 Freiris Berw. 228.
Scho castis of haill hir fresch array 1549 Compl. 38/22.
The dropis of the fresche deu a1570-86 Maitl. F. xxxi. 12.
Fresche Maii and cauld Jauuarye(4) ?1438 Alex. ii. 1804.
Vpone ane vther [steed] fresche and fyne Ib. 1929.
He was rycht ferly fresch and fare a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 1259.
All effrayt of that fair wes the fresch king a1500 Bk. Chess 262.
A fresche ȝoung man a1500 Doug. K. Hart 130.
This wourthy quene … With hir fresche court c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 66.
We suld haue feiris as fresche to fang quhen we wald Ib. 209. 1513 Doug. viii. x. 29.
Venus the fresche Goddes Ib. xiii. viii. 59.
The fair fresch Lavinia a1540 Freiris Berw. 6.
Mony ane fresche lusty galland a1578 Pitsc. I. 97/10.
Fresche men come to renew the battell(5) a1400 Leg. S. xxviii. 534.
Thi ȝouthed fare and fres c1420 Wynt. iii. 444.
His pyth worthyde fresche and newe ?1438 Alex. ii. 601.
Thow, for all thy freshe effere, Hes done bot lyttill 1456 Hay II. 128/27.
As a faire and lustye spouse … in his fresche ȝong age a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 576.
The feght sa felly thai fang, with ane fresch fair 15.. Clar. i. 336.
The … beawtie and the fresch effeir of Mandonet 1567 Sat. P. xi. 84.
To fute the feild with fresche effeir(6) 1422 Fam. Kilravock 124.
It is in fresch memore with you a1500 Bernardus 41.
That thow may hafe in freche remembrance Ib. 373.
In fresche memor(7) 14.. Acts I. 358/2.
Fresch defforsyng is alsmekill as fresch spoliacioun or a fresch intrusioun 1495 Acta Conc. 407/2.
Chargeing thaim to set a court of fresche deforse to baitht the saidis partiis

2. adv. Freshly, in various senses. Also Of fresche, afresh, anew. ?1438 Alex. i. 2496.
Thay that cummin ar heir Now freshest flowand in thair geir c1475 Wall. viii. 1423.
The small pype … most fresche will call c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxxxvii. 26.
Roys red and quhit, … at morrow fresche atyrit a1500 Doug. K. Hart 335.
Off coulouris micht thair nane be freschar dicht 1601 Melvill 494.
This benefit of freche I mon recorde