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

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First published 1971 (DOST Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Maintenar, Mantenar(e, Mayntenour, n. Also: main-, mayn-, mane-, man-, men- and -tenar(e, -air, -er, -teinar(e, -er, -teinner, -teynar, -er, -teanar, -er, -teener, -tiner; meintener; mainteimar, manteamer; manetenour, manteinour. [ME. and e.m.E. mayntenour (c 1330), -er, meyntener (14th c.), -teiner, -teynour, -er, AF. mayntenour, OF. maintenëor.]

One who maintains or upholds, in various senses of Maintene v.(1) 1456 Hay II. 17/32.
[If there is no instruction in chivalry] than ar the governouris and manetenouris of the said ordre to blame 1570 Sat. P. xiii. 92.
The cheif mantenar of Gods gloir In to this realme 1611-57 Mure Psalmes xvi. 6.
Mainteener of my lote thow art(2) 1456 Hay II. 27/17.
Gif a knycht himself be the manetenar or doare of thir thingis 1571 Buch. Wr. Ane Admonitioun title page.
Maintenaris(b) 1558-66 Knox II. 339.
Any messe-sayare or earnest manteanar thairof 1562-3 Winȝet II. 5/32.
Of al forgearis and manteameris of … errour(c) c1520-c1535 Nisbet II. 321 marg.
A man as is … a menteinar of heresye 1569 St. A. Kirk S. 333.
Ane papist and mentenar of papistrie 1596 Dalr. I. 284 marg.
A defender and menteiner of peace(3) 1456 Misc. Bann. C. III. 97.
[The Earl of Ross] beand gud lord, manteynar, supplear, and defender to my barnes executoris and assigneys 1456 Hay II. 43/21.
A … halder of … justice and mayntenour of the peple 1497 Reg. Morton II. 248.
Manteinour 1533 Bell. Livy I. 291/1.
He become haistelie thare manteinare and principall favorare 1570 Inv. Q. Mary cxxxii.
Yow and your birnes [sic] and meinteners 1570 Reg. Morton I. 59.
Menteiner a1578 Pitsc. II. 233/14.
Mentiner 1615 Highland P. III. 195.
Mantenair 1630-1651 Gordon Geneal. Hist. 393.
Manteyner(4) 1456 Hay I. 217/33.
Manetenouris of fals scismatikis and heritykis Ib. 243/32.
Fosterar and manetenar of all mysdoaris of his realme 1587 Aberd. Council Lett. I. 33.
Bayth upone the deid doaris and maintenaris of the same 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 16.
The mainteaneris of the murtherer(b) 1512 Crim. Trials I. i. 80.
The ressettaris, supplearis and manteinaris of tham [sc. rebels] 1567 Reg. Privy C. I. 497. 1568 Anderson Coll. Mary IV. 120. a1578 Pitsc. I. 52/7.
Manteinners 1605 Inverurie B. Ct. 4 Sept.
Manteinar(c) 1562-3 Winȝet I. 62/7.
The fule and … his mainteimaris(5) 1591 Edinb. Test. XXIII. 45.
The ladie Garleis to be mentenar of the said Johne

b. ? One who improperly (e.g. out of malice) encourages or foments litigation by others. Cf. Maintenance n. 2 c. 14.. Acts I. 112/2.
That na chansler, chawmerlane, iustice, schiref … sal be sustenaris na manteinaris of mutis or of querellys in the Kyngis court