Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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.

Retener, -teiner, -tainer, n. Also: reteynour. [e.m.E. retaynour (1540), -er; Retene v.] a. A dependent or follower of a man of rank. b. One who keeps possession of something. —a. 1508 Reg. Panmure II 275.
That … Hereafter I become man and retainer, both in houshald and out-with houshald till the said Sir Thomas 1548 Misc. Bann. C. III 413.
[We] have taken the saide Erle Bothwell … men servants and reteynours into our protection 1572 Buch. Detect. (1727) 35.
His seruandis and reteineris to conuoy to Edinburgh the quene —b. 1642 Douglas Corr. 251.
The reteneris thairof ar nocht blameles quha … retenis my deweteis but my consent