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Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

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

Colour, Color, v. Also: coloure, collor. [ME. coloure, colore (14th c.), OF. colourer, colorer, L. colōrāre. See also Cullour v.]

1. tr. To imbue with colour. 1456 Hay I. 283/30.
The lift is nocht colourit Ib. II. 119/34.
With hevy suollyn eyne … , and unkyndely colourit 1533 Boece ix. i. 288 b.
The cawsay … was all colorit bludy and rede

2. fig. To represent under a specious or false aspect; to disguise. a1500 Bk. Chess 307.
Bot pacientlie he colorit all the caise 1489 Lennox Mun. 128.
It is masterfully colourit and mantenit be the parcial 1 persons vnderwritin 1533 Boece ii. xii. 84.
The king to coloure his fraude … kissit thame tendirlie 1558 Q. Kennedy Tract. 110.
To colour thair wickit opinionis be allegeance of Scripturis thrawin efter thair maner a1578 Pitsc. II. 16/23.
He rewit the promisse maid … and wald faine haue had that matter collorit gif he could

3. To disguise the real ownership of (goods), passing them off as one's own. 1507 Reg. Privy S. I. 228/1.
That nane … tak apon hand to by and regrate … wittallis, … or to colour the sammyn in hurting of our lieges 1508 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 113.
That na fremen … consele nor colour vnder the colour of his awin ony vnfremenis guidis 1525 Ib. 221.
The … counsall ordanis William Andersoun till compeir befoir thame … for coloring of vnfremenis guidis 1570 Conv. Burghs I. 20.
That na man colour the gudis of vnfremen vnder coulour of his awin