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First published 1986 (DOST Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Prescrive, -scryve, v.1 Also: præ- and -scriwe, -scrywe, -scrife, -screive; p.t. and p.p. -scriuit, -e(i)t, -ed. [F. prescriv-, full stem of prescrire (15th c. in Godefroy Compl.): cf. Prescribe v.1 Only Sc. See also Prescryit.]

1. intr. Of a period of time prescribed by law within which possession of a thing may be challenged or a claim presented: To run out or elapse. 1456 Hay I 262/6.
For efter xxxti ȝeris he aw nouthir till ansuer bataill na othir proces, for the tyme prescryvis of lawe
c1460 Regim. Princ. 235 (Maitl.).
Quhen dome is gevin and na remeid set ford And terme of law allegeit to prescriue As that tyme thair is no man on lyve May it revok but … degrading to his iurisdictioun

2. Of an obligation, a right of redemption or an action at law. a. To lapse, cease to exist or cease to lie, following expiry of the time of prescription (cf. Prescriptioun n. 1). 1469 Acts II 95/1.
That the partij to quham the obligatione is maid … sall folow the said obliga within the space of fourty ȝeris … And gif he dois nocht it sall prescrife & be of nain avail the said fourtj ȝeris beand ronnyng & vnpersewit be the law
1474 Ib. 107/1. 1500 Acta Conc. II 444. c1575 Balfour Pract. 147.
Be ressoun that comprysit landis expiris and prescryvis sevin ȝeiris being bypast
1587 Antiq. Aberd. & B. IV 243.
That his richt to the said erldome … and actioun for recovering thairof and possessioun of the samin hes not nor sall not prescrive be the course of the said tyme
1617 Acts IV 544/2.
Excepting … all actiounes of warrandice whiche sall not prescryve frome the date of the … infeftment … bot onlie frome the date of the distres whiche sall prescryve, it not being persewed within fourtie yearis as said is
a1633 Hope Major Pract. II 213.
Removeings prescryve within 3 yeirs
Ib. 226.
The legall reversione of lands comprysed fra minors prescryves not against them swa lang as they ar within 25 yeirs of aige
1664 Decis. Lords G 73.
This promise being … for a thing of a little moment, which prescrived not
1678 Mackenzie Laws & C. i vi §22 (1699) 29.
If these pursuits should not prescrive with us in five years as they do by the common law
1684 Decis. Lords F. 53.
The inhibition may prescrive, be discharged and renunced, and yet the ground thereof may subsist
1686 Mackenzie Observ. (1687) 78.
The act ordaining personal obligations to prescrive in fourty years

b. Of a right formerly enjoyed: To lapse as a result of prolonged disuse. 1679 Sc. N. & Q. 1 Ser. XII 153.
Whether or not the jurisdn and power of the regality being exolete … will prescrive
1683 Martine Reliq. Divi Andreae 35.
The bishops were elected by the chapters, … so that the Culdees their right of election had sufficiently prescrived

3. tr. To lay down (a time, course of action, rule, etc.); to ordain or appoint. Const. (un)to a person, also dative pronoun. Also absol.pres. (1) 1551 Hamilton Cat. 243.
We suld nocht prescrive to God ony special tyme to heir our prayer
1561 Facs. Nat. MSS III xlv.
It war but foolishnes to me to prescrive vnto your maiestie uhat is to be done in any thing
1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 12.
Praescrive
1583 in Melvill 158.
Sa will we nocht … prescryve unto yow anie form of answering [etc.]
1623 Crim. Trials III 549.
And we, for our pairtis, will be willing to vnderly quhateuir ȝour lordship in honnour and justice sall prescryve to ws
(2) 1596 Dalr. II 236/14.
I prescriue him na law, bot rather gyue him his choise
a1597-1617 Hist. Jas. VI 169.(3) 1573 Davidson Sat. P. xlii 110.
This ordour … Prescryuis sic burdingis vnto men That na wayis thay dow for till beir
(4) 1566-70 Buch. Comm. on Virgil Æn. v 758.
Dat iura: prescryweth ane ordour
1572–3 Reg. Privy C. II 196.
Under sic panis as the said Lord Regent sall ressonabillie prescryve
1578 Second Bk. Disc. in Bk. Univ. Kirk II 500. 1590-1 R. Bruce Serm. 72.
Nane hes power to … prescrive ony part of his worshipping, but onely God himselfe
1600-1610 Melvill 20.
Machiavel him selff could nocht haiff prescryvit it [revenge] sa weill as [etc.]
1660 Conv. Burghs III 515.
Abaithing onlie so much [money] as the actis of burrowis does prescryve
(5) 1587 Warrender P. (S.H.S.) II 38.
It wes unreasonable that … the one [prince] suld prescrive to the other
1638 Rec. Kirk Scotl. 49.
Be no utherwayes censured than the order of the kirke doeth prescrive
1686 Dunlop P. III 24.
Nor can I prescrive to thé
p.t., p.p. 1562-3 Winȝet I 126 heading.
Of fasting at certane tymes prescrivit
1566 Reg. Privy C. I 454.
In all sortis lyke as salbe prescrivit to me be his directioun
1588 Aberd. Council Lett. I 46.
At the tyme prescryvit
1588 King Cat. in 1573-1600 Cath. Tr. (S.T.S.) 204/3.
Prescryweit
c1590 Fowler II 97/14.
That he may not overpass the bonds that ar prescrived to him
1596 Dalr. I 118/28.
The law prescriuet nocht alyke maner of lyueng to al
Ib. II 168/2.
This rule he prescryuet … vndir a gret pane
1597 Aberd. Council Lett. I 72.
The thesaurare or his deputtis … seik the executioun of the panes and punischementis prescryvit
1602 Misc. Maitl. C. III 47.
The allowance prescryvit be the commissioneris to the iconomus
1643 S. Leith Rec. 46/1.
Prescreived
1652 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. III 75.
In maner prescryved be the said instructiones
1690 Conv. Burghs IV 112.
In not attending the dyets prescryved by them [etc.]
(b) 1562-3 Winȝet I 89/21.
Præscriuit
1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 12.
Sik bukis … as the principal sal præscrive to thayme
Ib. 14.
The nombre of bursaris xxiiij, sustenit as is praescrivit in the college of humanite
1598 James VI Basil. Doron 22/20.
Præscriued
1616–17 Misc. Hist. Soc. X 100.
The ordour praescryved for the afternoone service
1639 Baillie I 238.
He was made weelcome in the presbitery, his tryells præscrivit [etc.]

4. To prescribe (a remedy or medicine). 1568 Skeyne Descr. Pest 16.
I … prescryuis as God will assist … sic thingis as may be conducent for … cure of pestilentiall sicknessis
Ib. 17, etc. c1580-90 Rules of Health 1.
It is bot lost labour … to prescriwe all the best medicamentis
1657 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 168.
Fowler I 394/13. That they do not substitut … nor withhold anie thing prescrywit, least the medicament lose its qualities
1696 Donaldson Husbandry 14.
Prescriveth

5. a. intr. or absol. ? To acquire or have power or authority by long continued use. b. tr. ? To preserve, save. 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 2057.
The dreidfull pane Execute on trespassouris ȝit on liue, Swa that thair malice sall na mair prescriue
a1585 Maitl. Q. lxv 133.
So may I not my self from woe prescryve

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"Prescrive v.1". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 29 Mar 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/prescrive_v_1>

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