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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.

Ver(e, Ware, Voir, n.¹ Also: wer(e, veir, weir, veyr, weyr, vair, wair(e, wayre, vire, woir, vore, warr. [ME and e.m.E. veir (c1325), ver (Wyclif), vere (1387-8), werre (1436), vear (1583), OF ver(e, ON vár, L. vēr.] The season of spring.(a) 1375 Barb. v 1.
Thys wes in ver [C. were] quhen wynter tid … Was ourdrywyn … And the treis begouth to ma Burgeans c1409-1436 Kingis Q. § 20.
Vere 1456 Hay II 127/25.
The four rathis of the ȝere, that is for to say ver, somer, august, and wynter 1456 Hay II 143/5.
The cald is comperit to the wynter and the warme and the moiste to the prime temps that is callit ver a1500 Henr. Fab. 1706.
Syne cummis ver [Bann. wer] quhen winter is away c1475 Wall. vi 3.
Than passit was … Marche … Apperyd than the last month off wer, The syng off somir c1475 Wall. viii 1697.
Weyr 1513 Doug. vi Prol. 109, 110.
The warld begouth in veyr … In veir … God als formyt man 1513 Doug. x Prol. 11.
Fresche veir to burgioun herbys and sweit flowris 1531 Bell. Boece I 186.
Na hunting to be usit during the season of winter and weir 1535 Stewart 26891.
Syne into ver, quhen that the da grew lang, This king … tuke the feild(b) a1400 Leg. S. xxvii 983.
It hapnyt a tym in-to ware [: ther] … That he … Gert teile a mekill feild of land c1420 Wynt. iv 1484.
This Hanyball … In Tuskayne passyd … Wytht in the fyrst moneth off wayre [C. were, W. waire] 1576 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. I 7.
Ane fens maid … vpoun Johnne Dungalsoun fischearis skair in the Borland in vair last ves ?1549 Monro W. Isles (1961) 88.
Ane fowl callit the colk … quha cummis in vair to the land to [lay] his eggis and to cleck his birdis 1615 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. II 180.
Merchandice he bocht fra him in vair last and promissit peyment at Vitsonday last 1643 Boyd Fam. P. No. 178 (11 Feb.).
To … pay … sufficient salt buttir yeirlie in wair 1684 Symson Descr. Galloway 98.
Winter never comes till ware comes 1687 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. XIII 169.
Agnes Robsone … depons that in winter or wair last Walter Brounock … comt to the deponents hous 1695 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Deeds II 577.
[To pay the same at Patrickmas in] waire [1696](c) 1494 Loutfut MS 16a.
And change his hornes fra ȝere to ȝere in to vire(d) 1615 Orkney & Shetl. Ct. Bks. 108.
Steilling of a young lamb in the ley of Caldclift in voir last 1629 Orkney Witch Trial in County Folk-Lore III (1903) 78.
Sex yeiris sene or thairby in vore 1644 Shetland Witch Trial in Hibbert Shetland Islands 599.
When he was castin peates to him in voir last year(e) 1668 Boyd Fam. P. No. 288 (20 April).
Ane stone of salt buttir in warr yeirllieattrib. 1603 Shetland Sheriff Ct. MS 90.
The said Thomas wes sa hevelie hurt that he mycht nocht labour the haile woir [ed. voir] tyme last 1613–14 Ayr B. Acc. 57.
To William McCallum for the sculehous maill of the winter quarter and wair quarter quhill Witsounday 1614, viij li. vj s. viij d. 1614 Orkney Test. and Inv. 119.
William Seytoun, his voir fie, £2 1629 Orkney Witch Trial in County Folk-Lore III (1903) 76.
Vore tyme