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

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Uptaking, vbl. n. Also: uptakinge, -yng, -takin(e, -tacking, -ta(i)ckinge, wptakin, -tacking, wuptakyng. [ME and e.m.E. huptaking (1241-51) the source of a stream, vptakinge (a1300), uptakyng (1447) sustenance, support; Upta(k v. Also in the later dial.]

1. The action of collecting or levying (payments in money or kind). Also, the right to do this. = Taking vbl. n. 30 a.(a) 1471 Hist. Fam. Seton 751.
For the wrangwis vptakin and withhaldin of a yeiris male of the landis of Kilmondes 1484 Acts Lords Auditors *139/2.
For the wrangwis vptakin of the movteris & proffitis of the said mylne 1495 Acts Lords of Council I 405/2.
To preiff … quhat maner of possessioun thai haid of the vptaking of the saidis malez & be quhat tyme 1496 Acts Lords of Council II 37.
Schir Thomas denyit the uptaking of the saidis … xvj dussane of cane foulis, and heriȝeld forsaide 1512 Reg. Privy S. I 374.
That ȝe ceis fra all intrometting and uptaking of the saidis thre lastis of salmond 1531 Renfrew Arch. Coll. I 152.
Wptakin 1543 Blackfriars Perth 198.
That thai may be sure of the uptakin of the next Mertynmes maill thairof 1560 Edinb. Old Acc. II 116.
Uptakine 1564–5 Perth B. Ct. 229 (30 Jan.).
To preif hir in reall and actuall possessioun of the vptaking of tua merkis annuall 1558-66 Knox I 378.
Nane … shall maik thame any impediment in the peaciable bruiking, joising, and uptaking of thair rentis, proffittis, and deweties of thair benefices 1575 Glasgow Chart. I ii 166.
The … prouest, baillies [etc.] … haif bene in possessioun of vptaking of ane ladill full of all … victuale of ilk sek cumand to the mercat … past memour of man 1581–2 Perth B. Ct. 20 March.
My predicessouris and I haue bene in possessioun of vptaking of the said rent past memour of man 1594 (c1650) Dundee B. Laws 45.
For the third fault be vptaking of ane penaltie of xl s. of the person that may pay the sam 1649 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 106.
Warrand for uptaking of certain hattes, cloth, and wther furnitour for certain Irish officiaris(b) 1610 Inverness Rec. II 77.
For vptackinge of the townis mailles … conform to the rentaill … quhilk he sall vse diligence in seickinge and vptaickinge of the samen

2. The action of leading (psalm-singing); precenting. = Taking vbl. n. 30 b. 1579 Edinb. B. Rec. IV 126.
His yeirlie stepend for vptaking of the psalmes in the kirk 1597 Aberd. B. Rec. II 157.
Maister Willeam Skene … sall serve bayth the kirkis in uptacking of the psalme 1598–9 Misc. Spald. C. V 125.
Gevin to Patrik Watter for the uptacking of the psalme in the new kirk … 3 lib. 6 s. 8 d. 1620 Misc. Maitl. C. I 458.
To give David Murray musitionar, for uptaking of the psalme in the kirk and teaching of ane mwsick schooll … xx merk yeirlie during his service

3. The action of lifting or picking up, uprooting, removing (something) in order to transport or relocate it. Cf. Taking vbl. n. 30 c. b. The harvesting or gathering in of crops. 1495 Acts Lords of Council I 394/2.
The wrangwis brekin of the merchis of thare commoune landis … & vptaking of ther merchis & stanis 1502–3 Treasurer's Accounts II 356.
For uptaking of certane treis … and carying of thaim to Strivelin 1513 Doug. ix vi 116.
For vptakyng [Ruddim. vptaking] quhar it lay, Mony brycht armour richly dyght thai left 1576 Orkney Oppress. 69.
The allegeit uptaking of ane pece see-drewin tre 1617 Master of Works Accounts (ed.) II 76.
For uptaking a hairt staneb. c1460 Wisdom of Solomon (STS) 169.
Al thing has a tyme in this warld … tyme of seting and of sawinge, tyme of scheringe and of gaderinge, tym of vptakinge [etc.] 1563 Kinnaird Farm Bk. 20b.
Slain of lamis befoir the uptaking—iij

4. The action of taking possession of or occupying (property). 1493 Douglas Chart. 143.
The said Johne dois wrang in the intromettyng, wuptakyng, and withthaldyng of the saidis half of the forsaidis landis, with the pertinentis 1521 Cart. S. Nich. Aberd. II 355.
To pay sex s. viij d. to Sanct Eloy leicht quhen the laif of the craft pays thar dewyteis for the vptakin of his bouth 1608 Glasg. Univ. Mun. III 520.
Ane gud fyre in the said hall … fra the entrie of the hous uptaking untill Fastreinsevin

5. The action of raising (something) to a higher position, or transporting it from a lower to a higher location. b. Lifting (of cloth) to form a pleat. c. fig. Raising up, exalting (of a person). 1578 Edinb. B. Rec. IV 73.
Ane gyft of the office of sumlare and vptaking of wynis to his Hienes hous 1698 Foulis Acc. Bk. 225.
To Robie for dounseting and uptaking his cockb. 1503 Treasurer's Accounts II 203 (see Plait n.).
For ane elne lynnyne to the platis uptaking of the crammesy cotec. 1613 Forbes Comm. Rev. 103.
The exalting of the childe, is the deiecting of the dragon from heauen: and the deiection of the dragon, is the vptaking of the childe 1636 Rutherford Lett. (1894) 130.
I long to be fully assured … that your soul prospereth … when Christ hath you for the very uptaking

6. The action of resolving or settling (a dispute); resolution, settlement. 1592 Lothian and Tweeddale Synod 39.
To travell for the uptaking of the deidlie feid with the laird of Traquair and Dikesounes c1610 Melville Mem. 406.
Supponyng that the Erle of Huntly … wald not refuse nor think schame to obey his prince be a present vptaking

7. The action of recruiting (soldiers). 1569–70 Waus Corr. 69.
The lordis … kest ane stent amangis thame for uptakin of men of weir a1578 Pitsc. II 243/1.
The laird … to Dundie … for vptaking of men of weir 1640 Aberd. B. Rec. III 238.
The tyme of the wptacking of the tounes companye

8. The action of comprehending or understanding, or an instance of this. = Taking vbl. n. 30 e. 1637 Rutherford Lett. (1894) 532.
The smell of Christ's wine and apples (which surpass the uptaking of dull sense) bloweth upon my soul 1651 Dickson Matthew To the Reader 2.
That the deduction of the doctrines from the text may be more obvious to the readers up-taking 1653 Binning Wks. (1841) 553.
The right apprehension of the gospel … the right uptaking of the light which shines in a dark place a1658 Durham Commandments (1675) 28.
Natural ignorance … incapacitateth them to learn … as to the spiritual and saving up-taking of the matters of God a1680 Blair Autob. 32.
I was thereby much satisfied and confirmed by his uptaking of the nature and notion of faith 1668-9 Fraser Lawfulness Separ. 213.
It is to be feared we have not right uptakings of conformists and their way 1674 Aberd. Council Lett. V 375.
I did … declare myselfe inclinable to embrace your call wherin to my best uptaking I saw more of God than man 1685-8 Renwick Serm. 87.
Teach you to know how hateful a thing sin is, by giving you a right uptaking of it a1699 Fraser in Select Biographies II 249.
The unkindly uptakings and conceivings of the Lord in Christ as a strange God

9. The action of causing (a legal indictment) to be heard or tried. 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. ii 14 heading.
Vptaking of dittay and pvnissing of malefactours