A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1983 (DOST Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1399-1400, 1460, 1520-1641
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Oratio(u)n(e, n. Also: orac(i)on(e, orasione. [e.m.E. oracion (Caxton), oration, L. ōrātio (also MF. oration beside OF. oreison Oraiso(u)n n. and OF. orison Oriso(u)n n.).]More or less coinciding in use with Oraiso(u)n n. and Oriso(u)n n.
1. The act of praying, prayer; also, an instance of this, a prayer.(1) a1400 Legends of the Saints Prol. 17.
Thai suld dresse thare deuocione In prayere & in oracione a1400 Ib. xxviii. 407.
Than rase scho fra hyr oracion a1400 Ib. xxxvi. 840.
He mekly knelit done Makand to God his oracione a1400 Ib. xviii. 129, 292, xxvii. 102; etc. a1568 Bannatyne MS 31 b/12.
Syne sone allone till oratioun I went 1561 Q. Kennedy Compendious Ressonyng (ed.) 156/39.
Of the sacrifice of oratioun, prayer and almous deid 1561 Ib. 178/7.
To elevate oure hartis … in tyme of oratioun and prayer 1578 Reg. Privy S. VII. 250/2.
Service of devote oratioun and prayer for his hienes … weilfair … of the saidis twa benefices(2) c1460 Alex. (Taym.) 1230.
To thair goddis orationis thai pray … To send thame the flour of victorie 1561 Q. Kennedy Compendious Ressonyng (ed.) 155/4.
For thais of the new learnyng has inventit certane oratiouns and ceremoniis to decoir thair commwnioune 1561 Ib. 175/6. 1561 Id. Oratioune (title).
2. a. A formal or set speech or discourse in more or less elevated or dignified language. b. A set-piece discourse or exposition by way of moral or explanatory comment on some fact, historical event or events, or the like.a. 1560 Cal. Sc. P. I. 479.
Ane oracion [made to the Pope in name of the King and Queen] 1570-3 Bann. Trans. 380.
They sought … to lay the blame of his death vpon thame, whilk this young man did … in open scholes in his orasione a1578 Pitsc. I. 308 h. of ch.
Maister Patrik's oratioun 1603 Philotus lv.
Heir followis the oratioun of the ȝonker Flavius to the madyn 1638 Rec. Kirk Scotl. 44.
Mr. David Dixon & Mr. Robert Baily were ordayned to make an oracon the next day to refute those Armynian points 1641 Baillie I. 347.
In the end … he made such ane pathetick oratioun [etc.] … as ever comedian did upon a stageb. c1520-c1535 Nisbet I. 3.
The gospell may be callit a schort or lang oratioun of Christ a1578 Pitsc. I. 326 h. of ch. a1578 Ib. 390 h. of ch.
The oratioun anent the samyn
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"Oration n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 12 Jul 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/oratioune>
