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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.

Fire, Fyre, n. Also: fir, fyr, fyir(e, fyer, fiyr, fiire. [ME. fir(e, fyr(e, OE. fýr.]

1. Fire as a state of inflammable matter; occas. as a means of warmth, as one of the elements, or in the form of sparks.(a) 1375 Barb. iv. 120.
Fyr … may na man hid Ib. 129.
The fyr owt syne in blesis brast 14.. Acts I. 327/2.
A hyrd hafand fyr and horn c1450-2 Howlat 418.
It brynt as the fyr c1475 Wall. vii. 454.
Sum ruschyt fast, … Blyndyt in fyr 1533 Gau 31/31.
As the gold is prouine in the fyr Ib. 96/29.
Deliuer us fra fir and water 1557 Inverness B. Rec. I. 8.
Quhat ever tha be that makis fyr in the Ellon(b) 1375 Barb. vii. 153.
Thai … slew fyre for to rost thar met a1400 Leg. S. iv. 341.
A fel dragon … Blawand fel fyre one tham a1500 Rauf C. 81.
Nouther hes thow had of me fyre, drink, nor meit c1420 Wynt. iii. 238.
Ane hat cole off brynand fyre 1490 Irland Mir. I. 58/2.
Aboue the watter the aire, and syn the fyre a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 1234.
The furious fyre and panis infernall 1513 Doug. ii. xi. 32.
Thar followis a streym of fyre Ib. xi. xiv. 6.
Brym as fyre 1527 Reg. Privy S. I. 548/1.
The tresonable rasing of fyre 1535 Stewart 3135.
Meit and drink, fyre, claithis and easment, That neidfull war c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 142.
Thay … straik at him with sa greit ire, That from his harnes flew the fyre 1573 Sat. P. xl. 103.
This man … eschaipit fyre and sword 1610 Reg. Great S. 202/1.
All kynd of corneis … that sal happin to thoill fyre and watter(c) 1549 Compl. 33/18.
The eird, the vattir, the ayr, and the fyir a1585 Maitl. Q. xii. 23.
With sworde and fyire 1591 Antiq. Aberd. & B. IV. 53.
To … rais fyir 1630 Urie Baron Ct. 69.
To reais fyir and burne mwir(d) 1590 Burel Pilgr. I. ii.
On hie the fier flies

b. In the phrases to set in fire, set or put fire in, etc. For fire and flet(t see Flet n. a1400 Leg. S. ii. 804.
He … bad thame in all the partis of Rome Set fyre at anis Ib. iii. 54.
Thai than … In fyre the house set c1420 Wynt. iii. 248.
The Phylisteis … Sampsonys hous set in tyll fyre 1456 Hay I. 100/28.
Suppos a man … put fyre in a kirk c1475 Wall. v. 208.
That haill hall he had set in a fvr 1570 Sat. P. xxiv. 94.
Thair granges [are] set in fyre 1628–9 Misc. Maitl. C. III. 370.
To lay fyre to the upstanding Craig at the greine c1650 Spalding I. 22.
James Grant … settis his corn yaird in fyre

c. In transferred or figurative uses. 1456 Hay II. 123/19.
The lyver quhilk haldis in the fyre of the stomak c1475 Wall. xi. 287.
In cruell fyr he byrnys this regioun a1500 Lanc. 1091.
The red knycht, byrnyng in loues fyre a1585 Maitland Maitl. Q. ii. 7.
Of carnell lust to eik the fyire

2. A quantity of wood, coal, or other matter in a state of combustion; a conflagration. 1375 Barb. iv. 616.
Eftir the fyre he lukit fast Ib. xix. 497.
Thai bet thair fyres and maid thame mair a1400 Leg. S. ii. 798.
Sic a fyr to se As was the fellone fyr of Troy Ib. xlix. 79.
Vith bellyse thai blew the fyre c1420 Wynt. vii. 2863.
Thai … brynt wpin a fyre, Bathe men and landys 1456 Hay II. 131/30.
Than suld men have gude warme clething and gude fyris c1475 Wall. ix. 1343.
About the fyr bruschit the blud so red 1513 Doug. vii. Prol. 89.
The callour ayr … Maid seik warm stovis and beyn fyris hoyt 1554 Prestwick B. Rec. 62.
Thai … vsand bayth bot ane fyir 1597 Misc. Spald C. V. 64.
Gevin to the sklettaris that quenschit the fyir of the Grey freris kirk 1660 Conv. Burghs III. 530.
To pay … for keiping … the counsall hous and bigging on thair fiyr

b. A bonfire. 1492 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 65.
The unlawis of thame that set furth na fyrris 1557–8 Edinb. Old Acc. I. 234.
To James Drummond for his labores in playing on the trumpet … the nicht of the fyris of joy 1591 Elgin Rec. II. 17.
Thame that war summonit … aneut the onbigging of bein and Petir fyiris 1599 Ib. 74.
Thair wes a midsommer fyir bot culd not tell quho biggit it on 1610 Hilderstoun Silver Mines III. 19 b.
Coillis to be ane fyre on the kingis day

3. Firing, fuel. 1553–4 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 351.
For girs, watter, fyre, and ane dow at Witsonday c1475 Wall. (1570) ix. 1597.
He is the man thair fyre [ms. wod] leidis thame til 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 295.
The timber … wes sauld to be fyre, and wyit in the tolbuith 1636 Misc. Spald. C. V. 226.
Any peittis or ffyir that aught to be caried in to the lairds bairnes in Aberdeen

4. A fire-lock. 1508 Treas. Acc. IV. 123.
For varnesing of the Kingis culveryng and for dighting of ane new fyre put to it ourgilt

5. Attrib. with arrow, belleis, blese, etc. Also Fire-ball, -bitt, -brand, etc. c1460 Alex. (Taym.) 61.
Sum vithe slungis, … sum vithe fyre arrowis 1579 Edinb. B. Rec. IV. 124.
Fyre arowis or vther ingynes of fyre 1619 Edinb. Test. L. 227 b.
Sex pair of fyre belleis 1513 Doug. viii. viii. 80.
He … fyre blesis on his hie biggingis swakkit 1558-66 Knox II. 275.
I perceave by your anger that the fyre-edge is nott of you yit 1655 Edinb. Test. LXVIII. 190.
Ane pair of tanges and ane fayer fork a1500 Peblis to Play 211.
Sa ferslie fyr hait wes the day, His face began to frekill 1684 Urie Baron Ct. 98.
Carrying of gunes, pistoles and other fyre ingynes 1609 Hilderstoun Silver Mines I. 175.
For augmenting of ane fyre irne 1563 Edinb. B. Rec. III. 174.
The baillies … to … tak deligent inquisitioun of euery houshalder and fyr kendler c1515 Asl. MS. I. 240/1.
King James the secund that had the fyre mark in his face 1595 Brechin Test. I. 143 b.
Ane fyre pot of bras and ane pan 1565 Lamont Diary 178.
In each rowme ther was a bed, a closett and a lowme, being all fyre rowmes 1585 Treas. Acc. MS. 54 b.
To ane smyth for mending of his hienes fyir scull 1612 Bk. Rates 304.
Fire shooles the dozen … .Fire shoole plates the hundreth weght 1635 Haddington Mem. II. 303.
Ane tostin airne, ane fyreshole 1566 Prot. Bk. T. Johnsoun 150.
Coilraik, faire tre 1595 Edinb. Test. XXVIII. 294 b.
Ane brander, coilraik and fyretrie 1541 Treas. Acc. VIII. 119.
Pece[s] of birk to be ȝokkis and fyrewode