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

Preserve, v. Also: præserve, pre-, præserwe, preserow, pryserw, preserf(f, preserfe, presarve, presarf; and Preser. [Late ME (Gower, Lydgate) and e.m.E. preserve, F. préserver (14–15th c. in Hatz.-Darm.), late and med. L. preservāre.]

1. tr. To keep safe, guard, protect; to keep in safety, save.With personal object. Const. simple obj., fra or from harm, in or intill prosperity, to or till some future destiny, and absol.(1) 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 96.
O Nature, Quene … Ȝe that all mundane creatures preseruis Id. Æn. II v 16.
And quhen … the bail of fyre Rays … vp byrnand schyre Of the goddis be frawart destany Synon preservit [L. defensus] couth this syng aspy 1562-3 Winȝet I 73/12.
Sen the samin Virgine wes præserwit … be the merciful prouidence of God 1567 G. Ball. 92.
The Lord God … Preseruis me baith nycht and day 1568 Lyndesay Pref. (S.T.S.) 399.
His prophetis … quhame he hes michtilie preseruit a1578 Pitsc. I 366/31.
[They] war saiflie conwoyit and preseruit be thame quhill they come in thair awin contrie 1590 Waus Corr. 455.
As knawis God, quha mi[ch]t preserve your ma^tie(2) 1490 Irland Mir. I 55/25.
God preseruis and deliueris the persoune fra trubilis to cum 1533 Boece 160.
That the ma potent pepill be ȝow be vincust, be ȝoure grace the ma nobillis suld fra dede be preseruit Ib. 158, 195 b. c1552 Lynd. Mon. 1095.
Abilȝement … Thame to preserue frome heit and cauld Ib. 2462.
To preserue Israell frome idolatrye 1561 Q. Kennedy Compendious Ressonyng (ed.) 154/19.
King Saull … preserwit Agag the king fra deyth Ib. 152/22, 177/13. 1562-3 Winȝet I 136/1.
Præseruit 1567 G. Ball. 98.
Preseruit sall he be from thair abuse a1568 Scott i 36.
Preservand thé fra all misaventure a1578 Pitsc. I 44/25, II 55/22. c1590 J. Stewart 40/372.
To preserwe tham from this maryn rout(3) 1490 Irland Mir. I 101/18.
He mycht and suld haue preseruit hire in all honour & dignite 1550–1 Corr. M. Lorraine 347.
I beseik God to preserve your grace … in lang lyfe and gud prosperite 1573 Davidson Sat. P. xl 288.
He can His alquhair Preserue … intill vprichtnes(4) 1375 Barb. i 460.
God … Preserwyt thaim … To weng the harme Ib. 608.
God … Preserwyt him till hyer hycht 1513 Doug. x viii 130.
Of my gentrys, wil he be preservit To all estait and honour funerall Ib. xii vii 112.
Sum grettar god … The quhilk to grettar warkis preservis thé 1571 Bann. Memor. 100.
Him … who … hes yit preserved me to this decreipit aige 1576 Douglas Corr. 208.(5) absol. a1500 Henr. Fab. 124 (Ch.).
This iolie iasp … It … Preseruis als fra cacis perrillous c1590 Poems Addressed to the Author in Fowler I 394/14.
The onlie medcin for to keip and to presarue alyue Is skers by dyet wsd on homlie cheir to fead 1638 Johnston Diary I 353.
I … begge … assistance from above to guyde and præserve from the manifold kitle poynts on both hands

b. To save from death. 1586 Edinb. B. Rec. IV 478.
To be imployet in imbassadouris to be sent to Ingland for travelling to preserue his maiesties mother, quhais lyfe wes in greitt jeopardie 1596 Dalr. I 146/19.
Excepte only ane … quha be the ingine … of his nurice was preseruet and vndir thoume … was brochte vpe

c. To save (one's life). 1584 Colville Lett. 50.
Quhat restis moir bot to preserve thair lyif

d. In invocations. Latterly, with ellipsis.(1) a1500 Henr. Prayer 8.
O lord, … Preserue ws fra this perrelus pestilens Ib. 16 (Bann.).
Preserf 1561 Q. Kennedy Compendious Ressonyng (ed.) 152/22.
Evir lastand deyth … fra the quhilk the lorde God mot preserwe ȝou and me Ib. 177/13. 1587-99 Hume 65/31.
No, Lord, preserue me from that snare c 1687 Cromartie Corr. I 54.
May God … preserve poor old land of kakes from all that's ill(2) 1527 Douglas Corr. 118.
The Holy Trinite preserve ȝour hienes in langlyff 1543 Corr. M. Lorraine 40.
And almychty God presarf you 1544 Ib. 88.
Preserfe 1547 Ib. 183.
God quha mot presarve your grace in honour and guyd haill 1549 Ib. 297.
Pryserw 1591 Lennox Mun. 335.
I pray God … to preserff his majesty boith boidye and saull(3) c1552 Lynd. Mon. 3528.
Gret God preserue ws, … That we commit nocht sic ane cryme 1560 Rolland Seven S. 7920.
God me preserue that I not mary thé(4) ellipt. 1666 Laing MSS. I 351.
The Lord preserve, dier Rothes, for you cannot imagen how I dred this

2. To protect, keep safe, keep from perishing, maintain in existence (a material or non-material thing). Also const. fra or from (harm, etc.).(1) 1533 Boece 609.
The kirk fra the low was preseruit [L. seruatum est] 1574 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. I 265.
The cornis … to be sufficientlie dyikit and preseruit frome skaytht 1598 Misc. Spald. C. I 120.
Thow … theirby haillis the guidis and preservis thame fra the lunsaucht and all vther diseasis 1658 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 176.(2) a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 301 (Asl.).
For to preserf thi innocence but fall 1568 Skeyne Descr. Pest 5.
Or quhan cometis … ar generit and preseruit in the air 1580 Misc. Maitl. C. I 301.
Quhilkis buikis the said Mr. James actit himself to preserue and keip … in the said librarie a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 66 (Wr.).
And some the waxie vessels wrought, Their purchase to preserve 1604 Acts IV 263/2.
The … lawes … quhairby … haith bene … his peoples securitie of thair … richtis … and digniteis preservit 1635 Stirling's Royal Lett. II 842.
That yow be carefull … to sie the ayreis of these haulks carefullie preserved c 1650 Mackay Papers MS (Reg. H.) No. 54.
His lo. obliges himselff to preserow the land … as he preserowes the rest off his owne landes 1664 Glasg. Univ. Mun. II 481.