A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1990 (DOST Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1499-1500, 1584-1629
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Recipe, -cepe, v. imper. and n. Also: -cipie, -cepie. [Late ME and e.m.E. recipe (c1400), L. recipe take (2nd pers. sing. imper. of recipere), used by physicians to introduce prescriptions, F. récipé (15th c.). Also in contracted form as Rx.]
A. v. imper. = ‘Take’, as a heading for a prescription. a1500 Henr. Practysis 40.
Recipe thre ruggis of the reid ruke a1500 Ib. 68.
Recipe thre sponfull of the blak spyce
B. noun. a. A medical prescription; the remedy or cure prescribed. Also transf. a1585 Polwart Flyt. 249 (T).
Sum recepeis dois ȝit remane To haill bruik, byle and blister 1629 Justiciary Cases I 138.
For recepe of the eie callit the styen they ordane thame commonlie to mak urine [etc.]transf. a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 839 (L).
He knawis the ground of all thy greif, And recepie [Wr. recipies] for thy releife
b. Letteris of recipe, ? letters of introduction, direction or the like given to an ambassador extraordinary. 1588 Rec. Convention of Royal Burghs I 284.
[He] hes done his exactt diligence thairintill conforme to the tennour of the said ambassadouris letteris of recipe and missive. … Followis the said Lord Embassadouris letteris of recipe etc.
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"Recipe v. imper., n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 14 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/recipe>
