Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1990 (DOST Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Rife, Ryf(e, adj. (n.²⁾ and adv. Also: ryif, rief, ryef; riffe, ryff(e; ryaf. [ME and e.m.E. riue, rife, late OE rýfe (for *rífe), ON rífr.]For notes on rife as a suffix, see Westergaard Studies in Prefixes and Suffixes in Middle Scots pp. 86–7 and -rife suff. in SND.

A. adj. Chiefly predic.

1. Abundant; plentiful; numerous.Not always clearly distinguishable from sense 2 below.(1) a1400 Leg. S. xxvi 494.
Quhen the emperoure speryt had … Of … his meraklis that ware ryf [etc.] 1531 Bell. Boece I xlii.
Sleuthoundis … ar richt frequent and rife on the bordouris 1570 Sat. P. xxi 23.
Thay ruffyis, be thay neuer sa ryfe, Thay get na helpe of France a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. 303/8.
Na man can wit how Keip ox or kow, the thevis ar sa ryfe 1572 Sat. P. xxxii 53.
Our gay garmentis of sindrie fassounis ryfe 1588 King Cat. fol. 141b.
Vther mens sinnes, as we terme thame, quhilk in thir our dayis ar verray ryfe 1644 Argyll Synod I 94.
Seeing there be ryfe and credible reports spred abroad 1681 Colvil Whig's Suppl. (1751) 80.
[Avarice] causeth many a bloody strife, When needy malecontents grow rife(2) a1500 Seven S. 1967.
I se thi scaith sa ryf … That I may nother syng nor smyle 1603 Philotus 91.
His weddit wyfe … micht haue gold and geir als ryfe, As copper in hir kist 1698 Annandale Corr. 153.
Reddy money … is not verry ryfe in Scotlant at present(b) 1685 Dunlop P. III 17.
The mony is so ryaf among this pipell that [etc.]

b. As noun: Abundance, plenty. 1600-1610 Melvill 495.
I fand of everie sin exceiding ryf [: lyf, stryf]

2. Widespread; prevalent; of common occurrence; frequently met with.Chiefly of hurtful or noxious things.(1) a1500 Rauf C. 170.
I haue oft tymes bene quhair gude hes bene ryfe 1685 Dunlop P. III 16.
Ther is a piec of mony they call bits … which is very rief Ib.
Spanisch monny is ryefer in it then babi pisis is in Scotland(2) c1475 Wall. vii 187.
Pusoun is ryff c1530-40 Stewart Bann. MS 36b/116.
Into this warld wes neuir syn moir ryif a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. 317/15.
Sa ryff is infidelite Ane kynnisman skant may trow ane vdir 1590-1 R. Bruce Serm. 36.
We wald not haue tholled this word of the masse … to be sa rife in this countrey 1596 Dalr. II 294/2.
About this tyme the pest was ryfe in Scotland 1643 Kirkcaldy Presb. 260.
The sinne of curseing is verie ryff 1650 Lamont Diary 20.
A desease, comonlie called the Irish aygo, … was riffe in … Largo 1659 A. Hay Diary 205.
The Lord mainly pitcheth on the ryffest great sines

3. Of a story or an item of news: (Widely) known; commonly known or spoken of. a1400 Leg. S. xxvi 967.
Thane the Jow ryf has mad This merakle Ib. xxxv 2.
Ane wthyre tale I fand ryfe, Of Thadee 1594 Cal. Sc. P. XI 457.
[It was very] ryfe [here that Errol is slain] 1596 Dalr. II 220/20.
The rumour throuch al the realme was sa ryfe in al manis mouthis

b. Of a term or phrase: Frequently employed. 1513 Doug. i Prol. 375.
[Words] Quhilkis ar als ryfe amangis clerkis in scuyll As evir fowlis plungit in laik

4. Const. in or of (something): Rich or abounding in; abundantly provided with. Also proverb. a1585 Maitl. Q. 281/51.
His former style In painted termes and rethorik floris ryif c1600 Montg. Suppl. xv 14.
Of gold and geir thay ar richt ryfeproverb. a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 716.
He that is a gude fellow of his grein beir, is never ryfe of his old meill

5. To be rife (to do something), to be ready or inclined. 1584-9 Maxwall Commonpl. Bk. fol. 2a.
Be ewer ryfe to honowr thy parentis lyfe

B. adv. Abundantly; far and wide; ? frequently. a1400 Leg. S. xviii 77.
For it is prechyt rycht fare ryfe Gret ferlys of ȝoure haly lyfe 1596 Dalr. I 274/4.
Amang the peple this worde ran sa ryffe, that thair calde courage turnet now in a hett furie