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

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

Waring, Wairin(g, vbl. n. Also: wareng, wareing, warring(e, -yng, varing(e, -yng, waireing, vairing, wayring, wering, -yn, vering, waryn(e, -ene, -ane, warrein, varyn, -in, vayryn. [ME waring (c1315); War(e v.¹]

1. The act of making use of a person or thing; utilisation, employment. (War(e v.¹ 1.) a1400 Leg. S. v 125.
God … That wald that men mad sic varinge As for almus to sel thare thinge 1564 Peebles B. Rec. I 296.
That thai be wairnit on the nycht affor, and on the moro at ix houris thay be in redines afftir the wairin of the bell 1652 Burnett of Leys 69.
I ordeen him to do nothing, either concerning his estat, or the waring of his owen person in marradge or at scool 1657 Johnston Diary III 80.
I fell in a debate … about his paper and desyred to know his intent, whither it was to me alon for wairing or intended to be spread

2. The action of spending, disbursement of money; expense, expenditure incurred; specif. the buying of merchandise for trade, the outlay or expenditure so incurred. Also the selling of such goods. (War(e v.¹ 2.) b. coll.(A quantity of) goods bought, merchandise, cargo. Also pl. c. attrib.(a) ?c1390 Antiq. Aberd. & B. IV 379.
Tirepressy is and ay has bene twa dauach of land in the bischapis rentale and to the kingis wering 14.. Reg. Maj. c. 111.
Sum tym wed is laid with this condicoune that it salbe gewyn in the possessione of the creditour sua that he it sal keip withoutyn vsage of ony weryn 1517 Wigtown B. Ct. 61b.
Carnis to Watsone cha. for the vrangus vering to him of ane bed & ane pair of schetis(b) 1494 Halyb. 37.
Som off this waryne of this syd, 119 li. 10 s. 7 g. 1494 Halyb. 63.
Varin 1497 Halyb. 59.
For my seruis sellin and waryn sen my last cont 10 li. 1496–7 Halyb. 70.
Vayryn 1497 Halyb. 104.
I haff of his to war mar than is varit, 4 li. to the quhilk I sall lay 4 li. g. quhen God sendis tym of varyn 1552 Glasgow Test. 82.
In aliquibus augmentarunt idem testamentum secundum valorem lie waryn diversarum rerum c1595 Skipper's Acc. (Morton) 72a.
Thes is the count of my warene to Boredes c1600 Dundee Shipping P. 67.
The warrein of collis and schankis comis to 32 [ducats] 2 r(c) 1499 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I 79.
The chapellane to gif compt of his expenssis and waring to the dene of gild ilk xl dayis anys 1525–6 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I 227.
The custome of the guidis being in the schryne pakket … extending to xiiij^xxx li. greit, at the first waring, as he maid fayth him self 1535 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 150.
For the reparation and biging of our kyrk penthous and kyrk dik and uther profitabyll varyng and disponing anent the kyrk 1552 Glasgow Test. 82.
Item in wlgari xvij gret varyng and vantage estimate to lx lib. & viij s. of money 1562 Dumfries B. Ct. 171a.
At thair returnyng into Scotland … eftir thair waring in Burdeous and Rochell & to wair thair gud leillilie and trewlie 1572 Prot. Bk. J. Robeson 166a.
According to thair debursing and waring vpoun the said beitment 1586 Reg. Privy C. IV 105.
In lossing, laidning, paking and peilling, selling and waring of thair guidis and merchandice 1589–1600 Skipper's Acc. (Morton) 48b.
Wareng 1630 Aberd. Council Lett. I 318.
Your husband … hes left … for maintenance of poore scholares … ten thousand punds … So shall we stryve … to approve our selffis … in waring of thame to the proper use whairunto thay ar left 1648 Falkirk Par. Rec. I 154.
They were inquyred about wareing the box money in repareing of the minister's hous 1669 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Deeds I 198.
[He is to maintain the property] be waring on the craftismen meitt and wages(d) 1545–6 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. II 120.
Adame Mawchane and William Mwreheid to pas for resaving of the guids and thai to distribute the sam amangs the merchants and tavernares, and to resave the money and mak the merchantis payment and all the wairing 1595 Cal. Sc. P. XI 593.
Vairing 1599 Conv. Burghs II 50.
That thair factouris resident thair [sc. in Campvere] hes begun of lait to tak factour fey of the saidis merchandis geir at the first selling, baith of fraucht and vther chairgis, quhair thai aucht na mair bot of the fre money to the wairing to thair grit hurt and skaith 1641 Stirling B. Rec. I 183.
Apointes Patrik Suorde and Robert Young … for bestowing and waring the voluntare contributioun of the toun … quhilk is conceidit and put in thair handis … to be comptable to the toun of thair wairing 1668 Aberd. Council Lett. IV 357.
Never any cam from any pairt of Holland to Campheir without makeing of any considderable waireing befor they went 1673 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Deeds I 347.
Her debursments in bestowing out and wairing upon me in my langwishing sicknes(e) 1564 Perth B. Ct. 189 (24 Nov.).
It is … intentit vpoun ane merchand bill and actioun of merchandis of furth warring and hame waring and sua aucht & suld be remittit to the dene of gildb. 1544–5 Aberd. B. Rec. I 213.
Hempe, bonnatis, bukrame, marekyn, skynnis, silkin poyntis and wther small varing 1549 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. II 145.
xx li. for the proffeitt of the j^c li. greitt wairing sic as mader allum irne inbrocht in the last Flanders schip 1551 Dundee B. Ct. II 82b (4 Aug.).
That bayth schip & varing wes peryst in the hame cuming 1556 Edinb. B. Rec. II 249.
The down getting of the xvj deneris of ilk frank waring of gudis coft be Scottis merchandis in Rowane and Deip, by the four deneris payit be thame 1556 Aberd. Council Lett. I 2.
For the doungetting ane impositioun of xvi deneris aboun foure deneris rasit in Rowane and Deipt upoun the custume of ilk franck varing bocht thair be marchandes of Scotland to be brocht within this realme 1573 Reg. Privy S. VI 368/2.
Ilk persoun within the said burgh for xx s. waring within the realme of barkit hydis sall pay xii d. 1575 Conv. Burghs I 44.
Incais ony schippis be pilleitt the gudes saiff sall contribute scatt and loitt for the relief of the personis dampnefeit, bayth schip and gudes according to thair wairing 1598 Exch. R. XXIII 241.
Charge … of 60 stones warane called small cabill 1626–7 Glasgow Chart. II 581.
Jhone Bogyll, mader 100, alne 100, annetis 20 lb. wecht … cramerie 4 lb. warryng 1626–7 Glasgow Chart. II 583.
Sextein pund wecht of pepper, sex girdillis, twa hundreth pund wecht of currantis and small warringe four hundreth twa pundis 1662 Edinb. B. Rec. IX 292.
That no inhabitant … take upon hand to refuise the saidis doubles or doytts to passe for a penny apeice in commoun change of money … ather in buithes … or mercatts … bot not to pay soumes of money therewith, or to receive abone three pence a shilling waireing 1666 Glasgow Chart. II 116.
From ane stranger and unfrie man, of all goods coastlie, as silverware, cloath, spycerie … of everie pound Scotts waireing four penneyes, quhich is out of everie hundreth threttie thrie shilling four penneyespl. 1586–7 Edinb. B. Rec. IV 487.
To tak the aythis of the merchants vpoun the quantities of thair wayrings and guids schippetc. 1589–1600 Skipper's Acc. (Morton) 42b.
Sum of all my wareing seleur and all is bye my outterd of my schepe it is [etc.]

3. The act of laying down one's life for a cause. (War(e v.¹ 3.) 1557 Facs. Nat. MSS III xl.
We sall mentene thame, nwrys thame, and defende thame, the haill congregatioune of Christ … at oure haill poweres, and waring of oure lyves aganis Sathan and all wicked power 1559 St. A. Kirk S. 7 (see 4 below).

4. The act of expending effort, using one's strengths, labours, etc. (War(e v.¹ 4 b.) 1559 St. A. Kirk S. 7.
We … sall … at our utter poweris to the waring of our labouris, substance and lyves … defend … every ane ane uthir 1654 Johnston Diary II 196.
I told hir my conception of hir seaknesse as a correction for hir neglect of secret worship and wayring hir strenth and health on uther busines preferred to that 1656 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. II 1012.
Charles Lyndsay to flitt … fra the said tenement … at Witsonday … and fra the said ȝaird presentlie in respect of the waring vsit theranent