| 释义 |
spreath, n. Sc. Now only arch.|spriθ|
Forms: 5–6 spreith, 5 spreithe (6 spreicht), 6 spreth, 7, 9 spraith, 7– spreath.
[ad. Gael. spréidh cattle. Cf. inspreith and spreagh.]
†1. Booty, plunder, spoil. Obs.
c1425Wyntoun Cron. viii. 6467 (Cott. MS.), Son eftyr þai Donwart in þe towne helde þar way, And tuk þar spreithe and presowneris. Ibid. 6473 Off þat sprethe mony richit war þar. 1513Douglas æneid ii. vii. 27 Our othir feris rubbis, tursing away, fute hait, The spreith of Troy. Ibid. xii. 6 Wardanes tway, For to observe and keip the spreith or pray.
†b. spec. Cattle taken as spoil. Obs.—1
1513Douglas æneid i. viii. 62 We com nocht hidder..To spuilȝe temples or riches of Libia, Nor by the coist na spreicht to drive awa.
2. A herd of cattle carried or driven off in a raiding expedition.
1665J. Fraser Polichron. (S.H.S.) 85 He wasted and spulied the whole country, carrying away a vast spreath of their strongest cattle. 1794Statist. Acc. Scot. XIII. 149 A party of the Camerons had come down to carry a spreath of cattle, as it was called, from Moray. 1874A. Hislop Sc. Anecd. 273 Taking ‘spreaths’ or herds of cattle from their hereditary enemies.
3. A cattle-raid.
1773Mrs. Radcliffe Lett. fr. Mount. (1813) I. 110 Those plunderers,..who used to consider making a spreath as a gallant exploit; now, a spreath was carrying away forcibly a herd of cattle, and fighting their way through all opposition. 1836Tait's Mag. III. 426 It was..the scene of continual spreaths, liftings, reavings, and herriments.
So † spreath v. intr., to pillage or plunder. Obs.
c1425Wyntoun Cron. viii. 6279 Scottismen wes all þat nycht sprethand, And maid all þairis þat euer þai fand. |