A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1990 (DOST Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1400, 1456-1560, 1688-1689
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Refectio(u)n(e, n. Also: refecc-, refexone. [ME and e.m.E. refection (Rolle), refeccion (1398), -yon, F. réfection (12th c. in Littré), L. refectiōn-, n. of action f. reficere, see Refect p.p.]
1. sing. and pl. Repair (of a ship); repairs. c1400 Troy-bk. ii 1444 (C).
The which shippes … syn that refections sere Thame neded [etc.] c1400 Ib. 1447.
The Gregeois … The space of foure moneth holely Graunted to the refectioune [D. -ioun] Of tho shippes
b. ? Restoration. — a1689 Cleland 91.
The Church having made a refection … of any power Conferred by that pestsome whore
2. (Spiritual) refreshment or recreation. 1461 Liber Pluscardensis 384.
All this warld … He ordande for refeccioun of manhaid ?a1500 Remembrance of the Passion 204.
Befor the meit, Tak this day refectioun with sueit Jesu in Egipt c1550-60 Arundel MS 250/328.
Gif thy pure begger that deis for hunger sum of thi hevinlie refectioun
3. The action or fact of refreshing or restoring the body with food and drink. b. A source of such refreshment. 1456 Hay I 250/26.
In the fors and pythe of that mete he travailit xl dais and fourty nychtis, bot ony refectioun c1460 Wisdom of Solomon (S.T.S.) 468.
And the realme is blessit … of the quhilk the princis ettis … erear for the restoring and refexone of his natur na for lichory 1490 Irland Mir. MS 245b.
As the breid and wyn are the nutricioun and refeccioun of the body a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 1598.
He askit thame, gif ony fische thai had Raddy graithit refectioun forto be
4. A meal; a repast. b. A particular sort of food or refreshment. 1531 Bell. Boece I lv.
Thay disjunit airly in the morning with smal refectioun a1538 Abell 78b.
For before Scottis men wsit bot a refeccion in the day bot than be exempill of Inglismen thai vsit tua refeccionis a1538 Ib. 75a. 1549 Complaynte of Scotland 42/33.
The scheiphyrdis vyuis … sat doune … to tak there refectioneb. 1549 Complaynte of Scotland 144/35.
There maist delegat refectione vas … green frutis, rutis & eirbis
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"Refection n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 17 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/refectioune>
