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

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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Upta(k, -take, v. Also: upetak, ubtack, wpta(k, -take, ouptak. P.t. uptuk(e, -tuike, -toke, wpe tuik. P.p. uptane, -taine, wp-, ouptane, uptakkin, -yn, uptakin, uptaikin, -tackin, wptakin, -taikin, o(u)ptakin, uptak. [ME and e.m.E. up-take(n (c1250); Ta(k v.¹ 73.] tr.

1. To lift, pick up (something). Also in fig. context. = Ta(k v.¹ 73 a.pres. 1456 Hay I 297/27.
O dyademe! … suppos thou war lyand on the erde, he wald nocht uptak thé 1460 Hay Alex. 1758.
Baggis and bulgetis full of gold and geire, Quhilk to vptak men maid bot litill ferep.p. a1500 Colk. Sow i 40.
The penny lost in the lak Wes fundin and vptak 1597 Misc. Spald. C. I 150.
Efter that … Patrick haid vptakin the said letter that fell from thy husbandfig. c1568 Lauder Minor P. i 155.
All thay … Man thame addres, His Croce for to vptake, And suffer persecutioun for His saike

2. To cause (a person) to rise or get up. = Ta(k v.¹ 73 c. 1513 Doug. xiii Prol. 153.
He, glaid tharof, me by the hand vptuke [Sm. vptuike]

3. To recruit (soldiers). = Ta(k v.¹ 73 g. 1577–8 Edinb. B. Rec. IV 65.
That in tyme cummyng ye permitt na men off war to be wptaikin except ye resaue oure handwrytt

4. To capture (a place). = Ta(k v.¹ 73 h. c1420 Wynt. iv 1167.
All the cyte than fand thai Wytht thare fays nere wptane [W. vptane]

5. To take possession of (goods, property, etc.). = Ta(k v.¹ 73 i. 1452 (1453) Reg. Great S. 131/2.
My gudis … to be frely ressavit, uptakyn, governit and fullely disponit at the will … of the saide Walter 1513 Doug. iii ii 108.
The sete left waist til ony it vptais [Sm. wptais]

6. To collect, levy (payments, rents, taxes, etc.). = Ta(k v.¹ 73 j.pres. 1465 Buccleuch Mun. II 67.
Sal nocht … vptak na malis … of the said landis … nor poind nor distrenȝe thaim 1515–16 Reg. Privy S. I 421/2.
To uptak and apply the wynning and proffet [of the mines] … to his aune use 1519 Fife Sheriff Ct. 147.
Wptak 1525 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 77.
The … bailyeis … to uptak and rasaiff ane haill cowmpt baytht of kyrkis guddis and common guddis and put thaim in sour handis for the common proffet c1549 Reg. Episc. Aberd. II 308.
Vnlawis eschetis and amerciamentis of courtis to lyft, rays, uptak, and inbryng to the propir vse … of the said erle 1552–3 Edinb. B. Rec. II 277.
Thomas Cok … beand in Leith in the townis service uptakand the wyld aventors 1559 St. A. Kirk S. 132.
To assigne the sayd Wiliam to uptak sa mekyll victualis as extendis to the valor of the sayd sowm 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 230.
Thinking that, he being detenit in capitivitie, thaj mycht … vptak his leiving at thair awne plesour 1622 Urie Baron Ct. 45.
To mell … with the milne clap and wptake the multers thairoff 1637 Rec. Old Aberd. I 301.
Vpetak 1666 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 225.
The said John to intromit with and uptake the haill quarters dutie of baptisms [etc.] 1669 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 254.
To wptake for ilk creall full of … fishes brought to the said mercat, four pennies Scotis(b) 1614 Inverness Rec. II 125.
The said James suld vbtack the half of the knaveschipe and the haill bonnack of everie stuff that suld cum thair(c) 1526 Cart. S. Nich. Aberd. I 154.
Quhat tyme it sall happin ws … to intromitt and ouptak the profeit of the said landp.t. 1539 Ex. Processes (Reg. H.) No. x (Scott v. Scott & M^cDowall).
The said vmquhile Walter … vptuke the malis and dewiteis of his blancheferme landis 1571 Inverness Rec. I 202.
Uptuike a1578 Pitsc. I 286/21.
Wpe tuik 1678 Corshill Baron Ct. 146.
Allan Langwill … confest he got the blanquetis and yarne … and vptoke the same in parte of payment of his debtp.p. a1568 Scott i 133.
Teindis ar vptane be testament transgressouris(b) 1610 Rec. Earld. Orkney 185.
Uptaine(c) 1537 Reg. Episc. Aberd. I 413.
All commoditeis and prophetis … salbe … luftyt and ouptane frelie be the commound procuratour of the viccaris of the queir(d) 1510 Aberd. B. Rec. I 81.
This tene pundis to be vptakin be the said Sir Johnne yeirlie, fra the personis and placis that thai assigne to him 1523–4 Aberd. B. Rec. in Mill Mediæv. Plays 122.
To amend in tym cumin vnder al payne contenit in the auld statut to be wptakin but ramission 1564 Thirds of Benefices 177.
Uptackin 1566 Grey Friars II 52.
Uptakkin 1578 Smit Bronnen ii 1162.
Uptaikin(e) 1542 Aberd. B. Rec. I 184.
Ouptakin 1556 Aberd. B. Rec. I 299.
Optakin

7. To comprehend, understand. = Ta(k v.¹ 73 o. a1699 Fraser in Sel. Biog. II 268.
Christ's answers are oftentimes mysterious, & we uptake them not

8. To begin (to dance). = Ta(k v.¹ 73 s. 15.. Christis Kirk 44 (B).
[He] vp tuk moreis dans full lowd At Chrystis kirk

9. To transport, take (something) to another location. = Ta(k v.¹ 73 x. 1617 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 38.
To a boy sent to Paislay with a letter to fetche James Colquhoun to uptak the great cannon