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 1990 (DOST Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Rehers(e, -heirs, v. Also: ra- and -herss-, -heris, -hres; -heirce; -hears(e. [ME and e.m.E. reherse(n (Piers Plowman), -herce (c1375), -hearce (1529), OF rehercer, also -cier, appar. f. re- and -hercer to harrow.] To rehearse.

1. tr. To recite or say aloud in a formal manner; to say over; to read aloud.(a) pres. 1410–11 Reg. Episc. Brechin. I 30.
This was done in … Brechine … the bischop rehersand his borch, the tothir part sayand that was nocht fundyng in sic form a1500 K. Hart 149.
Sum folk … That culd rehers quhat thing ȝone peple ment 1494 Loutfut MS 2a.
Heirfor suld rehers or gar be reherssit be the juge … the caus & wordis quharfor thai fecht 1513 Doug. xiii ix h. of ch.
Rehersand mony historeis ald and gestis 1561 Q. Kennedy Oratioune 15.
We rehers thaim nocht bicaus thai sulde change the substance of the breid and wine, or that the repetitione tharof … sulde make the sacrament 1579 St. A. Kirk S. 439.
That … nane be resavit to compleit the band of matrimonye, wythtout they rehers to the redar the Lordis Prayeris, Beleve [etc.] 1585 James VI Ess. 39.
Feare not that she tread vnder foote thy verse, As if they were vnworthie to rehersep.t., p.p. 1410–11 Reg. Episc. Brechin. I 31.
The borrowis rehersit the dempstar of the court … gaf dome c1420 Wynt. vi 1503.
Rehersyd 1494 Loutfut MS 42b.
‘Largesse’ … suld be reherssit and criit mony placis … in this maner that ilkan may here it 1532 Perth Hammermen xxviii.
Without the conditions be reherssit befoir the dekyn 1533 Boece 161.
In all partis … sangis and rymys war rehersit and song with merynes 1600 Crim. Trials II 118.
The allegatiounis before rehersit 1622-6 Bisset I 81/8.
Na utheris bot the saidis lawes … [shall] have … auctoritie to be allegit or rehersit befoir ony iuges(b) 1530 Lynd. Test. Pap. 21.
Thar libells bene leuand Quhi[l]kis to reheirs makeith redaris to reiose c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus i 739.
[Quha did] reheirs ane certane nyse sermonis … [Of me con]trair(c) 1616–17 Misc. Hist. Soc. X 99.
Let there be rehearsed the articles of our faith

b. To say, or write, over again (something already uttered); to repeat. c1420 Wynt. iii 1081.
Now will I the werd rehers [C. rahers], As I fynd off that stane in wers: Ni fallat [etc.] Ib. vi 1379. 1456 Hay II 161/28.
[A prince's secretary should be able] bathe to speke and to rehers speche wisly and honorabily Ib. I 115/28. Id. Alex. MS 19598.
I haue maid ane protestatioun … The quhilk I will agane eftir rehears a1487 Gud Wyf & D. 26 (B).
Be nocht lefull tratlyngis till heir Na till rehers, quha vald thaim speir c1475 Wall. v 124.
I bott rahers as my autour will say 1490 Irland Mir. II 44/24.
Befor his passioun he said to thame [etc.] … And that rehersit the angell eftir his resurreccioun a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 522.
Crist ansuerit [to Pilate], inquirand … Gif of him self or vthiris rehersing He sa inquirit 1513 Doug. iv Prol. 175.
Eschame ȝhe not rehers and blaw on breid Ȝour awyn diffame? c1520-c1535 Nisbet Ep. Ald Test. xxi 23.
And he rehersit [L. iteravit] his prayer, willand to schaw the virtu of God 1544 Corr. M. Lorraine 90.
Thir presentis rehers in the qwennis letter qwhilk I doute nocht bot schw ville do better nor I can dewayse 1561 Q. Kennedy Compendious Ressonyng (ed.) 162/7.
It apperis to me ȝe rehers the text wrang 1562-3 Winȝet II 45/15.
Bot now to thai thingis … for strenthin of oure memorie, lat ws schortliar and mair narroulie reherse: to wit that the thingis rehersit agane … in memorie … may be kepit a1578 Pitsc. II 67/17.
I haue reheirsit heir bot the sayingis of the Jew quhich I never affirmed to be trew

c. To say over repeatedly; to turn over in one's mind. 1567 G. Ball. 89.
How lang Sall I reheirs thy counsall in my hart? a1568 Bann. MS 53b/6.
Quhair birdis sang … Rehersand ay this vers … Man mend thy lyfe

d. To express (a thought, feeling, etc.) in words. a1400 Leg. S. xl 62.
With wemene wald he nocht conuerse, Na of na man il reherse 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 949.
A laitlie ryme … Compylit hes, reheirsand loude and hie Sclander, dispite … To me a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 467.
His gret trublance with reuth the mynd rehersis [MS regres; rh. cersis, persis] c1530-40 Stewart Bann. MS 277a/17.
For quho so list the richt for to rehers To gloir humane thay mak habilite 1549 Compl. 9/17.
This detestatione that I haue rehersit of ydilnes a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 1733.
Ye are lyke Carssie Sutar, ye are ay rehearsand evil

e. To speak or utter; to set down.Also, once, with the person making the utterance as object.(1) 1508 Reg. Privy S. I 268/1.
As is rehersit in the precept immediately preceding 1513 Doug. i ix 93.
Rehersyng this, convoys sche Eneas Towart the place quhar hir ryche palyce was Ib. v vii 86.
Syk wordis gan the auld rehersyng tho 1533 Bell. Livy I 127/29.
Brutus, with thir and mare penetrive wourdis opinly rehersit in his orisoun, … movit the pepill [etc.] 1547–9 Liber Offic. S. Andree 139.
I knew neuer that ever ȝe swiffit with the ald officiall and in safer as I reherssit the samen I ask God forgevance and ȝow 1549 Compl. 37/2.
The … laubirs that I tuke to vrit thir passagis befor rehersit c1552 Lynd. Mon. 202.
I lose my tyme … to rehers Sick … vaine discriptioun 1561 Inverness Rec. I 63.
The oppynions [etc.] … that beys rahersit or spokyne in the consell 1563 Davidson Answer 189.
Ane resolute understanding of this conclusion abone rehersit 1567 Anderson Collect. Mary I 122.
With all clausis and circumstances befoir rehersit and insert in the buiks of parliament 1567 G. Ball. 84.
Thir wordis to hir he did reheirs, Haill Marie full of grace 1580 Hume Promine (L'envoy) heading.
Thir wordis few the authour dois reheirs Into this maner(2) c1520-c1535 Nisbet III 199.
He schawis that Crist is euir without beginnyng and without ending, rehersand him that spekis, I am alpha and oo, begynnyng and end

f. Of a grammatical relative: To repeat (the substance of what has already been referred to in an antecedent). 1531 Vaus (1531) 2.
Ane nowne relatiue … commys behind in my langage and rehersis it that is before said

2. a. To describe, tell about, recount (to a person); to give an account of; to enlarge upon.(1) 1375 Barb. iii 563.
To rehers thar auld disese Dois thaim oft-sys confort and ese ?1438 Alex. ii 1478.
Me think, be that that ȝe rehers, That [etc.] a1500 Henr. Orph. 28. 1513 Doug. i xii 13.
Sik materis to rehers or ȝit to heir [etc.] Ib. viii viii 61. 1528 Lynd. Dreme 276.
For to rehers thare lyffis vitious It wer bot tarye to the auditouris 1531 Bell. Boece I 287.
Thir fabillis that ar rehersit of King Arthure Id. Livy I 65/25. 1535 Stewart 13452.
[He] Thair deidis all … Ilk word by word rehersit to the hend 1537 Lynd. Depl. Magd. 145.
Hir rayment to rehers, I am nocht able 1548 Cal. Sc. P. I 172.
This shalbe to singneffye unto you the gret unnaturallnes wiche ye showe me daylye, being to longe to reherse in all poyntes 1549 Compl. 54/29.
Nou I vil rehers the cause of the variance ande the mutations of the cours of the mune c1552 Lynd. Mon. 1404.
Bot, to rehers, myne hart is wo, The dolent lamentatioun, That tyme, of euerilk natioun 1596 Dalr. I 88/22.
We haue schortlie spokne of the peoples … and languages that … we may prepare the way sum things to reherse mair profunde c1610 Melville Mem. 1.
To put in wret … sindrie thingis that thou had hard me rehers betymes(b) 1560 Rolland Seven S. 7535.
Scho not spairis … to reheirs the huredome … Betuix the knicht and the quene that thay did 1572 Buch. Detect. (1727) 7.
How loftily … scho behauit hirself to the king, what neid it be reheirsit? 1587–8 Aberd. Council Lett. I 23.
Sic … confusioune as is maist lamentabill to be reheirsit a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xl 61.
Let enemies my haples hap reheirce, I cair not by thair malice all a myte(c) 1630-1651 Gordon Geneal. Hist. 20.
Heir give me leive to rehearse a prettie stratagem … of his(2) a1400 Leg. S. xxxiii 347.
He herde reherse That in the kynrik of Perce Cristine treutht wes throngyne don 1456 Hay II 4/13.
The autour of this buke rehersis how it befell in a contree quhare [etc.] c1475 Wall. xi 1080.
At the Fawkyrk the gud Stewart was slayn, Our corniclis rehers that in [to] playn 1528 Douglas Corr. 125.
Quhare ȝour grace rehersis that albeit one the party of Scotland was nocht sa detfull wayis tane for the takin of Schir William Lisle and his complices as was supposit to have been [etc.] 1549 Compl. 161/10.
The poietis rehersis that … sche fleid tyl her cauerne 1558-66 Knox II 126.
How the said Lord of Sanct Johne was entreated we list nott reherse(3) c1400 Troy-bk. ii 1175.
The auctor [now] reherses to ws … The … exiling of Eneas c1450 Cr. Deyng (S.T.S.) 54.
Alsua thai suld rahers to hyme the gret faith and paciens of marterys 1513 Doug. x viii 126.
O ȝhe pepill … my wordis do rehers and present to Kyng Evandar 1555 Edinb. B. Rec. II 221.
Bot it is now rehersit and said to me that the baillies … hes in thair box xij^c or xviij^c li. of money be thair offices c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus iii 304.
Thow did rehers to Esperance thy feir Of Venus … Sayand, scho is the rute of all mischance(4) 1513 Doug. iii ix heading.
Of the Greik clepit Achemenydes Rehersyng Ene the natur of Ciclopes 15.. Clar. i 369.
Rehearsing all both more and les How them entreitit Earle Estours nobilnes(5) c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus iii 718.
First I rehersit Thamar and Raab plane And Bersabe

b. Only p.p., in (quasi-)compounds with afoir-, abone-, etc.: To describe, etc., = a above; also, to make reference to, to mention. 1531 Bell. Boece II 452.
King Robert … maryit Elizabeth Mure, lemmen afore rehersit Id. Livy II 228/3.
The ransoun that was hecht to the Gaulis be the contract afore rehersit 1536–7 Sc. Hist. Rev. VII 361.
Adjacent to the landis [of Drygrange] befoir rehersit 1553–4 Edinb. B. Rec. II 190.
The said Dauid … intrusit thairintill in maner aboun reheirsit 1582 Montgomery Mem. 222.
The sowme of thre hundrethe merkis money abonerehersitt 1586 Reg. Cupar A. II 295.
Ane ȝeirlie pensioun [to be paid] … at the termes effoir rehersit 1633 Acts V 53/1.
The particulars abone rehearsit

c. To quote (a passage); to cite. 1558 Q. Kennedy Tractive 108.
This pas of Scripture abone rehersit Id. Breif Tract. (ed.) 116/24.
Thir testimonyis of scripturis last abone rahersit

d. In certain common parenthetical sentences, with omission of the object.(1) c1420 Wynt. v 2302.
Quhen the kyng … Wes for till ryd, I herd rehers, That empryowr behowyd … To ly ewyn down besyd hys hors Ib. 3422.
Off Mede the kynryk, … as I herd rehers, He wan till hys subjectiowne(2) c1400 Troy-bk. ii 254 (C).
If that it so be As thow rehersed heyre to me Of the palladinar 1513 Doug. iv iii 36.
Gif that, as thou rehersis, the deid algait Als sovirly mycht follow fortunabill 1540 Lynd. Sat. 1696 (B).
Mair belangis to the plewch, As eftirward, perchance, rehers I sall 1549 Compl. 97/13.
This battel vas fochtyn at Bannochburne, as the Inglis croniklis rehersis mair large c1552 Lynd. Mon. 1231.
Thay did abound in wickitnes As holy Scripture dois rehers 1567 G. Ball. 70.
As Paull reheirsis in his writ a1578 Pitsc. I 213/2.
James the thrid wnworthelie slaine in this maner as is affoir reherssit

3. To name or mention (persons, things, facts, etc.) one after another; to enumerate or itemise. 1375 Barb. viii 518 (E).
& mony fayr poynt off wer befell Quha couth thaim all rehers or tell He suld say [etc.] c1420 Wynt. iii 1105 (W).
Thare names … to rehers … It suld bot tary space and tyme 14.. Reg. Maj. c. 2.
Mut of det … witht other of wrang & vnlaw that nedis nocht to be rehersyt in this buk c1450 Cr. Deyng (S.T.S.) 51.
Ande he … suld have a man to rahers to hyme the poyntis of the treuthe 1460 Hay Alex. (S.T.S.) 3660.
That na man micht the multitude reheris That thare was slane a1500 Henr. Fab. 885 (Bann.).
I sall rehers a pairt of ewery kynd Als far as now occurris to my mynd c1475 Wall. x 86.
Thar namys all I may nocht her rehres [ed. rehers] 1533 Gau 41/23.
And in mony oder placis of the New Testament the quhilk war lang to rehers 1535 Stewart 45906. 1549 Compl. 66/15.
Vitht mony vthir lycht dancis the quhilk ar ouer prolixt to be rehersit 1551 Hamilton Cat. 111.
Rehersand sax thingis quhilk God hettis, he rekins amang thame a man that … spekis lesingis Ib. 32. 1561 St. A. Kirk S. 2.
The eldaris and diaconis salbe chosyn and elecced furth of the numer gevyn in wryt befoyr rehersed a1561 Q. Kennedy Breif Tract. (ed.) 145/27.
Rehersyte 1562-3 Winȝet I 43/29.
According to the auctoriteis abone rehersit a1568 Scott xxxiv 120.
I ug, for villanie, Ȝour vycis to rehers a1578 Pitsc. I 244/10.
All kynd of delicat and delicious meittis and drinkis … for to reheirs thame it war ane lang space 1679 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Processes No. 340.
The severall sowmes of money eftir specifeit for the causes eftir rehearsed

4. absol. or intr. To talk or speak; to make a statement, declaration, etc.; to set down. ?1438 Alex. ii 2806.
Lat be! it helpis nocht ȝe rehers 1456 Hay I 169/31.
Off the quhilkis materis I mycht fynd a thousand argumentis. Bot it war our contrarysum to rehers. Quharefore I will pas mare lychtly c1475 Wall. xi 1441.
I rahersit nocht Sa worthely as nobill Wallace wrocht c1500-c1512 Dunb. (O.U.P.) 114/44.
I will no lesingis put in vers, Lyk as thir jangleris dois rehers 1622-6 Bisset I 114/2.
The foirsaidis persones sall … reherse and reporte to thame in maner befoir rehersit

5. intr. To give an account of (a person or thing); to make mention of. c1420 Wynt. vi 843 (C).
Off this makyn to rahers Outht hym wryttyn ar thir wersse a1500 Henr. Fab. 119.
Of the inward sentence and intent Of this fabill … I sall reheirs Ib. 1283.
Bot of this scheip and of his cairfull cry I sall reheirs c1475 Wall. viii 1472.
It nedis nocht her rahers mar off this thing 1513 Doug. ii ii 29.
We hym exort rehers … Of quhat lynnage he was 1549 Compl. 4/16.
It vil be ouer prolixt to rehers all the vailȝeant actis of Baudouyne … ande na les prolixt to rehers of his successours Ib. 7/19.
The historigraphours rehersis of ane pure man of Perse 15.. Clar. i 1130.
He … brocht the best [that] men did of reherse a1568 Bann. MS 240a/21.
And als Plutarg rehersis of thair deid