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 2000 (DOST Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

S(c)hor(e, Schoir, n.¹ Also: schoyr(e. [Of unknown origin. See also S(c)hor(e v.¹]

1. Threatening demeanour or words; threats, collectively.To mak schore at, to threaten action against.(1) 1375 Barb. xi 569.
Be nocht abaysit for thar schor [H. shore] ?1438 Alex. ii 2895.
I compt nocht all thare schore ane hare a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 103.
Thi schore compt I noght ane caik c1475 Wall. vii 1080.
He brukit [it] nocht for all his bustous schor Ib. ix 600.
Rychard Lundy had gret dreid off thar schoyr 1533 Boece 357.
The schore of the king was nocht in vane 1535 Stewart 5315.
As for ȝour bost, ȝour manassing and schoir, We dreid it nocht Ib. 48577.
Tha schupe nocht for to flie, For all thair brag, thair boisting and thair schoir c1568 Lauder Minor P. i 440.
Sennacherib, for all his bost and schore, Wes put to flycht(2) a1500 K. Hart 144.
So mirrelie thai … play Withoutin outher brag or bost or schore Ib. 376.
The hous is wone withoutin brag or schoir 1533 Boece 189.
Be beneuolence he conquest freyndis and nowder be fere nor schore 1535 Stewart 17698.
All thai landis … In heretage to bruke for euir moir, Without debait, bargane, boist or schoir 1560 Rolland Seven S. 7876.
Sa ar ȝe quite of danger, sturt and schoir 1567 G. Ball. 60.
For weill for wo, for boist, or ȝit for schoir, Quhair I am set, I sall lufe euer mor(3) 1535 Stewart 58715.
Fortoun … smytis nocht quhairat scho makis schoir

2. With … schore. a. In a threatening manner; menacingly. Passing into b. Uttering (? and carrying out) threats.a., b. 1375 Barb. vi 623.
And the fyve-sum … Come with gret schor and manassing a1400 Leg. S. xxii 224.
To Laurens sad he with schore, … ‘quhare the tresoure is, me say!’ Ib. xliii 478.
He sad til hire with sturt & schore: ‘Til ydolis thu mak sacryfice … ' Ore ellis [etc.] c1400 Troy-bk. ii 1348 (C).
Agayne Agamenone tharfor Thelamonyus with gret schor Put furth gret repreve in spekyng 1535 Stewart 2318.
Dowalus, with ane royall ost, Come at the hand with mekle schoir and bost Ib. 5219.
Ȝit hes he send thame till, With bost and schoir, and wordis pungetyue Ib. 26039.
This ilk Occa, with mekill bost and schoir, Moir cruellie nor euir he did befoir Richt grit distructioun … maid of the Britis blude Ib. 30951.
He wald cum sone agane, With mair power, and with far grittar schoir, In his boundis Ib. 40998, etc.
To him he wrait with rycht greit bost and schoir … Commandand him [etc.] 15.. Clar. iii 497.
Meliades … Nocht handillit as the dochter of a king, Bot as trespassour with awfull cheir and schore

c. By means of threats. a1400 Leg. S. xxi 772.
The prefet … with gret schoyre Fandyt to gere hyme sacryfy To fals godis a1500 Henr. Fab. 2657.
Swa thy father before Held me at bait, baith with boist and schore

d. In extended sense: Giving warning of what is about to happen. 1535 Stewart 29351.
Richt suddanelie it [supra Ane ȝoung stomack] will, with litill schoir, Evome agane all that it tuik befoir

3. Apprehension; fear of what may ensue, also of a person.The Dunb. Tua Mar. W. quot. may be merely a further instance of 1 above. a1500 Seven S. 1899.
Bot scho left nother for schore nor schame c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 191/8.
My dule spreit dois lurk for schoir; My hairt for langour dois forloir Id. Tua Mar. W. 110.
Bot schout dar I nought For schore of that auld schrew

4. A threat. 1513 Doug. xi Prol. 105.
Stand at defens, and schrynk not for a schor