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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.

Restrenȝe, -strain, v. Also: ra- and -strenȝh(e; -streyne, -streygn(h)e; -strayn(e, -streyn; -strane; -strean(e; -stren; -strant. P.p. -it, etc., and restraint, -d. [ME and e.m.E. restreyne (Rolle), -streigne (Gower), restren (north., c1440), restrayne (Lydgate), -strane (c1460), also restrin (1494), OF restreindre (c1131 in Larousse), L. restringere. Cf. Restringe v.] tr.

1. To prevent (a person or animal) (frome, fra some course of action); to hold back; to keep in check or under control.Also, once, const. infin.Also absol.(1) 1398 Acts I 210/2.
Our lorde the kyng for seknes of his person may nocht trauail to gouerne the realme na restreygne trespassours Ib. 211/1.
& generaly all mysdoeris thruch strynthe til restreygnhe & punyse(b) ?1438 Alex. i 1886.
With mekill pane He restrenȝeit his steid agane c1420 Ratis R. 1270.
This eild … can nocht be restrenȝhit weill Quhen it is wod and wraithe sum-deill 1535 Stewart 36387. Ib. 23183.
Was no man than restrenȝit be the lawis(c) 1552 Corr. M. Lorraine 358.
Qwharby we persawe ther instrwctions restranis them as I haif menit 1620 Ritchie Ch. S. Baldred 185.
The minister exhortit the elderis … that the vagabound and sturdie beggaris micht be restrainit 1693 Edinb. Kirk S. in Soc. Ant. XIII 76.
To cause some of their guard … to restrain idle peoples standing there the tyme of public worship(d) 1599 Reg. Privy C. VI 39.
Thay will not restreane nor censure ony … that sall repair to the saidis commedeis(2) a1500 Lanc. 1905.
The most wertew … Is, in o king, for to restren his honde Frome his pupleis riches and ther lond 1568 Buch. Indict. 33.
He wes … restrainit fra acces to the counsele and fra knawleg of the counsele effayris(3) c1420 Ratis R. 1393.
For gud dissert, before pasande, Restrenȝis grace to cum folowand(4) 1579, 1617 Despauter (1579) 137.
absol. Restinguo, reprimo, cohibeo, deleo, to repel or restrenȝe

b. reflex. To restrain oneself. c1420 Ratis R. 922.
Fra vycis, sone, restrenȝe thé With wertwis

c. To protect, or save, fra trouble. c1475 Wall. xi 1110.
Allace Scotland …, fra payn quha sall thé now restreyn?

2. To prevent, suppress or put a stop to (an activity, etc.). b. To forbid.(a) a1400 Leg. S. iii 954.
Scho suld … With castite restrenȝe hyr fleshe Ib. xxviii 7.
Vertu it is blud to restrenȝe, & flux of wame refrenȝe 1409 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 72.
To ger sic rebellioun ryot ande disobesance be restrenȝeit and stanchit c1420 Ratis R. 391.
Ȝhit can scho … Rastrenȝe malis, and amend 1449 Acts II 37/1.
At thar be maid … straite sercharis to restrenȝe the having out of the mone 1533 Boece 586.
Attempting with dikis to stop the mouth of the watter passing fra the louch quhilk being restrenȝeite be invndacioun and gorging of the watter the castell suld be drownit a1538 Abell 92b.
King Alexander … beguth to restrenȝe iniuris done to the pepill be capitanis(b) 1568 Anderson Collect. Mary IV i 119.
And ȝit will I not restreane the passage of sick as being quiet personis in thair behaviour 1599 Reg. Privy C. VI 46.
The misreule … of the disordourit inhabitantis thairof [cannot be] restreanit, unles [etc.]b. 1490 Acta Conc. I 169/1.
All the saidis giftis … ar derogate, adnullit, restrenȝeit, and defendit quhill the kingis age of xxj ȝeris(b) 1597 Acts IV 136/2.
Englishe merchandice … forbiddin … His maiestie … hes thocht meit … to restrane the hambringing … of all Ingillis claytht or vther Ingillis wairis 1635 Stirling's Royal Lett. II 843.
Yow receaved … his bakband, restrayneing his making further vse of that gift

3. To confine; to limit, moderate, set limits to.Also const. to.(1) 1456 Hay II 121/12.
Cald water … restrenȝeis the hete of thy membris agayne in thy body(b) 1568 Lyndesay Pref. (S.T.S.) 401.
That the power of the aduersaries was restraynit 1558-66 Knox II 313.
God hath restreaned our fredome, and putt the hoill body in bondage 1581-1623 James VI Poems I 17/41.
Because that translations are limitat and restraind in some things more than free inuentions are 1591-2 Rob Stene 14.
As watteris lang restraint do gusche 1622-6 Bisset I 86/6.
All judges aucht … to moderate and restrane langsum repititionis and impertinent speiches(2) 1590 Conv. Burghs I 321.
The leytis for electioun of the prouest [of Aberdeen] nocht to be restranit to the name of Menȝes 1602 Row 218.
That the licence … be restrained … to a liferent tack

b. To contain. a1605 Montg. Sonn. lvi 9.
The solids subtilis ay restrantis

4. To prevent (a ‘humour’) from being purged. Cf. Restrenȝeand ppl. adj. 1456 Hay II 131/28.
Than suld men ete all thing that war gude to purge colis that is melancoly and restreyne gude humouris