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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.

Resort, -soirt, v. Also: res- and -sorte. [Late ME and e.m.E. resorte (c1400), OF resortir (1080 in Larousse), f. re- and sortir to issue.]There is possible ambiguity between senses 5, 6 and 8.

1. intr. To return (from a place). 1386 Rot. Sc. II 85/2.
That thai may freli … withoutjn lettyng … to gang and to come intil Ingland and ressorte with thair … catelles whatsaever thay be

b. To return (to a place or person). a1500 Quare Jel. 421.
Jelousy at schort Commyth of the deuill and thedir schall resort

2. Of land, or a right: To return, revert to a person's possession. 1397 Douglas Chart. 38.
The saide landis to ressorte agayn to the nerrest ayris 1405 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III 201.
The saides landis of Monycabo … sal freli and quiteli resorte to the saide Schir Dauid a1409 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 73.
The grete custome of … Hadyntoun … the qwhilkis falyheande to resort agayne to the ayris of oure body 1415 (1430) Reg. Great S. 39/2.
That al the forsayd landis … resort and retour agayne to me and to my ayris

3. Of an action at law: ? To go before a court; ? to come within the competence of (a court).Cf. F. resortir to go before a higher court (1462 in Larousse). 1467 Acta Aud. 6/2.
The lordis decretis that … the excepcioune … that the actioune … aucht nocht to resort before the lordis auditouris … is of na vale and that the said mater may resort before thaim

4. Of musical proportions: To come together. Cf. Resort n. 1. 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 495.
Proportionis fine with sound celestiall, Duplat, triplat, diatesseriall, Sesqui altera, and decupla resortis

5. To come, go, proceed (to, in, also fra a place). Also const. infin.(1) 1509 Soc. Ant. LXXXIX 454.
In the commoun proffit of all oure liegis and strangearis resortand thereto [sc. the market] 1533 Boece 210.
Fra all partis the pepill thidder resortit 1546–7 Edinb. B. Rec. II 126.
And sic stufe necessar for furnyssing of our souerane ladyis liegis resortand to Edinburgh 1560 Ib. III 84. 1567 Reg. Privy C. I 523.
To intime … to all oure soveranis liegis … that thai resort and repair to … Edinburgh 1567 Sat. P. v 74.
And lat na ennimeis heir resort 1572 Buch. Detect. (1727) 79.
He rynnis to the quene, and thether resort alswa uther that ludgeit in the palice 1573 Haddington B. Rec. (Robb) 24 Dec.
That our soveranis liegs resortand to this burgh at this present justice ayres, salbe [etc.] 1574–5 Reg. Privy S. VII 5/2.
The … port … is … unhable to ressave or keip in saulftie schip or boit resorting thairto 1575 Bk. Univ. Kirk I 332.
The bischop … to resort himselfe with his familie to Dunkeld, and make residence ther 1620 Dunferm. B. Rec. II 126.
Sundrie … strangeris resortis to this burgh … and ar ressavit & houss latting to thame but knawledge of the magistrats 1645 S. Leith Rec. 64/2.
Those people … who … may pay for cleanging of thair clothes to resort to Bessie Cookes killn to kill thair clothes 1650 Peebles B. Rec. I 390.
The said Mariown sall … nother resort to kirk or mercate 1652 Dumfries Kirk S. 7 Oct. 1668 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 249.(2) 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 253.
The forces of Ingland … wes beleivit in this cuntrie haistilie to resort(3) 1591 Edinb. B. Rec. V 53.
That nane of the … lipperis … depart or resort fra the said hospitall to na other … place, bot … remayne thairin nicht and day(4) 1599 Aberd. Eccl. Rec. 168.
The citizence … ar haldin so occupeit … that thai can nocht guidlie resort to heir the doctrine of the exercise

b. Of the mind: To return or revert unto (a subject of meditation). a1568 Bann. MS 70b/11.
Vnto his passioun latt evir thy mynd resort

6. To go or repair regularly or frequently (to (unto) a place, also to a church service).(1) 1559–60 Inverness Rec. I 43.
To frequent nocht nor resort nor wse to cum to the lugyn quhar his wyf is a1595 Descr. Isles 431.
Mony fisches resortis and hantis thairto 1597 Conv. Burghs II 4.
Merchandis resortand to … ony pairtis beȝoynd sey 1587-99 Hume 53/30.
Let … windows wide quhair luickers on resorts With tapistrie be hung 1613 Fife Synod 63.
He resorted over mikle to the burgh of Peirth 1629 Justiciary Cases I 132.
He, being knawin to the said Katharene Osuall to be ane warlok …, resoirtit to hir house and was resset 1649 Sc. Ant. IV 27.
The act aganst thos who resort to superstitious walls [= wells] was … ordiened to be registrat(2) 1606 Acts IV 302/1.
Considering that the inhabitantis of Prestoun and Prestounpannis … can nocht resorte to the … kirk of Tranent 1624 Moray Synod 7.
[The minister] sall be also inquired if Andrew M^cPherson his wyff and familie resorts vnto the kirk(3) 1588 King Cat. 107.
The people resorting to the haly mysteries 1604 Aberd. Eccl. Rec. 37.
The servandis and prenteissis were … chargit to … resort to the hering of the sermonis … and novayes to absent thameselffis thairfra 1623 Perth Kirk S. in Spottiswoode Misc. II 305.
John Bog … is accused of not resorting to God's service on the Sabbath days: Answered … that when he may come he does it 1653 Dumfries Kirk S. 29 Aug.
Admonished to resort to the publict ordinances & dismissed(4) 1560 Edinb. B. Rec. III 102.
That … all mes sayaris … depesche thame of this toun … and that thai nothir hant resorte nor frequent sa lang as thai remane abstinat 1600-1610 Melvill 56.
This pleasit … guid peiple verie mikle, sa that they resorted verie frequentlie my ouk

7. To come or go to (till, towartis, unto) a person.Also with non-material subject. 1516 Douglas Chart. 217.
My Lord of Anguse sall haif leif till pas and resort till hir 1540 Lynd. Sat. 973.
Thay will not suffer to resort Gude Counsale to the kingis presence c1552 Id. Mon. 5096.
Thoucht Deith tyll euery man resortis a1568 Scott xii 10.
Gif trew report To ȝow resort Of my gud port, So tak me 1582 Wemyss Corr. 77.
I … is alvayis redie to resort towartis ȝow to haiff your aduyse 1632 Ellon Par. Rec. 77.
[Margaret Ogg accused of giving to George Annand] ane lok of her hair … whereoff he could get no rest in mynd till he should resort unto her

b. To go to for aid or succour; to have recourse to (till). 1540–1 Reg. Privy S. II 581/2.
That the said Johnne haue na caus of complaynt … nor to resort agane to us to that effect 1567 G. Ball. 71.
Brether and sisteris, that will resort Till Christ, and with his Gospell mell 1584 Sempill Sat. P. xlv 943.
Lying in periculo mortis, Tua of the kirk to him resortis

c. To consort with a person. a1500 Colk. Sow ii 10.
By a rever, Cokelby saw resort Ane auld blind man with a pretty maid 1569 Canongate Ct. Bk. 84.
To have infectit ane greit parte of the inhabitantis of this burgh quhemwith thai resortit 1629 Monteith Stewartrie Ct. 5 Nov.
Convict … as ane commoun pyker and ane ydill vagabound hantand and resortand with thevis

d. To depart from (a person). c1590 Fowler II 96/363.
When that my ladie, Laura fair, from me was to resort

8. To enter, go to, a place with the intention of remaining there for a time; to stay, in a place, also in a person's company.Const. in, within, inwith, on, etc.(1) 1512–13 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I 139.
Strangearis of all vther natiouns resorting within this realme 1519–20 Ib. 195.
Thair sould be ane stapill in the pairtis of Flanderis, quhair that Scottis merchantis mycht resort and haif ordour amangis thame 1533 Bell. Livy I 69/32.
To mak the pepill resorte with mare frequent habitacioun on the said montane, he biggit his palice riall on the said montane 1549 Compl. 45/18.
The … euyl ayr … generit in ane cite quhar maist confluens of pepil resortis 1551 Acts II 482/2.
Sic tratouris swa banist … cummis and resortis agane within this realme 1556 Crim. Trials I i 391.
Vtheris resortand within his boundis or partis ewist thairto 1560 Edinb. B. Rec. III 65.
The grit number of idolatreris quhore-maisteris and harlottis daylie resortand within this burgh 1570 Canongate Ct. Bk. 180.
Hew Myllar … become baneist this burgh … and nevir to be fund resortand thairintill 1572 Peebles B. Rec. I 344.
All vagabundis that hantis or resortis inwith the liberte of burgh 1578 Conv. Burghs I 58. 1579 Reg. Privy C. III 242.
A certane leynding within the toun … quhair they resort quhen they cum to that toun 1606 Melrose Reg. Rec. I 24.
That he sall noch resort within the toun to that tym(b) c1600 Paterson Ayr & Wigton III 32.
Quhen he durst not for feir of pairty … resoirt opinly with in the cuntry(2) a1578 Pitsc. I 26/11.
They had resortit lang in the Erlle of Douglas companye 1597 Misc. Spald. C. I 155.
Beatrix … dochter to Margaret Og convict for wichecraft, … hes resortit in hir motheris companie

b. fig. Without const.: ? To stay with someone; to remain. c1550 Lynd. Test. Meldrum 5.
My ȝouth is gane, and eild now dois resort

c. With a ship as subject. 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 193.
That na schipp … of Scotland resort within the … hevines of the samyne … without the quenis cocket hade 1580 Dundee Chart. No. 71.
Strangearis of forane nationis resortand and repairand … within the rever of Tay 1622-6 Bisset II 253/7.
Quhere in a heavin there resortis and hanttis diverse schipis the laidned aucht to have the schoir to loise at 1632 Lithgow Trav. iii 85.
His Nauy which sometimes resort in the Leuante

9. tr. To frequent (a person); to visit regularly. 1570 Leslie 88.
And fardir haiff denyeit save conduite … that ane servitor of ouris mycht have resertit [? for resortit] your presens 1685 Rothesay Par. Rec. 60.
M'Taylour whom Elspa Stewart gave up to be the father of her child was knowen to resort her