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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.

Reserve, v. Also: res-, ra- and -serwe; -cerve, -cerwe, -cerfe; -syrve. [ME and e.m.E. reserve(n (Manning), OF reserver (12th c. in Hatz.-Darm.), L. reservāre, f. re- and servāre to keep, save.] tr.

1. To keep back or hold over for later consideration or judgment; to set aside (a case) for further or superior judgment. c1420 Wynt. v 2520 (W).
Ony douttis … suld at the papis se Reseruit [R. Referryd, C. Referit] and declarit be 1456 Hay I 74/9.
God reservis till His jugement all secrete misdedis 1542 Linlithgow Sheriff Ct. 21.
Reseruand … alanerlie to the spiritual juge the actionis concernand thame 1621 Aberd. Council Lett. I 188.
For I find now that litis contestation is maid be reserving the quantitie to thair aithes be the second summonds 1675 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. MS 18 Aug.
Reservant quhat further may be imposed to the nixt cast

b. To set aside (a confessed sin) to be dealt with by a superior authority. c1490 Irland Asl. MS 19/30.
The confessour suld … knaw quhidder he has powere to assolȝe him fra the syn or gif it be reseruit Ib. 65/8.
Thar is mony synnis resseruit to the prelate and part to the pape

2. To keep (a non-material, also a material, thing) to, till onself. 1375 Barb. i 132.
Bot God … Reserwyt till his maieste For to knaw … Off alkyn tyme the mowence a1400 Leg. S. xxxiv 274.
Scho … Hale hyr gud to-gyddir brocht, Reseruand til hyr richt nocht Ib. xxv 102. c1420 Wynt. v 1558.
He releschyde thare trewage Reserwand tyll hym [C. Reseruande stil] thare homage Ib. 1949.
God has till hym reservyd all The wyt off that that is to fall a1500 Lanc. 702.
To me is nat that shuld me glaid reseruit c1475 Wall. vi 38.
Mor sall I desyr hyr frendschip to reserue 1490 Irland Mir. I 135/21.
The haly spreit … has reseruit this mater to his self 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. i 1.
King Malcolme … reserved na thing in propertie to himselfe

b. To retain; to keep in being. 1562-3 Winȝet I 24/8.
Vnderstanding with science is maist … happelie conquest in ȝouthe … maist firmlie to be reseruit in memorie Ib. II 26/9.
The … accustomit end …, to wit, the antiquitie is reseruit, and the noueltie is schot to the duir 1638 Cant Serm. in Kerr Covenants 77.
In their reformation [sc. that of the English] something of the beast was reserved; in ours not so much as a hoof

3. To set apart or keep (for, to another). c1400 Troy-bk. ii 1249 (C).
Sett at the victoures holely To Achilles reserued ware 1572 Buch. Detect. (1727) 126.
For him I will recerfe greitnes c1575 Balfour Pract. 236.
Reservand alwayis to his air his best armour and principal inspreth 1595 James VI in Spotsw. Hist. (1655) 410.
Hoping … that God will reserve you yet to me as Hezekiah was to his people

4. a. To stipulate. 1468 Smit Bronnen I ii 1019.
Owr soveran lord and his consell has raserwyt the stapill be maide qwhar plesyt thaym

b. To secure (a right, profit, source of wealth, etc.) to oneself or another by making formal provision.Also in fig. context.See also Reservatio(u)n n.(1) 1481 Douglas Bequest 17 May.
The franktenement off the said landis beand reservyt to … the langast lifand off thaim 1482 Bamff Chart. 32. 1487 Fraser P. 106.
Resseruand the fre tenement tharof tile hir for al the dais of hir lywe 1488 Acta Aud. 122/1.
Reseruande to the said Alexander his actioune agane ony persouns that [etc.] 1496 Acta Conc. II 22.
The saidis Lordis … reservis to hir the richt that may pertene to hir gif [etc.] 1496–7 Ib. 53. 1512 Reg. Privy S. I 374/1.
Albeid we haif in our charter of confirmatioun … reservit to us thre lastis of salmond to be pait to us ȝerely … we knaw that we haif na richt … thairto 1546–7 Reg. Cupar A. II 234.
Reseruand to ws ane akyr of outfeild land 1557 Reg. Cupar A. II 136.
Reseruand … in our awing handis the teindis of our bowhowssis with the teindis of hors, ky, and scheipe 1564–5 Reg. Privy C. I 314.
That I sall keip guid rewll … Reservand and exceptand to me alwayis the just defence and protectioun of myself [etc.] 1567 Acts (1597) ii 10b.
The presentation of laick patronages alwaies reserued to the … auncient patrones 1569 Reg. Episc. Morav. 414. a1578 Pitsc. II 241/1.
And verrie litill reseruit to the said bischop of the foirsaid benefeis 1579 Prot. Bk. J. Inglis 3 April.
The lees of the said resignatione … recerwis the tane equhall half of the … take to hir self 1602 Elgin Rec. II 105.
They reservit a peix land to the deuill 1609 Acts IV 463/2.
Exceptand and reservand alwayes furth of this present act … all regaliteis … to our said souerane lord to remane with his hienes [etc.] … for euir 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. i 35.
Bot gif he hes na wife, the time of his deceis, the ane just halfe of the gudes, is reservand [? erron. for reservit; L. medietas sibi reservetur] to him, to be disponed as he pleases 1633 (1634) Reg. Great S. 44/2.
Reservand to ws yron wre and all other kynd of minerallis 1675 Sutherland Bk. III 206.
Reserveing to the said noble lord … the graseing of two bowes of kye in the dauach of Dyrie(b) 1612 Aberd. Council Lett. I 116.
Thairto resyrving Tunglands lyferent and the Erle of Cassills richt(2) 1498 Acta Conc. II 187.
Reservand to the sade Jhone to call quhat persone he plesis(3) 1497–8 Acta Conc. II 145.
That the teyrce of the sadis landis war specialy reservit before the making of the infeftment 1505 Chart. Coupar A. II 115.
Reseruand and kepand the comone … passage … witht al … priuilegis of burghe and baronry 1505–6 Reg. Dunferm. 374.
Saiffand and reservand the franktenement of the said landis for al the dais of his lif 1537–8 Reg. Privy S. II 370/1.
Reservand all annayis of benefice … and all seid to be sawin this ȝeire 1586 Reg. Cupar A. II 295.
In quhais favoures he hes dimittit the said portioun, reseruand his awin lyvrent 1596 Morison Dict. Decis. 8251.
That the sasine was null because … his father's liferent was reserved of the said barony 1627 Bamff Chart. 215.
Exceptand and reserwand lyfrent of all and haill the saidis landis of Newtoune 1674 (1675) Dumfr. Commiss. Ct. Reg. MS 88.
Nicolas Menȝies … sets in assedation lands …, reserving certain buildings … for the use of the said Nicolas 1683 Kirkcudbr. Test. (Reg. H.) 2 Jan.
For the rent of three aikers of ground reserved and payable out of the said kirkland be the chartors therof 1686 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Deeds II 428.
Tack … of … Gaitgill, reserving herefrom James Deyell's possession(4) ?1661-5 M. Bruce Soul-Confirmation (1709) 18.
The Lord is reserving a merchy piece of the word of his promise to be made out to … his friends

c. To make provision for (a specified procedure). 1664 Kirkcudbr. Test. (Reg. H.) 22 June.
Reservant count to be med be them of the samyne guids 1671 Ib. (Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct.) 25 July.
Item … [£5] indew to Johne McKune elder ther rescervand compt and reocking

5. To set (a person or thing) apart for, to a particular end, purpose or use. Also const. infin.(1) 1427 Acts II 15/2.
All bischoppis [etc.] … the quhilkis the king wil, be reseruit & summonde to consalis & to parliamentis be his special precep 1513 Doug. v xi 52.
O pepill onhappy, to quhat myschews end Forton reseruys ȝou of this warld to wend?(2) 1542 Reg. Cupar A. II 194.
Twa akyr reseruit out of the sammyn towun … to be disponit to ouir self Ib.
Tway akaris reseruit out of the said tway parceis for keiping of the woid 1575 Glasg. Univ. Mun. I 91.
The awld College yaird … is reserwit for herbis to the howse within the College 1588 Glasgow B. Rec. I 124.
Reservand ane passage to be the rowme of ane cargait 1628 Dumfries Test. Ia 153.
That the beddis [etc.] … be still reserued to the vse of my sones

6. To save or preserve fra (frome) (disease, danger, etc.). c1400 Troy-bk. ii 906 (C).
Outtane the houses … That … Frome the byrnyng reserued ware 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 39.
The dasy and the maryguld … lay with thair leuis happit Thame to reserue fra rewmes pungitiue 1549 Compl. 179/26.
I suspect that the Lacedemonyens vil reserue my villagis and steydingis fra birnyng and fra domageb. 1660-1 Mercurius Caledonius 7.
They stole his [sc. Montrose's] heart, embalmed it in the costliest manner, and so reserves it 1679 Sheriffhall Coal Accompt 22 Nov.
Timber for layeing over ane holl for reserveing the work men

7. To keep in a container or store. Also transf., to keep (a person) captive, or ‘bottled up’. b. To contain. c. To keep or retain (in (on) a place specified). 1568 Skeyne Descr. Pest 23.
Mixand thairwithe foure partis honye … reseruand the samyn in ane syluer veschelltransf. 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 31.
Thay blamit opinlie the regent that reservit the quene in stoir in dispyte of thameb. 1632 Lithgow Trav. vi 255.
[The Dead Sea] breedeth nor reserveth no kinde of fishesc. 1632 Lithgow Trav. x 447.
The snowy Alpes … reserve continually snow on their tops

8. To continue to have (a quality, property, etc.). 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 53.
[He] threatnit schamefullie (gif he had reservit any schame) the quenis maiestie of Ingland 1632 Lithgow Trav. ix 405.
I had done that … which never man had done before me reserving life

9. To reserve up (oneself), to restrain oneself from participation in some matter. 1586 James VI in Rait & Cameron King James's Secret 35.
Reserve up your self no longer in the earnist dealing for my mother for ye have done it to long