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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.

Reveng(e, v. Also: ra- and -weng(e, -vendge, -wendge; -veing; -vange; -vainge. [Appar. only Sc. in early use. Obs. F. revengier (late 12th c. in Larousse), var. of revencher, late ME and e.m.E. reuenge (Malory).]

1. reflex. To avenge oneself (for (of) harm or injury inflicted, or on a person's malice or cruelty); to obtain revenge.(1) a1400 Leg. S. iv 134.
Quhy wil ȝe now Tak Phylet and reweng ȝow? Ib. xxix 298.
Thare-for he thocht To reweng hyme, gyf he mocht ?1438 Alex. i 1897.
Him to reuange great will he had a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. 430/48.
Thane ilk ane vikit man at his awen hand Sall him revenge as he sall think it best(2) 1375 Barb. xviii 232 (C).
He tuk purpos for to ryde … in-till Scotland, Till revenge [E. For to weng] hym … Of the tray [etc.](3) a1568 Wedderburn Bann. MS 241b/181.
Than to revenge hir on his crewaltie His twa ȝung sonis … scho gart de

b. To take revenge of or on a person. 1460 Hay Alex. (S.T.S.) 2412.
Than King Philipe sa blyth … That of his fa he him revengit haide a1500 Lanc. 243.
That he schuld hyme reweng … One euery knycht that [etc.] 1490 Irland Mir. MS fol. 345.
That thai that he punysis wauld reweng thaim on his airis 15.. Dunb. App. vii 11.
Neuer sall I me revenge na wreke, Bot on myself 1513 Doug. xii i 21.
As a wild lyoun … By the huntar wondyt … on the man liggand at wait … Hym to revenge … doys bray 1535 Stewart 39797.
Thairfoir … revenge ȝow of ȝon king

c. To take countermeasures (against a person threatening injury). c1420 Wynt. v 1991.
[He] bad hyr … To byd, gyff thaire god Jupytere Wald reweng hym at hys wylle 1456 Hay I 199/5.
Gif a man gaynstude nocht his dede, and revengit him agaynis him that wald sla him [etc.] Ib. 199/16.
Quhethir gif ane abbot wald slaa ane of his monkis, quhethir aw he to defend him agayn his abbot, and to revenge him Ib. 200/29.
He awe to save his lyf and defend him and revenge him agayn his fader

2. passive. (To be) revengit, to obtain, or take, revenge (of, on or upon a person, community, animal or (once) thing) (for, of a wrong or injury).(1) a1400 Leg. S. vii 625.
Fore that he na mycht rewengit be In the contrare of his lawte ?1438 Alex. ii 1490.
The folk … Thinkis wele to reuengit be c1420 Wynt. iv 524 (C).
How best scho mycht rawengit be a1500 Seven S. 1634. 1629 Justiciary Cases I 130.
Out of ane devillisch malice and desyre to be revenget(2) ?1438 Alex. ii 204.
My neuoyis sall reuenged be Of that tyran pantenar c1420 Wynt. iv 664.
In tyll intent for tyll have bene Revengyd off his fayis kene 1535 Stewart 11633. a1586 Maitland Geneal. Setoun 30 (see Reveng(e n. 2).
ȝe suld revengit be Of tha catevis 1590–1 Crim. Trials I ii 235.
And sould gif hir power to be revangeit of hir inimeis — a1500 Henr. Fab. 424.
And na way be reuengit on him scho micht a1500 Seven S. 807.
Ȝe hecht I suld revengit be Apon ȝour sone 1560 Rolland Seven S. 1904.
My self … Sall neuer eit, quhill I reuengit be Vpon ȝour hound a1578 Pitsc. II 10/20.
[He] vowit … he sould be rewengit on the towne of Edinburgh to the fourt genneration for that displesour Ib. I 111/16. 1600-1610 Melvill 274.
The … misreaullars of the town war all under a complot resolving then to be weill revengit upon those honest men wha [etc.] 1608 Crim. Trials II 543.
To be revendget vpone him(3) c1420 Wynt. iv 254.
Cyrus … swore That he sulde off that wattyr be Revengyde(4) 1535 Stewart 31916.
Tha thocht ilkone far levar haif bene deid Or tha war nocht revengit of that feid Ib. 38035.
He sould revengit be Of thair wordis 1627 Justiciary Cases I 75.
Jon Ȝoung … resoluet with him self to be revendget thairof

3. tr. To avenge (a wrong or injury). a. By exacting retribution (on a person). b. By taking countermeasures against another (cf. 1 b above).a. (1) a1400 Leg. S. vi 665.
I sal revenge sone The wrange that to myn God is done ?1438 Alex. ii 110.
And he had micht, his brotheris dede Had bene reuengit in that stede 1456 Hay I 170/7.
For to have revengit the schame that thai had done to oure Lorde c1475 Wall. xi 1166.
Ye haiff him tynt, ye suld rawenge his deid 1513 Doug. xii i 40.
I sall revenge and end our allyris offens 1531 Bell. 1531 Boece II 31.
The … Scottis and Pichtis … war deliverit … to revenge the injuris done be his army 1535 Stewart 9585.
For to revenge the greit lak and injure Wes done to me 1567 Sat. P. iv 185.
To ȝow my lordis, of my deid innocent, For to reuenge I leif in testament My saikles bluid, my murther and iniure 1572 Bann. Memor. 267.
For … mony privat querallis [were] revenged and mony debtis acquyted vndir the cullore of killing Heugoneutis 1587-99 Hume 35/43.
The hiest iudge he will reuenge thy wrang c1615 Chron. Kings 64.
Rewendge(b) 1603 Reg. Privy C. VI 576.
Irreverent … subjectis quha … seikis the commodetie to revainge thair particuler querrellis … not spairing sumtyme in thair awne presence … to use thair privat revainge(c) 1679 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Processes No. 339.
Intending to wse the civell law against him and not to reveing the wrong done be him at my oun hand(2) 1531 Bell. 1531 Boece I 45.
Thay devisit … erar to revenge sum displesour on thaimb. 1456 Hay I 199/2.
Gif his lord wald tak the lyf fra him, … he is behaldin to defend him, and to revenge his dede at all his powere agayn him that wald sla him

c. To vent (anger, etc.); to vindicate (one's cause) by an act of retribution. c1500-c1512 Dunb. (O.U.P.) 8/25.
Thay terandis to revenge thair tein, For scorne thai cled him in to quhyt 1570 Sat. P. xxiv 32.
Na, weill I wait, God will reuenge that cause

d. To punish (wrongdoing or crime). 1533 Boece 67b.
The goddis be strenth of fewe persouns has oft tymes revengit the fals tresoun of greter multitude

e.?With the crime as subject: To bring retribution or punishment upon (the wrongdoer).But perh. merely (if hir self is the subject) a further instance of d above. 1560 Rolland Seven S. 10678.
For hir awin deid hir self it dois reuenge

f. intr. or absol. To take revenge (on a person). 1587-99 Hume 61/297.
Na gunners could that bartsene clenge. They knew not whome on to reuenge

4. tr. To avenge (a person) (by action against (of) another); to support by counteraction. 1456 Hay I 156/28.
The citee sulde be wele punyst that revengis nocht hir burgeis suppresit or opprest wrangwisly a1500 Seven S. 280.
Ȝe hecht to revenge me of this devill that [etc.] a1568 Wedderburn Bann. MS 240a/26.
Ane plesand chevallrie … To revenge Hector that grit campione 1570 Sat. P. xi 110.
Gif ȝe with speid reuenge my deir

5. intr. To take vengeance or revenge; to inflict punishment. c1400 Troy-bk. ii 129 (D).
Gode … Rawenges oft wyth samyn peyn 1456 Hay I 199/29.
Agayn him selff he will nocht geve him nouthir leve na gude will, to revenge agayn him a1568 Bann. MS 83b/11.
Forbeir to revenge thocht it be in ȝour powir c1600 Montg. Suppl. xxx 17.
Gif thow o Lord with rigour wald reuenge, Quhat flesche [etc.]