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

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First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Kerve, Kerf, v. P.t. kervit, kerwit, -yt. P.p. kervit, kirvit; kervin. [ME. kerve(n, OE. ceorfan (p.t. cearf, curfon, p.p. corfen). Cf. Carve and Karve.In Eng. the strong forms of the p.t. and p.p. (p.t. kerf, carf, pl. corven, p.p. i)corve(n, carven) were not superseded by the weak inflexions (kerved, carved) until the 15th or 16th c.]

1. tr. To cut; also, to cut into or through, cleave by cutting. ?1438 Alex. ii. 10230.
Smertly ilkane vther seruit With strakes that thare armour keruit c1475 Wall. vi. 751; Ib. viii. 266.
Robert Boid … a sad straik on him set Awkwart the crag, and kerwyt the pissane c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxxiii. 21 (Asl.).
Wane organis he full clenly kervit Id. xiii. 39 (M).
Sum kervis [B. cuttis] throittis and sum cuttis [B. pykis] pursis

b. With extensions: To cut in twa, in sondir, away. ?1438 Alex. i. 1561.
Ane riche duke … He keruit with his sword in tua c1475 Wall. v. 836.
Hardy and hat contenyt the fell melle … Sum kerwyt bran in sondyr, sum the hals a1500 Quare Jel. 399.
Away the sclanderouse member for to kerve Quhich dampnith you eternaly to sterve

2. tr. To cut up (one's food). b. intr. To act as carver at table; to cut up and serve meat at table before or to a person. 1456 Hay I. 231/12.
[I never] bare … suerd na knyf bot it war to kerue [ed. kerne] my mete witheb. 1456 Hay II. 16/22.
War he never sa grete a lordis sone … he war the better that in ȝouthede sum lord that he servit, to kerve before him, to serve in chaumer [etc.] c1500-c1512 Dunb. Twa Mar. W. 484.
Sum kerffis to me curtasli, sum me the cop giffis a1586 Lindsay MS. 64.
To kerf at the table

3. tr. To engrave or sculpture; to form or to depict by, or as by, engraving or carving. Also fig.(a) 1513 Doug. vi. xv. 3.
Mar sle … To forge and kerf lyflyke staturis of bras(b) c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxxxvii. 18.
Of thi fair fegour natur micht reioiys, That so thé kervit withe all hir curiys slicht 1513 Doug. vii. iii (iv). 63 (R).
Of forfaderis grete ymagis … Of auld cidir keruit wyth crafty hand c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus II. 699.
[Their] reillis all war maid of euir bane, … On the first reill was keruit claritude, And on the nixt was kiruit for certane, With letteris fine blithnes ay to remanefig. a1568 Bann. MS. 86 b/94.
The day of … iugement Quhair everye mannis werkis and intent Sall cleirlie kervit be befoir his e(c) 1513 Doug. x. iii. 90.
Eneas barge … , in hir stevyn kervin full weil … The lyonys that the Phrygyane armys bene