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Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Ure, n.³ Also: uir, wre, ur(r, oore, oare, ovir. [ME and e.m.E. or (Ancr. R.), ore (1340-70), oor (Trevisa), north., vr (1505), oare (a1628), OE óra unwrought metal, or ár brass.] Ore. Also with defining element. See also Lede-ur(e n.(1) a1500 Colk. Sow iii 14.
How suld a penny fruct contrar nature, Sen gold, siluer, mettell, and alkyn vre, Fynit be folkis, vanisis and nocht incressis a1500 Colk. Sow iii 19.
Quhill that the vre is in the awin nature … So long the fors of the four elementis, And most the erth mynisteris it nvtrimentis 1515–16 Reg. Privy S. I 417/2.
xxiiii werkmen … to lawbour in the mynde of ure of gold and silver, lede and utheris metallis in Crawford Mure 1540 Treas. Acc. VII 307.
Gevin to Balstar Howstar, Ducheman, and Richart Wardlaw to pas to Campbell to serche the metallis and ure of silver 1562 Edinb. B. Deeds 56b.
To mak the said Johne … countefre of thre last of ure 1580 Skeyne Descr. Well Sig. A 3.
As gif it [sc. the water] wer brint with irin, the vre thairof as it rynnis vpon the staines and ground ar of diuers cullouris, the ane cullour sad blew [etc.] 1592 Acts III 559/1.
Thomas Foullis gouldsmyth hes fund out the ingine and moyane to caus melt and fyne the vris of mettallis 1608 Hilderstoun Silver Mines MS I 34b.
Ane grit lang weybak with the ballance brodis thairto for weying of the vre 1609 Mining Rec. 153.
Oore 1630-1651 Gordon Geneal. Hist. 8.
Doun Creigh wes built with a strange kind of morter … This I do take to be a kind of vre a1658 Durham Comm. Rev. 239.
For gold, ure of gold should be accepted(2) 1513 Doug. x iii 52.
The plentuus sulȝe quhar the goldyn ryver Pactolus warpys on grund the gold vre cleir 1539 Reg. Privy S. II 455/2.
Ane lettre … gevand him full poware … to breik and rife out his landis of his heretage, and serche and seik gold ure tharin 1561 Treas. Acc. XI 58.
To produce thair licence, gif thai ony have, for transporting of leid uris and uthir mettals to the grit hurt of the realme 1565 Reg. Privy C. I 330.
The Quenis Majestie gevis the foirsaidis Johnne [etc.] fre licence to wynt and transport all … kyndis of metallick uris 1565 Reg. Privy S. V i 658/1.
Leid uir 1568 Reg. Privy C. I 635.
Licence grantit … to win … fourty thowsand stane wecht … of leid ure … within the nethir leid hoill of Glengonar and Winlok 1580 Skeyne Descr. Well Sig. A 2b.
Quhilk spring of watter … is of medicinall qualitie and flowis from diuers minerallis, as hes bene obseruit be the operatioun taist & minerall vre, quhilk being drunkin, is laxatiue to sindrie 1584 Mining Rec. 51.
And he wrocht vpoun the Kingis mynd on Alwen watter vpoun Langcleuch burne sex or sevin owlkis and fand na guid copper vre 1596 Elgin Rec. II 45.
To weshe hir barne with irne vre and smiddie schinders 1597 Skene Verb. S. s.v. Ora.
From this comes the worde ȝit commonly vsed, vre, as leid vre: and in the Garviach … there is ane hill called Dounyndure, monticulus metalli 1614 Mar & Kellie MSS 72.
Leid urris 1633 (1634) Reg. Great S. 44/2.
Reservand to ws yron wre and all other kynd of minerallis 1677 Conv. Burghs IV 4 (see Lede-ur(e n.).
Ur(b) 1647 J. Hope Diary (1919) 143 (see Lede-ur(e n.).
Oare(c) ?1549 Monro W. Isles (1961) 54.
Leid ovir

b. ? Precious metal. 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 57.
For till behald that heuinly place … The sol enbroude with colour, vre, and stone

c. ? Used metonymically of a metal weapon, or ? the point of a weapon. Cf. OED Ure n.², which suggests a derivation from OE ór front. 1432 Acts II 21/2.
Gif he hurtis or defoulis with fellon assailȝeing with ege or vre 1686 Mackenzie Observ. (1687) 22.
He who assaults with edge and ure, is to be imprison'd, that is to say, with an edg'd-tool, or anything made of metal, for ure in Scots, signifies metal