Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Bare, Bair, a. Also: bar, barre; baire, bayr; baer, bear(e, ber. [ME. bare (bar, baar), OE. bær.]

1. Unclothed, naked; uncovered.1375 Barb. vi. 407 (his hede wes bair). a1400 Leg. S. xxxi. 460 (with fet bare). c1420 Wynt. i. 450 (bak and buttoke bath wes bare); vii. 2201 (hys visage wes all bare). c1475 Wall. iii. 91 (his face was euir bare). a1500 Seven S. 1121 (furth he past nakit & baire). c1500-c1512 Dunb. xiii. 20 (sum schawis bair heidis). 1513 Doug. iv. ix. 91 (hir ta fute bayr); x. x. 120 (vphevand his bayr handis). 1531 Bell. Boece II. 112 (quhare his face was bair). c1552 Lynd. Mon. 1599 (Noye sleipit with his membris bair). a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xvii. 53 (most from the belt up scho wes bair). 1611-57 Mure Dido iii. 110 (with one foot bair). 1657 Balfour Ann. IV. 399 (beare and vncouered). 1643 Fife Synod 136 (with bear head and feet).

b. Not covered (up); exposed, open.c1450-2 Howlat 17 (birdis on blossomes bair). a1500 Rauf C. 798 (he baid be the bair way). 1513 Doug. ii. ix. 11 (vnder the hevyn al bayr). c1590 J. Stewart 27/432 (he meed his passage bair).

2. Of weapons: Unsheathed.1375 Barb. x. 242 (thai com with swerdis bar). a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 1123 (thair brandis burly and bair). 1490 Acta Conc. 153/2 (witht ber swerdis in thair handis). 1513 Doug. iii. iv. 56 (al bair ful prevaly thar swerdis in thai stair).

3. Destitute of natural covering or accessories.1375 Barb. v. 317 (a mantill ald and bair). a1500 Bernardus 92 (tin arche sal be oft bare wythin). a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 468 (maid bewis full bair). c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 278 (rude is thy wede, bare, and rent); c1500-c1512 Flyt. 165 (thy cheik bane bair). 1513 Doug. i. iv. 91 (hys feris maid the bowkis bair); vii. Prol. 57 (bank, bra, and boddum blanchit wolx and bar). 1535 Stewart 25912 (he grew als bair add lene as ony treis). Id. Maitl. F. cxxxv. 12 (with emptie purs and gown full bair). a1598 Ferg. Prov. 8 (hair and hair makes the cairles head baire).

4. Of places: Waste, desolate.1375 Barb. xiii. 501 (the feld wes dispulȝeit and left all bair). c1400 Troy-bk. i. 360 (out oure the fludys bare). a1500 Rauf C. 902 (mak ȝow biggingis full bair). 1537 Glasgow Prot. IV. 116 (baer wawis allanerlye). 1570 Sat. P. xxv. 118 (thair buithis salbe maid bair). a1570-86 Maitland M. Fol. xcv. 35 (to mak bair wais thai think na schame). Id. M. Qo. viii. 8 (that hes maid monye bair biging). 1647 Grant Chart. 342 (we fand allennarlie beare wallis).

5. Destitute, indigent, needy. (Cf. Bareman.)c1450-2 Howlat 976 (think how bair thow was borne & baire ay will be). 1461 Liber Plusc. 397 (quhen a king is bair and has na gude). c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyt. 210 (in bair tyme wes thow borne). 1567 G. Ball. 235 (how that thay pas away sa bair). 1575 Glasgow B. Rec. I. 35 ( … offert to sweir him bair, that he has na kynd of guddis wortht v s.). a1651 Calderwood VII. 201 (certaine bair and idle gentlemen).

b. Destitute of something.a1400 Leg. S. xxiv. 176 (as begare, of gud bare). c1420 Wynt. viii. 1962 (he made hym off the kynryk bare). a1500 Henr. Fab. 158 (of science bair and blind). c1475 Wall. vi. 263 (off blys and gudis bar). c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 269 (bare and desolate off rethorike). 1513 Doug. ii. ii. 40 (miserabill and bayr of gude); xi. viii. 92 (our ryght hand bair of armys). 1531 Bell. Boece I. p. xxiv (thair regioun nakit and bair of winis). c1568 Lauder Minor P. iv. 11 (of euerye virtew bair). 1596 Dalr. I. 184/15 (the realme bair of strang handes to defend it).

c. Limited in amount; scanty.1535 Stewart 52487 (thair thrift wes ay so bair and thin). 1596 Dalr. I. 6/29 (verie bare garse).

6. Without addition; mere, simple; scant.1461 Liber Plusc. 399 (a bair sentence, but execucioune). 1513 Doug. xii. Prol. 269 (into my bayr sark). 1563 Davidson Answer 224 (be only ane baire signe). 1567 Acts III. 20/2 (nathing ellis bot nakit and bair signis). a 1575 Hamilton & Campsie Test. I. 21 b (ane bair ox gang of land). 1581 Sempill Sat. P. xliii. 100 (baneist with a bair gude nicht). 1639 Johnston Diary 96 (this baire acceptance of this declaration).