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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.

Red, Redd, n. [Only Sc. and north. Eng. dial., f. Red v.² See also Rede n.⁵]

1. To mak (ane) red. a. To make a clearance, to clear up (a disordered or untidy place). c1475 Wall. viii 1076.
Befor the ȝett quhar it was brynt on breid A red thai maid 1529–30 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 21.
To … verkmen … makand red in the quarel Salisberry Ib. 22, et passim.
To v werkmen … makand red and puttand doun vall stanis and fre tailye for the hurlis

b.
To set in order (financial or other business affairs). Const. of (the matter in hand). 1503 Sc. Hist. Rev. XL 97.
[They were charged to] enter the said comptis and mak finaly red and payment of the sammyn a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. 26/79.
I trow that sic sall mak ane red Of all thair pakis this ȝeir

2. Waste material; debris, freq. small rubble. Also pl.(1) 1527–8 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I 233.
Till caus the waist land of the townis … to be fillit vp with red 1530 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 32.
To vi verkmen … puttand stanis and red fra thame 1545 Edinb. Guild Ct. 28 April.
Ordanis the said James to remove the stanis & red liand to the said Henreis land 1547 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. II 127.
All maner of persouns … that hes ony cairnis of staynis, fawlds or vther red on the hie gaitt 1553–4 Ib. 286.
For beirreing of red fra the well 1556–7 Edinb. Old Acc. I 223. 1560 (c1650) Dundee B. Laws 20.
That na ballast nor redd be casten furth of any ship … nor yet na ballast nor redd tan of the shoar without live of the pier masters 1574–5 Haddington Treas. Acc. 20.
For outhaiffin of the red and clenging of the wennall 1579 Edinb. B. Rec. IV 122.
Siclike that hes … tar barrellis … as alsua ony red, stanys or tymmer on the said Hie Streitt 1586–7 Misc. Spald. C. V 56.
Ane gryt mydding of red forgane the Gray freiris 1589 Edinb. B. Rec. V 3.
Tarbarrells, red and other fylth 1590 Crail B. Ct. MS 6 Oct.
Sindry nichtbouris … quha hes had ony biging … hes sufferit the red and grummell to ly vpon the hie gaet befoir thair dureis 1612 Glasgow B. Rec. I 334.
All … quha hes ony stanis lyand … about the Wynheid, or red thairof, … that thay transport the red 1625 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 180.
For leading of … [526] laid of red fra the quhin quarrell 1629 Ib. 247.
For leiding of grose red to the blokhouswall 1648 Glasgow B. Rec. II 129. 1649–50 Aberd. Shore Wk. Acc. 329.
For 280 load off red and brocken sklaitts fra the said Coledge church yeard to fill up the shoir and hoills therof 1652 Glasgow B. Rec. II 236.
To caus everie heretour pay … for removeing away of his awne red and rubisch 1671 Sheriffhall Coal Accompt 9 Dec. 1676 Glasgow Chart. II 186.
John Clarke … to cast and transport alse much of the grownd and redd … as will levell and fill wp the … said dyck 1682 Edinb. City Archives Moses Bundle 254 No. 7738.
For redd and sand ledd and furnished be him to the calsay layer 1684 Jervise Memor. Angus & Mearns II 299.
For … outcarrieing the red or small stons out of the laigh tolbuith 1690 Auldhamstocks Sermon 6.
When an old ruinous house is about to be repaired, the first piece of work is to remove the heaps of redd and rubbish 1693 Foulis Acc. Bk. 158.
To the men that tooke red out of the laigh houses 1701 Edinb. Cleansing 19 Dec.
That no heaps of redd or stones be laid down on the streets(2) c1575 Balfour Pract. 588.
Ony that layis ony red of housis, or cairnis of stanis, or ȝit lime or sand, vpon the king's gait 1576 Treas. Acc. XIII 124.
The wageis of … warkmen in casting of the red of the castell of Edinburgh 1580 Edinb. B. Rec. IV 174.
The calsay … is fillit vp with the red of euery manis bigging 1603 Paisley B. Rec. 254. 1653 Edinb. B. Rec. VIII 316.
The redd of the weyhous 1667 Ib. X 37.
The red and earth of my Lord Rutherfoords house — 1610–11 Ayr Common Good Acc.
To Laurence Porter to skaill the townis red vpoun the hillis 1680 Fawside Coal Compt 56.
For beireing the synke red 1682 Elgin Rec. II 312.(3) 1518 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I 177.
pl. All maner reddis myddings or vther filth 1531 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 65.
Fre tailye for the roundis tymmer wallis and chymnay reddis baitht wynnyng and doun puttingb.
To mak (the) red, to gather together small rubble, etc. Cf. 1 above. — 1532 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. II 58.
The gude toun till furnis sand and carye the stanys to the calsay, and to mak the red and carye the samyn away 1578 Edinb. D. Guild Acc. 72.

3. The action of clearing, in various senses of Red v.²a.
The clearing of a piece of ground of growth, or of a place of debris. Cf. Red v.² 2. — 1507 Edinb. B. Ct. Bk. 40.
The cais of the red of the land and quhais falt it standis onto 1515–16 Rentale Dunkeld. 301.
[The common workmen in the quarry by reason of] lie red … [£18 8 s. 7 d.]b.
The paying off of a person's debts or expenses. Cf. Red v.² 10 b. Const. of the amount due, or of the debtor. — 1488 Treas. Acc. I 106.
For the red of the hynder ende of ȝong Kere Gardis costis 1508 Ib. IV 125.
To Johne Bertoun to the red of the thesaurar away with the Archdene of Sanctandroisc.
The action of paying for things bought, services, etc. Cf. Red v.² 10 d. — 1511–12 Treas. Acc. IV 274.
For expens maid one the red of the leid, ile, focall [etc.]d.
The carrying through of a piece of business, e.g., a financial transaction. Cf. Red v.² 9 b. — 1496 Treas. Acc. I 303.
For ij mennis cost in Edinburgh that remanit thare apone the red of that siluer and to get it out of the Franchmennis handis

4. a. Fitting out, or furnishing, a ship or those travelling in it, for a voyage. See also Rede n.⁵ b. Cf. Outred v.¹ 7. b. Bringing to completion (a job of work or artefact). Cf. Outred v.¹ 6.a. 1496 Treas. Acc. I 303.
Giffin to Rolland Robysone for the red of the Inglismen to the seeb. a1500 Old Dundee II 10.
To the red of the rufe of the new ile 1502–3 Treas. Acc. II 271.
To Johne Lokhert for the red of the [for ȝet of Strivelin] 1504 Ib. 278.
To Andro Chamir for the red of the place