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

Mate, Mait, n.¹ Also: maitt, mayt; meat, met(t, meit. [ME. (c 1380) and e.m.E. mat(e, matte, MLG. mate, e.m.Du. maet.] 1. A comrade, companion, associate, colleague, fellow-worker; (on a ship) a shipmate.Also as a mode of address, espec. by seamen.(1) 1513 Doug. ii. xi. 83.
Me … alkyn sterage affrayt … Baith for my byrdyng and my litil mait [sc. his son] Ib. xi. Prol. 78.
Not agane man, owr awyn brother and mait [Sm. mayt] Ib. xiii. 137.
Scho … to hir mait the hors betaucht 1535 Stewart 48215.
The Cumingis … fled And left Lord Stewart and Wallace his mait … still stryvand for the stait 1540 Lynd. Sat. 4248.
I maid far ma falts nor my maits Ib. 4498.
And specialy for the thre staitis Quhair I haif mony tendir maitis Ib. 4202. c1575 Balfour Pract. 614.
Gif he [a mutinous seaman] offeris to mak ane amendis to the master, at the sicht of his fellowis and maitis that are at the tabill, he sall be heard 1583 Sempill Sat. P. xlv. 316.
Ane devill … Exceading Circes in conceattis For chaungene of Wlisses meatis 1584-9 Maxwall Commonpl. Bk. 24 a.
Deith is … A terrowr to the trayterous mate His secreites to wnfaulde a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 650 (W).
He serues not for our mait 1611-57 Mure Dido & Æn. i. 508.
[Bees] Vnloade their mat's and drowsie drons do kill 1622-6 Bisset II. 241/17.
His fellowes and seæ meittis Ib. 247/30.
Gif the maryner offeris to mak him ane amendis at the aggrement of the meattis 1670 Murray Lyon Hist. Lodge Edinb. 426.
When his intender and his mate gives him [an apprentice] over as being taught(2) 1513 Doug. ii. xi. 25.
Haist ȝou, matis, quhat slewth tareit ȝou thus lait? 1535 Stewart 53926.
And he [the ferryman] agane, ‘Gramercy, gentill met!’ 1549 Compl. 41/20.
The master cryit on the rudir man, ‘Mait keip ful and by’ a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xlviii. 140. 1622-6 Bisset I. 19/8.
Ȝit, o my meattis, of curaige constant be Ib. II. 242/33.
The maister aucht to say … Meattis it behuifis to cast out the guidis to saif the schip, and gif there be ane merchand that will nocht ansueir [etc.] Ib. 246/30.(3) 1587 Milne Rental Perth Hosp. 112.]
[To his well-beloved mate, Patrick Ray, burgess of Perth

2. spec. The chief assistant of a functionary on board ship. a. (The boatswain's) mate. b. (The master's) mate, the first officer or second in command of a ship and its crew.a. See Botisman n. for examples.b. 1601 Reg. Privy C. VI. 228.
[David Smyth gave himself out as master, and David Wad as] mett 1606 Conv. Burghs II. 228.
That ilk skipper or his maitt sall … mak reporte to the said lord conseruator

3. A (? fit or suitable) associate or consort an equal or ‘peer’. b. An equal adversary, a ‘match’. 1611-57 Mure Misc. P. vii. 3.
Enviouse wretch … Deseruing punischement as Momus mait Id. Ib. xiii. 6.
A machles phoenix, quho, from mein estait, Becam a prelat and a prince's mait Id. Ib. xv. 13.
Ȝit nothing straunge thocht Joue chusd such a maitb. 1666-74 Fraser Polichron. 136.
Hardly was any found without his mate and marrow to encounter him