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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.

Our, Owr, adv. and prep. Also: -e, or(e. [Sc. form corresp. to e.m.E. and ME. over, etc. (see Over). In the mod. dial. as owre, oure, ower.] Over, in senses of Over adv. and prep., q.v. for fuller definitions.Also, in various following senses, as the first element of numerous compounds, for which see the separate entries.

A. adv. 1. Indicating movement: Across; (over and) down. = Over adv. 1.In quots. 1523, perh. pleonastically.(1) 1375 Barb. iii. 425.
The thrid … rowyt thaim our deliuerly Ib. ix. 405. a1500 Henr. Fab. 2784 (Bann.).
Help our … For Godis lufe sum body our this bryme c1475 Wall. v. 414. Ib. vii. 971. 1473 Treas. Acc. I. 44.
To the botmen that brocht our the King and the Qwene … fra Falklande 1490 Ib. 133.
To the cobill man … quhen the King past owre a1500 Lanc. 1042.
Bot ovr [the ford] thei went vithouten more delay 1523 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 71.
That Wolle Turnbyll com our to Hassindan Ib.
I sal cum our wythin viii dayis 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 55.
The said Frenchemen to get ane way to pas our … made ane sure passage our the said brig 1587 Waus Corr. 412.(2) 1595 Innes Sketches 533.
That … his former confessioune concernyng the murthour … mycht be the easyer louping our(3) c1420 Wynt. v. 36.
And all that day That well ran owre habowndanly ?a1500 Remembr. Passion 14.
& daly scurge him self quhill the blude ryn our

b. As the second element of compound advs.: Over adv. 1 b. 1456 Liber Aberbr. II. 89.
North our 1458 Ib. 104.
Sowth owr 1533 Bell. Livy II. 79/8.
He dang him bak oure to the ground

c. Across, without motion. a1500 K. Hart 442.
Wantownnes come to the wall abone And cryit our [etc.] c 1641–54 J. Gordon in Macfarlane's Geog. Coll. II. 527.
24 myles ar betwix Ila and Cantyre and four myles our to Arrane

d. Our fra, across from. Our forgane, opposite to. c1420 Wynt. ii. 685.
Oure fra him be-yhonde a se He kend lyand a gret cuntre 1513 Doug. i. i. 22.
Cartage … standand … The mouth of lang Tibir our forgane Ib. iii. viii. 89.
And our forgane the tother syde … Rays vp … the tempill

2. Indicating a change of position, esp. down from the erect position. a1500 Seven S. 441.
The barnis credill was cassyn owre [: foure] a1540 Freiris Berw. 503 (M).
Freyr Robert … tuik his buik … And turnit our the levis bissaly a1568 Scott xxxiv. 80.
Thay tumyll our [M. woltir oure] lyk swyne 1566-70 Buch. Comm. on Virgil Æn. i. 85.
Ruunt: (raises, turnis our)

3. With verbs of giving: see Over adv. 3. 1460 Stewart Mem. 64.
[To] giff our the said landis c1475 Wall. i. 77.
Ane abbot past and gaif our this legiance 1482 Acts XII. 33/1. a1500 Seven S. 486.
The ioye of armes thair gaf he owre 1531 Reg. Morton I. 3. 1592 Acts III. 573/1.
The saidis tennentis … nocht beand able to pay owr thair dewtie sa oft

b. To gif our in the intr. use, (of a horse) to give up as a result of exhaustion, to founder, collapse. — c1475 Wall. v. 904.
His hors gaiff our and mycht no forthir ga

4. So as to cover or encompass the whole surface.Also all our. c1420 Wynt. v. 1474.
Syne hastyly Thai suld wesche oure hyr body Wyth that blud Ib. vii. 1993.
Hys body oure wes cled all hale In honest kyngys aparale c1450-2 Howlat 673.
Braid burdis and benkis … Cled our with clene clathis 1456 Hay I. 37/27.
All the wallis all our fensit with platis of metall c1515 Asl. MS. I. 159/20.
A wall that semys all growing our with mos 1638 Elphinstone Mun. 26.
Broun veluote breikes thik wrocht our with silk lese

5. To the end, throughout: see Over adv. 5.(1) 1511 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III. 107.
Your lordschipe man lay our again his obligatioune mair tentyvlie 1513 Doug. xiii. ix. 53.
Now the Troianys hard aventouris belyve Rehersyng our 1566-70 Buch. Comm. on Virgil Æn. i. 9.
Tot volvere casus, turne our sa mony chances Ib. Georgics ii. 407. 1590–1 Crim. Trials I. ii. 238.
For … saying ‘Ave Maria’ oft owre(2) c1420 Wynt. vii. 741.
He stud as lyte twa yhere owre c1475 Wall. xi. 447.
Suppos we fast a day our and a nycht(3) 1558-66 Knox II. 138.
The Booke of Discipline was perused newlie oure agane 1595 Innes Sketches 535.
And subscriue the same our again with his awin hand 1612 Reg. Privy C. IX. 734.
And solemnelie sworne ourgane

6. Idiomatically, with various verbs: see Over adv. 6.To set our, to postpone. To ly our, to lie neglected or in postponement. Brus xi. 31 rubric.
Th[r]ow the battale ves set our ȝer and day Betuix hym and Schir Philip the Mowbra 1587-99 Hume 74/206.
Few of there right or causses will take keepe Their proces will sa lang lye ou'r

7. Earlier in this writing, ‘above’, ‘supra’. 1456 Hay I. 33/18.
We have our sene how the Kirk and the Cristyn faith has bene

8. In addition, over and above. c1420 Wynt. ii. 4.
Twa thowsand hale and fyfty yhere And twa yhere owre to rekyn clere Ib. iv. 682.
Twelff hundyre schyppys gret off toure And off les thre thousand oure

9. Modifying a following adj. or adv.: Excessively, too, all too.See also Our-fer, -grete, -hie etc.(1) a1400 Leg. S. xl. 1257.
Ellis [he] suld oure proud haf bene 1456 Hay II. 63/11.
Na that he be nocht … our blate that he have na langage c1460 Wisd. Sol. (S.T.S.) 351.
A man suld nocht be our-iust c1460 Thewis Wysmen 169.
Nocht our gret wordy na our blait c1475 Wall. ix. 804.
Our suth it is it can nocht now be don a1500 Seven S. 1102.
Thow art our hait a1500 K. Hart 909.
Gluttony that oft maid me our fow 1513 Doug. vi. iii. 61.
Al thing … exprest Of thé … ar our trew, allace! a1561 Q. Kennedy Breif Tract. (ed.) 129/14.
In thir dais quhilkis ar our fleschly in iugement 1570 Leslie 13.
Alleiging thame baith to be oure ambitious 1570 Misc. Bann. C. I. 49*.
Als to sic utheris as ar owr welthie 1639 Grant Burgh Schools 198.
The new tawis our small maid(2) 1375 Barb. xiii. 566.
Bot thai thoucht thame our few to ficht c1420 Wynt. iii. 809 (W).
It is oure tyrand for to tell [etc.] c1500-c1512 Dunb. li. 21.
He is owre mekle to be ȝour messan 1513 Doug. i. Prol. 499.
Beis not ourstudyus to spy a moy tin myne e 1531 Bell. Boece (M) II. 208.
He maid sindry lawis … quhilkis war our prolixt to insere in this buke 1554 Corr. M. Lorraine 388.
Our(3) 1682 Lauder's Observes App. iv. 305.
He was ou'r malapert to take so mikel upon him(4) c1420 Wynt. v. 3951.
Wyth nane oure hasty jugyment 1456 Hay II. 63/10.
That he have nocht our mony wordis c1460 Consail Vys Man 184.
Luf nocht … our loud lauchtyr c1475 Wall. ii. 177.
Our few Sothroune on to the dede I drawe c1515 Asl. MS. I. 310/16.
The south for our cruell hetis 1490 Irland Mir. I. 50/1. c1500-50 Brevis Cronica 329.
Because he was our schaipe punissar of justice c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 165.
For it to beir on my breist wes berdin our hevy 1530 Aberd. B. Rec. I. xxxvii.
We ar oure small mene to hald ony thing fra your lordschipe 1533 Boece iv. xvi. 154 b.
Gildo … be oure ardent corage … was … slane 1615 Melrose P. 201.
This our langsum and fashious besines(5) a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 416 (see Ouris n. pl.).(6) 1375 Barb. xviii. 510.
For he wount wes till spek … our dispitfully a1400 Leg. S. xl. 1335.
That is oure-weile kyd one me 1456 Hay I. 301/19.
Quhen a man is our delytabily nurist [etc.] c1490 Irland Asl. MS. I. 38/12.
Gif the persone fastis our extremely [etc.] a1500 Seven S. 1157.
That man was … oure falsly pvnist and tynt Ib. 2054.
Thow has maid stryf Our oft betuix me & my wyf c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxxiv. 49.
‘Ȝett,’ quod the Deuill, ‘thou sellis our deir’ 1513 Doug. vi. xiv. 21.
And ourgretlie evin now … Vaynglor … desiris he 15.. Wyf Awcht. 63.
He lowtit our neir the low c1530-40 Stewart Maitl. F. lxxxi. 38.
To ryd or ryn our rakleslie

B. prep. 10. Above. = Over prep. 9.(1) 1558-66 Knox II. 427.
That Godis vengeance hingis oure the realme(2) c1475 Wall. i. 241.
A soudly courche our hed and nek [she] leit fall c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 426.
I … drawis my clok forthwart our my face quhit 1513 Doug. xi. xi. 98.
Our the schuldris fro hir nek down … The … tygrys skyn … dyd hyng 1533 Bell. Livy I. 35/30.
With thair hare fallin oure thair eyne 15.. Sym & Bruder 76.
His beird … hang our his mouf

11. Above, in power, authority, supervision, etc. = Over prep. 10.In some contexts in ambiguity with sense 14. a1400 Leg. S. Prol. 135.
He thame [the apostles] gafe Playne powar our the laffe To bynd and lois c1420 Wynt. v. 2893, 4.
That the Pape … Suld be owre byschapys in honoure As is owre kyngys the emprioure c1420 Ratis R. 526.
Quhill scho … wan price our the sciens sevyne 1490 Irland Mir. I. 11/19; etc.
Oure a1500 Seven S. 532.
Bot our thaim all [animals] thair was a baire 1513 Doug. v. vi. 45.
Victour our the laif Ib. vi. ii. 82.
Our hir hallowit schaw … patron and mastres 1537 Antiq. Aberd. & B. II. 366.
Greit Justice … owre all his [the King's] haill realme 1611-57 Mure Early Misc. P. i. 26.
Quho rules … Both ower mein men and o're kingis Id. Psalmes xxxix. 1.
I said I would watch o'r my wayes

b. Passing into verb, following may, originally as a verb of complete predication [May v. 1 b (2)] but passing into auxiliary. See also Over prep. 10 b.May our, has power over, has mastery of.Also in the mod. dial. in the reflex., as can, wad (= would), etc., owre oneself (= do what is necessary, cope with a situation, bestir oneself). 1456 Hay I. 228/19.
A seke man that may nocht our himself in syk a … malady Ib. 271/28.
Gif ony of thame may our his falow be ony habilitee or strenthe or suteltee and othir engyne … he may, be all lawis, … put his falow to the wer

12. a. (Above and) across, (above and) down (from). = Over prep. 11 a.For further examples, see Dyke n. 2, Lepe v.¹ 2 a, Lowp v. 2 a, and cf. also Out-our prep. A 1.Also our (= down) one's throte.(1) 1375 Barb. xvii. 676 (E).
Ewyn our the sow the stane is gane And behind it a litill wey It fell Ib. xvii. 704. a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 620.
Thair speris in splendris … our thair hedis went 1590 Crim. Trials I. ii. 238.
[She sent them] to craif ane lok salt owre the dur heid(2) 1375 Barb. iii. 409.
Na bait … That mycht thaim our the watir ber Ib. i. 325. a1400 Leg. S. iv. 302.
And on a bryge … Our a wattyr depe and wyd Ib. xix. 247, xl. 1087. 1458 Liber Aberbr. II. 104.
And fra thyne sowth owr the Lowth to the quhit stane a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 19.
Mony sterne our the streit stertis on stray 1485 Lag Chart. 54.
Passand oure the blak furde till his land 1501 Treas. Acc. II. 87.
For … thair fraucht our the watir Ib. 127.
To Beg to his expens our the Month 1513 Doug. ii. x. 35.
Sal scho wend hame our see? Ib. vi. v. 52. 1562 Treas. Acc. XI. 200.
The Quenis grace cuming to Elgin our Spiney 1591 Crim. Trials I. ii. 254.
Ye and thay … past owre the sea in riddillis to ane schip(3) 1375 Barb. x. 540.
How ȝe mycht our the wallis vyn Ib. 712 (E). a1400 Leg. S. xxvi. 1058.
As he oure the burd can lout [etc.] c1420 Wynt. v. 3265.
For thai that it in kepyng hade Ware drawyn wytht crukys oure the wall Ib. viii. 5593. a1500 K. Hart 368. a1500 Bk. Chess 665. 1553–4 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 191.
Cumin our the dyke(4) a1400 Leg. S. ii. 937.
And in a creile or the wall Of Damasse he wes lattyn fall ?1438 Alex. i. 2995.
He the King gart bakuart ga Our the leyndis of Burssiuale 1513 Doug. xi. vii. 9.
Brystand on skelleis our thir demmyt lynnys … the fludis dynnys 1682 Peden Lords Trumpet 14.
You old folk that is going ou'r the brae and dropping into eternitie(5) c1420 Wynt. vii. 502.
That brede … Owre hys throt it mycht noucht get

b. Across the top of. 1533 Bell. Livy I. 106/9.
[She] draif the chariot oure hir faderis body

c. From place to place on the surface of; over the whole surface of. d. Everywhere in, throughout. (Also without the notion of movement.)Freq. our all and Our-al(l adv. 1.c. (1) a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 24.
Ane fair battell on breid Merkit our ane fair meid Ib. 27.
Our firthis and fellis 1513 Doug. ii. v. 88.
Eftir lang wandryng and errour our the see 15.. King Berdok 19.
The King Berdok he fure our se and land(2) ?1438 Alex. i. 233.
That thikkar our the hillis did thraw Than [etc.] c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxi. 77.
Quhen flude and fyre sall our it [the world] frak 1513 Doug. iv. xii. 54.
And furyus flambe … Spredyng … our templis [etc.] Ib. ix. iii. 80.
A braid schynand clowd … rynnand our all the sky Ib. xi. xiii. 110.
Hys harnys hait our all his vissage went 1533 Bell. Livy I. 50/4.
Thare handis to be cled oure all partis except the poynt of thare fingerisd. (1) c1450-2 Howlat 9.
That all was amyable owr the air and the erd a1500 Bk. Chess 2033.
The kinrik suld our that extendand be 1513 Doug. xiii. Prol. 169.(2) 1375 Barb. ii. 78.
Our all the land the word gan spryng Ib. iv. 131. a1400 Leg. S. xxi. 679.
Oure al the kyrk thai caryt hym ?1438 Alex. ii. 4706. 1456 Hay I. 2/30.
[He] is lufit and redoubtit our all the warld 1490 Irland Mir. I. 10/29.
Thai extendit … thar … empyre oure all the landis of Ytaly c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 76. Id. vii. 51, 52. 1513 Doug. ix. iii. 208.
The schynand fyris our al the land kest lycht 1513 Doug. Comment. i. iii. 92.
Our all this wark he comparis batell tyll spayt … of watyr [etc.] 15.. Sym & Bruder 65.
Our all the hous … The ladis come to luk him

13. Indicating attitude or position: Across; on the other side of, beyond.(1) 1533 Bell. Livy II. 41/21.
At leist luke oure ȝoure wallis and se ȝour landis waistit(2) c 1446 Reg. Episc. Aberd. I. 247.
Ascendand … til it cum oure a rode to the brede of an akyr a1500 Peblis to Play 48.
Quhen thai wer our the wald 1544 Corr. M. Lorraine 72.
The lord of Kelmawris … was within … the castal of Dombartan … owr the water of Klayd 1589-1600 Skipper's Acc. (Morton) 61 a.
For ane mane our the water to get word fra our fokis

14. To a greater extent than, more than, above, beyond. (Cf. sense 11.)Freq. our the lafe, lave, see Laife n.¹ 1 c (2), Lave n. (4), our all (Our-all adv. 2), our all thing (althing), see also All a. 3 c, Althing n., our mesure, see Mesur(e n. 6 (5). 1375 Barb. i. 232.
Fre liking Is ȝharnyt our all othir thing a1400 Leg. S. iii. 699.
Ane … That oure all othir menyt thane The gret payne of that rychtwis man Ib. xvi. 472.
Thane wes I fule or the lafe 1456 Hay II. 164/8.
Quhen ilkane pressis our otheris to be maisteris of thy gudis 1490 Irland Mir. I. 139/11.
Hire joy was oure all joyes excellent Ib. 151/15.
He chesit hire oure all creature for His werray moder

b. Our (all) this, our that, besides this, in addition, furthermore. a1400 Leg. S. Prol. 134.
And ȝet oure that He thame gafe Playne powar Ib. xxix. 316.
The fend oure this hym wa to wirk 1490 Irland Mir. I. 18/16.
For oure all this … now schawis He Him … oure bruthire Ib. 30/2. Ib. II. 147/10.
And our this spekand mar subtely [etc.]

c. Without, at variance with, contrary to. 1498 Prestwick B. Rec. 35.
[She] wrangwisly passit in hir ȝard our hir biddin

d. Beyond, in the temporal sense; past, after. Cf. Over prep. 15 b. c1475 Wall. vii. 611.
Be ane our nowne a1497, 15.. Gray MS. vi. 56/67.
May nane indur our his enday

15. More than, above (a certain number). 1375 Barb. xx. 434 (E).
He had nocht with him our ten Off all the men that war with him thar

16. (To take) our one's heid: see Hede n.¹ 2 c (and Over prep. 14).

17. Our nicht, throughout the night, for the night: cf. Over prep. 15 a. 14.. Acts I. 34/2.
Thai sall halde na mare in thair house … bot to the valur of iiii d. oure nycht