Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

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

Pewter, n. Also: pewtt-, peut-; puet-; pout-, powt-, putt-, puit- and -ar, -or, -yr; peweter; polt-, poter. [ME. and e.m.E. peutre (1358), pewtre (1370), pewter (1387), pewtyr(e (15th c.), puter (1552–3), also 17th c. Eng. peauter (1688), AF. peutre (1292), OF. peutre, also peautre, peaultre, etc., earlier *peltre, med. L. (Latham) peut(e)rum (14th c.), peltrum (13th c.). Cf. Pewder.] Pewter. = Pewder n.a. (1) 1378 Rot. Sc. II. 7/2.
Diversa vasa de peweter, worstedes [etc.] 1507–8 Rentale Dunkeld. 248.
Lie pewter 1615 Dundee Shipping L. 263.
2 sentenar lead … halff sentrell of pewtter 1663 Dundee B. Laws 485.
That no brassier sall midle to chang pewter or mend pewter 1673 Leith Customs 5.
Wrocht pewter 1684 Brechin Test. VII. 121.
Peutar(b) 1662 Brechin Test. VI 212 b.
Pueter(2) 1604 Hist. Fam. Seton 641.
[And some] pewter and linen [carried away]b. (1) 1562 Inverness Rec. I. 80.
Pewtyr plaittis 1565 Prot. Bk. J. Scott 24 b.
And twa dossin of pewter weschell 1584 Elgin Rec. I. 175.
Pewtar 1640 Black Bk. Taymouth 350.
Peutor 1691 Falkirk Kirk S. II. 14.
Three pewter cupps(b) 1505 Exch. R. XII. 673.
Poter dischis(c) 1562 6th Rep. Hist. MSS. App. 649/1.
Powter plaittis 1589–1600 Skipper's Acc. (Morton) 59 a.
Pouter(d) 1589 St. A. B. Ct. 13 Aug.
Ane polter plait(e) a1598 Ferg. Prov. MS. No. 1562.
Ye ar sib to Cramond oysters & puiter vessel, ye ar ay clattering(f) 1624 Dumfr. & Galloway Soc. 3 Ser. XXXII. 185.
Putter(2) 1683 Melville Chart. 181.
Iron brass and peuter work