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

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First published 1983 (DOST Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Or, conj.² Also: ore, are. [ME. (c 1250) and e.m.E. or, early ME. (Orm) (before a consonant) orr, (before a vowel) oþþr, late north. ME. ore; reduced var. of oþer Other conj.]

1. Or. Also or that.See also Quhether, Quhidder for further examples.(1) a1400 Leg. S. ii. 737.
How hard panis ore how sar His moder tholit Ib. iii. 1014.
Gyf he suld haf entre or nocht Ib. xxxi. 165, xxxix. 155. 1386 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 9.
Withhut spere or bowe c 1390 Ib. No. 19.
Gyf we any scathe ore disese haue fore yt 1393 Ib. No. 28.
The qwilk thai or any of thaim thair ayris or thair successouris has had or may hafe 1397 Ib. No. 33.
Til al that this script heris or seis 1407 Ib. No. 65.
He ore you 1425 Acts II. 12/1.
The alderman balȝeis or the gouernouris of thai townis c1450-2 Howlat 14. Ib. 95. 1456 Hay I. 32/3, 4. a1500 Henr. Fab. 2278 (H).
Gaif I my hand … Or haif ȝe writ or witnes for to schaw? a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 28.
Of flynd or of fyre 1490 Irland Mir. I. 13/13.
Ignorant ore licht persounis c1500 Rowll Cursing 49, 50. c 1500 Rec. Kinloss Mon. 113.
Of the grett or kemppis men callit Fenis c1500-c1512 Dunb. xix. 9.
That owt of mynd ȝone man is hie Or sum hes done him confort kyth 1509 Thanes of Cawdor 121.
Ane instrument or ma 1520 Fife Sheriff Ct. 172.
To all prelotis barronis ore frehaldaris 1522 Acta Conc. MS. XXXIII. 42.
At the said feist of Lammes or thairby 15.. Clar. i. 1278.
Thir knichtis two behuifit for to die Incontinent or for to ȝoldin be 1551 Hamilton Cat. 251.
Kend and unkend, frend or fremmit, thi faa or enemyis 1562-3 Winȝet I. 9/8. 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 279.
Bot few or na lordis come quhill [etc.](2) 1546–7 Corr. M. Lorraine 175.
Or that thai will wesy youre grace at Striveling 1552–3 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 177.
Incontinent efter the commoun bell rynging or that thay se ony cummaris of slauchteris [etc.](3) a1400 Leg. S. xviii. 1190.
Quhethyre scho mycht oure-pas ore nocht Ib. xxii. 782.
Al that about stud thare Quhethyre thai leyryt ore lawit ware a1500 Seven S. 92.
And quhidder he sciens has or nane 1587–8 Ayr B. Acc. 159.
[Whether the raid] will had or nocht

b. With the alternative emphasised by outher, other, ether, preceding the first alternative.For further examples see these words.(1) 1379 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 2.
Folowing outhir to possessioun or proprete a1400 Leg. S. iv. 126.
Vnhurt othir in lith ore lyme a1500 Seven S. 105.
For oder is the erd hiear rasit Or hevyn declynit a1578 Pitsc. I. 105/22.
Ether for the caussis of haitrit, fawour, dreadour or invy(b) c1420 Ratis R. 1552.
Outhir thai are tharis(2) 1584 Cal. Sc. P. VII. 64.
Thai ether diffyrd in the equite of thair cause orelles are bevichit and sensles 1634 Rutherford Lett. (1891) 112.
This matter … is either a temptation … or then it will clear all my doubts

c. With or preceding each alternative. a1400 Leg. S. iii. 870.
Quhene he suld oythir do or say Or spedful or helplyk thinge 1581 Lanark B. Rec. 83.
[The bailies] requyret the toun to accept … thair comptes … or at ony day or dayis quhen the toun requyres 1691 Kirk Secr. Commonw. (1964) 230.
When the child is wained, the nurse or dies or is conveyed back or gets it to her choice to stay there

d. Introducing each of a series of questions proposing various courses of action about which there is great doubt or hesitation. 1513 Doug. iv. vi. 7, 9, 11.
Astonyst he wes to syt so hie a charge Or dysobey the gret godis beheste … Allace! quhat suld he do? oneth he wist; Or with quhat wordis suld he now assay The amorus queyn forto requir and pray Or on quhat wys hys taill he mycht begyn

e. After neg. adjs. or advs. as na, nother, qq.v. for examples.f. Or rather. 1572 Buch. Detect. (1727) 81.
That scho secreitly in tke nicht buryit him without funeral pompe or rather hid him lyke ane thief

2. With than, ellis, ȝet added for emphasis: Or alternatively, or else.See Ellis adv. 2 b, Than adv., Ȝet adv. and Owther adv. 2, for numerous examples, and also 1b(2) above. a1400 Leg. S. iii. 840.
Quhen ony man is in to dred Ore ȝet of hele ore helpe has ned 1398 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 38.
The Duk of Rothessay or ellis som othir gret lord 1636 Rutherford Lett. (1881) 320.
They are … valuing Him at their unworthy halfpenny or else exchanging and bartering Christ with the miserable old fallen house of this vain world, or then they lend Him out upon interest

b. Introducing a subordinate clause which expresses a consequence of setting aside the principal statement: Otherwise, else. = Les than, Les C 1 b.(1) c 1390 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 21.
He mon outher mak obedyence ore ells for ga [etc.] c1450-2 Howlat 116.
Make a fair foule of me Or elles dredles I de(2) c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxv. 21.
Ȝe clarkis … To ws be myrrouris in ȝour governance Or than in frustar is ȝour lang leirning 1562 Reg. Privy S.V. i. 301/1.
Sensyne scho wes constrenit to marie … James Gordoun … or ellis Alexander Gordoun … or than to be ejectit and debarrit … fra hir steding 1600 Hamilton Facile Tr. 36. 1636 Misc. Spald. C.V. 225.
That ilk miller sall bring in the fermes … to the girneris … or thane to pay the said fermes thame selffis