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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.

Part-, Pairting, vbl. n. Also: partt-, pert- and -in, -yng, -inge; -eng; -yn, -ene. [ME. (a 1300) and e.m.E. partyng.] The action of Part v., in various senses.

1. Dividing or sharing out; partition; distribution (cf. Part v. 1–3).(1) a1400 Leg. S. xxxvi. 893.
As thai mad thame to the partinge [of a relic, etc.] c1575 Balfour Pract. 640.
And gif it beis mair it sall remane to bute and parting(b) 1473 Reg. Cupar A. I. 173.
The sade toun salbe pairtyt in twa … with lele pairtyn be cut and quavyl 1583 Edinb. Test. XIII. 32 b.
Ane buke of ann anatome that is to say ane pairtene in the peces of the mes(2) c1420 Wynt. iv. 1053.
Swa throuch the partyng off that pray [etc.] 1549 Acts Sederunt I. 52.
Anent the parttyng and deliueryng of the said contributioune to the saidis lordis 1562 Charter (Reg. H.) Suppl. 11 Apr.
For deuiding and pairting of the saidis landis betuix the saidis portionaris 1601 Rec. Earld. Orkney 174.
Concerning the parting of … landis [etc.]

b. Doling out (of blows). — ?1438 Alex. ii. 5890.
Throw the parting of routis ryde … can I thame knaw

2. Departing or going away; departure; withdrawal (cf. Part v. 9).(1) c 1360 Facs. Nat. MSS. II. xix.
Recessus (gl. Of thair parting) ?1438 Alex. ii. 4310.
The archeris … wald be … last at parting Ib. 10561. 14.. Acts I. 344/2.
Ande at the said day at the partyng of jlk air the justice sall [etc.] a1500 Rauf C. 86.
Pryse at the parting how that thow dois 1497 Halyb. 123.
Efter his partyn for his chamer hir a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 1323.
That parting of ded 15.. Clar. v. 2231.
As … Lucifer in pairting of the night 1589 Cal. Sc. P. X. 120.
I mervell I have hard no thing from you since your perting(2) 1490 Irland Mir. II. 53/7.
Euirilk man … eftir thar deid and partyn furth of the waurld [etc.] 1596 James VI Facs. Nat. MSS. III. lxxiii.
Sen youre pairting from me 1641-8 Skipper's Acc. (Smettone) 10.
For the expences vpone the shep frae owr arywill ther tell or pertin therfrae

3. Separating, one from another; separation; parting (cf. Part v. 5).Parting of gatis, a road junction or crossroads.(1) a1400 Leg. S. xxvii. 733.
[They] kyssyt oft at [ed. that] thare partyng 1456 Hay I. 268/8.
The prince … suld discretly juge at the parting quha has the victory 1535 Stewart 59898.
Vestimentis … At thair pairting to this ȝoung prince he gaif(2) 1533 Boece ix. iii. 291 b.
In stretis and parting of gatis quhare pepill resortit … the lawis of the ewangell war preichit

4. Putting (combatants) asunder (cf. Part v. 5). 1572 Buch. Detect. (1727) 19.
Bot quhil thay wer baith laying thair handis on thair wappinnis, the quene … callit [them] … to the parting

5. A formal separation, or divorce, from one's spouse (cf. Part v. 5 c and d, 8 b, etc.). 1596 Dalr. II. 205/34 (see Divortioun n.).
Anent the controuersie of diuorsioun and pairteng betuene him and her Ib.
Quhilk parteng being afor bot in priuat speiking betuene thame selfes ma now appinlie be hard [etc.] Ib. 225/27.
King Henrie … makeng a maner of parteng with his wyfe … mariet Anna Bollenie

6. Parting with, giving birth to (a child) prematurely, aborting (cf. Part v. 10 c). 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 91.
[The Queen] was in … perrell in pairting with hir child, quhairwith sho was verry greit