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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.

Uplift, -lyft, v. Also: wplift, ouplyft. P.t. also upleiftit. P.p. also uplifte(i)t, -leftyt, -leiftit, uplift, -lyft, wplift. [ME and e.m.E. vplift (Rolle), vplyfte (c1440), p.t. vplift (Manning), uplefte (Gower), vplifted (Spenser); Lift v.] tr.

1. To lift up, raise (a person or thing) to a higher level or position. b. To raise (a person) up to heaven. c. To raise (a musical note) to a higher pitch. d. To (cause to) increase in quantity.pres. 1513 Doug. xiii ii 41.
Eneas Hys handis twa … Towart the hevyn gan vplift [Ruddim. vplyft] and araysp.p. a1450 Fifteen Ois 74.
Think on that langour & that cair … Quhen Thou on croce vpliftit wes 1456 Hay II 138/13.
The fresche water is upliftit … and descendis agayn in rayn, snaw, haile [etc.] 15.. Clar. v 1526.
Meliades raise off hir mightie seate, Upliftit freschlie with two earlis great 1560 Rolland Seven S. 451.
The ruif tre … was quyte declynit doun … And sine again … It was vpliftit ane hundreth thousand greis(b) 1513 Doug. i vi 181.
Hyr self vplyft [Sm. wplift] to Paphum passyt swithb. c1400 Troy-bk. ii 2815.
Scho … Frome thar sicht wanyst … For quhiche sum sayis … sche but weyne Was wplifted as on goddes a1500 Colk. Sow ii 218.
This pure Adria wes … faderles leuit and eik modirles In strenge lond and ȝit the Holy Gost Vpliftit hir … to wirschep most c1515 Asl. MS I 319/7.
Than was Eleas wpliftit to Paradys body & saull preseruit to attest our faith c1590 Fowler I 132/170.
The iust whom God hes tane to grace Salbe vpliftit to the heavinis and thair beholde His facec. c1550-c1580 Art of Music 34b.
All the noittis of the canticle quhilkis be natur of arsis ar vpleiftit, & contra be thesis ar depressit, be arsis to the height ar upliftitd. a1500 Colk. Sow iii 34.
How suld a penny fruct contrar nature … Quhill that the vre is in … nature And nocht fynit nor forgit … So long … the erth mynisteris it nvtrimentis To incressing, as herbis … Frome thair … stok cuttit … may nocht … be natur so abscidit Do fructifie … So the mettell abscidit be the man Nocht fructefeis of nature bot quhat than Manly … wit … Fyndis menis the money to vplift And multeply … Than evir it did in erd

2. To elevate, promote (a person, institution, etc.) in (into) rank, honour, etc. ?1438 Alex. ii 9586.
His preue counsalers … now … fle als wele as we That he vplyfted throw maieste 1456 Hay I 33/4.
[When the Church was] up liftit in grete power and grete dominatioun our all the Cristyndome c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus iii 656.
I reid of ane did vs far mair decoir Our life wplift throw feruour and luifrentis 1560 Rolland Seven S. 928.
Ane sober simpill man … asweill he can Giue gude counsall, as thay of greiter gre Quhilkis ar vplyftit into authoritie

3. To levy, exact (payments, taxes, etc.); to collect, take as one's entitlement (money or things). Also const. upon (the person paying). Also absol.pres. 1484 Buccleuch Mun. 82.
David Scot … and Robert Scot his sone … balȝeis of all … our landis … transgressoris to punys, amerciamentis to vplyft and rais [etc.] 1508 Reg. Privy S. I 256/2.
The males [etc.] … to rais, uplift and inbring 1555 Edinb. B. Rec. II 218.
To pay to him … xx merkis, quarterlie v merkis, and incais he mak nocht seruice as said is he nocht to vplift his said pensioun c1560 Crosraguel Chart. I 154.
To uptak resave gadder leid and uplift … the males [etc.] a1568 Scott i 147.
So lairdis vpliftis mennis leifing ouir thy rewme 1589 Conv. Burghs I 300.
Thatt … the magistratis [of Irvine] … vplift of euery laid on horsbak cuming lang thair said brig four pennies, and of euery mannis burding … twa penneis 1608 Yester Wr. 288.
To uplift the teind sheaves of the lands and rooms of Skedisbus 1627 Rep. Parishes 16.
He vpliftes the rest of the vicarage … by ane inueteratt possession and payes no thing for it 1671 Cullen Kirk S. 28 May.
Geo: Lorimer & his motherless children … to uplift from John Abercrombie present possessor of John Lawties mortified croft half a years dutie of the samen 1683 Martine Reliq. Divi Andreae 110.
Wrack: signifies a priviledge competent to him who is infeft in wrack, to intromitt with, and uplift ship-broken goods 1694 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 316.
The collectors … to collect and uplift the charity at the church doors … on Sundays and week dyets(b) 1542 Aberd. B. Rec. I 183.
We … charge the prowest and ballies … to rayse, ouplyft, and inbryng thair partt of the said taxtabsol. 1690 Glasgow B. Rec. III 460.
The persones following … to uplift and receave the money that the seats of the kirks … shall be set for … Gavine Wood … to uplift for the seats in the High Church [etc.]p.t. 1589–90 Prot. Bk. J. Inglis 6 Jan.
xxxii merkis & half merk … quhilkis the said Dauid Forsyth vpleiftit of his portione naturall 1683 Martine Reliq. Divi Andreae 172.
The Lermonths of Dairsy as stewarts to the archbishop, uplifted the bloods of the inhabitants of the priorie 16… Anal. Scot. II 163.
The doctors wife had possessed a localitie of the bygone rents and before arriestment also uplifted part of themp.p. (1) 1547 Liber Coll. Glasg. 138.
Reservand foure schillingis of annual rent to be wpliftit and tane of the said barne 1566 Leslie Fam. Hist. (1869) II 222.
Uplifteit 1580 Edinb. B. Rec. IV 181.
The denes of gild … to se that the saidis vnlawes be vpliftet 1589 St. A. Baxter Bks. 45.
Vplyftit 1617 Aberd. B. Rec. II 354.
Vnder the paines following, to be vplifted of the contravenar so oft as they be … convict for thair absence 1678 Edinb. B. Rec. X 334.
There is great deficiencie upon the acompt of the annuitie awand be the College of Justice which the collector cannot gett uplifted(b) 1400 Yester Wr. 41.
I obliste me, my ayris [etc.] … in fourty pvnd of sterlingis to be vpleftyt at the wil of any man … that happynys to dvele within the said land(c) 1583 Perth B. Ct. 30 April.
Ane ȝerlie annuell rent … to be vplift of sufficient landis(2) a1578 Pitsc. II 241/12.
Ane taxt extending to xij thowsand pound to be vpliftit vpone the thrie estaitis 1594 Conv. Burghs I 436.
The penalties … to be vpliftet with rigour vpoun the brekkares thairof

b. To conscript, raise (fighting men). 1552 Reg. Privy C. I 129.
That ane certane number of fitmen be resit and upliftit of this realme 1594 Edinb. B. Rec. V 116.
[The council] fynds it maist expedient … that thair be upliftet ane gaird … of twenty foure feyet men and twa commanders, weill airmet [etc.] 1640 Aberd. Council Lett. II 216.
Sine I have resolved to uplift my regiment within your shyre presentlie 1640 Aberd. B. Rec. III 233.
To wplift a regiment of men within the schirrefdome of Aberdeine 1644 Justiciary CasesIII 623.
Those souldiouris leveit or to be upliftit and leveit, thair fleting and running away frome thair companeis and cullouris

c. To collect, fetch, pick up (something). 1557–8 Treas. Acc. X 334.
Passand of Edinburgh to the castell of Hume witht the kee of the munitioun hous … to uplift the artailȝearie