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

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First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Dredour, Dreddour, n. Also: dredoure, -or, -ur(e; dreddoure, -or, draddour; dreidour, dreiddour(e; draidour, dreadour, -or, -eur. [f. Drede n., after redour, raddour.]

1. Fear or dread of something.(a) 1459 Liber Aberbr. 105.
Quhill now … part of ewyl myndit personis wythout the dredor of God … tribulis us 1493 Dunferm. B. Rec. 48.
As scho was nothir compellit na strenyeit be aw na dredour of hir husband 1533 Gau 61/23.
Quhen the disciplis … haid closit the dourris for dredour of the Iowis 1551 Hamilton Cat. 80.
Foster thame and teche thame in the dredour of God 1567 G. Ball. 99.
From dredour of my mortall ennemie Defend my lyfe Ib. 100.
Without dredour of Goddis vengeance(b) 14.. Acts I. 71/2.
Gif ony … willis to schaw hym unculpabill, sayand it was for draddour of folye power 1533 Bell. Livy II. 194/1.
The small pepill war movit with sic … dreddoure of religioun 1567 Glasgow Prot. III. 92.
Scho was nocht compellit nor coactit be feir, compulsioune, or dreddoure of hir saidis spous 1596 Dalr. II. 214/27.
He na dreddour takeng of the king … rann in a furie [etc.] 1654 Edinb. B. Rec. VIII. 352.
In respect of the last nights feare and dreddour of fyre(c) 1533 Bell. Livy I. 41/27 (B).
The first [opinioun] be present dreiddoure of the pepill … is mare authorist a1578 Pitsc. I. 24/26.
Brocht vp in the fear and dreiddour of God Ib. 54/8.
With out dreadour of God or man 1600 Hamilton Facile Tr. X 4 b.
To … work thair saluation with feir and dreadeur of his halie name 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. 21.
Quhereby the parties sall keip and fulfill the samine [compromit], throw feare and dreadour of the pane

b. With of = on account of, for. 1492 Myll Spect. 294/8.
This Quanour … for dreddour of hir lyf passit to ane abbay 1549 Compl. 70/21.
The eldest of them … beand al affrayit ande fleyit for dreddour of his lyue 1610 Crim. Trials III. i. 103.
Puting of thame in feir and dredour of thair lyves

2. Fear, dread, apprehension, alarm.(a) 1493 Dunferm. B. Rec. 317.
That scho wes nothir compellit na strenyeit nothir throwcht aw no dredour 1531 Bell. Boece I. 89.
We micht esaly have vincust thaim, and bene deliverit off all dredoure Ib. 199.
Doing ilk thing mair be ire or dredur, than be benivolence 1543 Crim. Trials 327.
The … confessioun, maid be him be just dredour and for feir of his lif c1550 Rolland C. Venus i. 413.
Thy dolf hart for dredour ay deuaillis 1581 Burne Disput. 7.
Thay ar frelie mouit vith feir and dredure to vork thair auin saluation 1590 Burel Pilgr. ii. x.
Buriours … but dredur, Awaiting in the way 1597 Misc. Spald. C. I. 148.
They culd not be contenit within thair bedis, for feir and dredour that the wall suld fall on thame(b) 1535 Stewart 14916.
The laif thairof for noy and dreddour schuik 1549 Compl. 15/5.
He sau neuyr … the grite nummir of them that fleis for dreddour 1576 Misc. Spald. C. II. 331.
The saidis personis … for feir and dreddour causit the said nobill lord to subscriue the blankis 1581 Burne Disput. 151.
Vork ȝour saluatione vith feir and dreddor 1622-6 Bisset I. 58/33.
This Makbeth … beand led be wod furyis, … ay full off havie thocht, and dreddoure c1650 Spalding I. 43.
He … trauellit throw the countrie … without feir or dreddour(c) 1548 Corr. M. Lorraine 220.
Thar is ane greit feir and dreidour in Berweik for the Frenche nawye 1562-3 Winȝet II. 5/10.
Sik terrouris and draidour suld be amangis our aduersaris, that [etc.] Ib. 28/1.
Wyth grete dreidour … is the horrible cryme … to be ferit a1578 Pitsc. I. 19/6.
Quhairby the puir peopill sould tak the grettar feir and dreidour to dissobey him 1585 Acts III. 383/1.
To gouerne … his subiectis … rather be luif nor be dreadour 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. 83.
His deid is not lawfull, be reason of feare and dreadour