An Etymological Dictionary of the Scottish Language Part 3

Fr. _en abandon_, _a l'abandon_, id. from _a_, _ban_, and _donner_, to give up to interdiction.

_To_ ABANDON, _v. a._

1. To bring under absolute subjection.

_Barbour._

2. To let loose, to give permission to act at pleasure.

_Wallace._

3. To destroy, to cut off.

_Wallace._

Fr. _abandonn-er_, id.

ABANDONLY, _adv._ At random, without regard to danger.

_Wallace._

ABASIT, _part. pa._ Confounded, abashed.

_Douglas._

ABATE, _s._ Accident; something that surprises one, as being unexpected.

_King's Quair._

Fr. _abatt-re_, to daunt, to overthrow; or _abet-ir_, stupidum, _hebet_-em, reddere.

_To_ ABAW.

V. ~Abay~.

ABBEIT, _s._ Dress, apparel, O. E. _abite_.

_Bannatyne Poems._

Arm. _abyt_, _abyta_, Lat. _habit-us_, Fr. _habit_, id.

ABBACY, ABBASY, _s._ An abbey.

L. B. _abatia_, id.

_Acts. Ja. III._

ABBOT OF UNREASON, a sort of histrionic character, anciently exhibited in Scotland, but afterwards forbidden by Act of Parliament.

_Acts Marie._

This was one of the Christmas sports; and, as the ancient _Saturnalia_ levelled all distinction of ranks, the design of this amus.e.m.e.nt was to ridicule the solemnity of the proceedings of an Abbot, or other dignified clergyman. It is the same with the _Abbot of Misrule_, and distinguished in name only from the _Boy-Bishop_, characters formerly well known both in England and in France. The princ.i.p.al personage was denominated the _Abbot of Unreason_, because his actings were inconsistent with _reason_, and merely meant to excite mirth.

ABEE. _To let abee._ To let alone, to bear with, not to meddle with, S.

_To let be_, E.

_Ritson._

ABEECH, ABIEGH, _adv._ Aloof, "at a shy distance," chiefly used in the west of S.

_Stand abeigh_, keep aloof.

_Burns._

Fr. _aboy_, O. Fr. _abai_, _abay_, _abbais_; E. _at bay_, O. E.

_abay_.

ABERAND, _part. pr._ Going astray.

Lat. _aberrans_, E. _aberring_.

_b.e.l.l.e.n.den._

_To_ ABHOR, _v. a._ To fill with horror.

_Lyndsay._

_To_ ABY, _v. a._ To suffer for.

O. E. _abeye_, _abie_. A. S. _byg-an_, to buy.

_Henrysone._

ABIL, _adj._ Able.