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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.

Wer(e, Weir(e, n.² Also: vere, weyr(e, veir(e, weer. [ME and e.m.E. were (c1250), wer (Cursor M.), wehere, weyr (both Manning), weer (Gower), prob. f. as Wer(e n.¹]

1. Danger, jeopardy. b. An instance of this, an occasion of peril. a1400 Leg. S. xxvi 717.
Thare a lange tyme he can ly In langoure, & of hele in were 1429 Reg. Episc. Brechin. I 42.
I … gyffis … in … almus … fourty punde of annuale rent ȝerly to be raysyt of my landys of Cortaqwy and falȝeand thairof throw ony manar of way, were, pouirte, ore ony othir gate to be raysyt of my landis of the lordschyp off Brechin 1456 Hay I 244/20.
The quhilk puttis lyf land and honour in were for a lettre of paper with a lytill wax c1460 Thewis Wysmen 220.
Was neuir gud deid done for nocht. Qwhen all gud is rewardyt here The joy of hevyne is al in weire 1460 Hay Alex. 3459.
That sould nocht be Withoutin straik that I sould schape to fle … In faith than war my woureschipe all in were a1500 Sir Eger 561.
Weer a1500 Quare Jel. 229.
Allace the wo … That wommen suffren … Into this erth in dangere and in vere c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 177/22.
In all houre thy lyfe in weir is 1535 Stewart 6104.
To gyde and reull that all thing suld gang rycht But weir or wrang of ony warldlie wycht 1567 G. Ball. 234.
Cum heir my Elect, … Ȝour hyre sall not be in weir, Baith saull and body, in heuin … sall dwellb. 1460 Hay Alex. 1714.
The douzepeiris persauit that Tholomer Into the chase was put in sic ane were … Bot or thai com his destrer thai haid slane

2. Doubt as to the truth of a fact, situation or opinion, chiefly (to be (hare)) in were; an instance of this. Also to put out of weir, to disabuse as to the truth of something.(1) a1400 Leg. S. ii 378.
It is in wer Gyff this be Paulis hewid or nocht a1400 Leg. S. xxxv 174.
Pannacius had in were … gyf God had forgyffine To Thadee hyr fellone syne c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 10/89.
In weir that He wes ȝit on lyf, Thay rane ane rude speir in his syde 1560 Rolland Seven S. 4690.
Tauld I ȝow not ane word was not in weir; That ay auld men was … cruell a1568 Bann. MS I p. 25/34.
Mesur is ane instrument Decernis thingis that is in weir a1568 Bann. MS 49b/54.
Thy windene scheit is nocht in weir(2) c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 13/30.
Thi confessour … can thé discharge of every doute and weir(3) a1568 Bann. MS 134b/51.
Be God, I put ȝow out of weir, Ȝe did nocht of fors this sevin ȝeir

b. But, foroutyn, na, out of, withoutin were, without doubt, certainly, truly.(a) 1375 Barb. ii 43.
He mysdyd thar gretly but wer That gave na gyrth to the awter a1400 Leg. S. iii 639.
Thi tormentis sall leste, no wer is, Mar thane a thousand of ȝeris a1400 Leg. S. xlv 111.
Ȝet but vere In Godis seruice I persewere ?1438 Alex. i 686.
His sister sone he was, but were 1456 Hay I 131/1.
Thare is na were that men may laufully diffend the gudis that thai have lawfully wonyn 1460 Hay Alex. 724.
We but were hes freindis bene sa lang(b) 1375 Barb. iv 222 (C).
Weir 1375 Barb. vii 219 (C).
Na war the armyng that he had, He had beyn ded foroutyn weyr ?1438 Alex. ii 1281.
Me think it tyme, withoutin weir. With-draw vs hyne of thare danger c1450-2 Howlat 576 (A).
The Dowglas … Wan wichtly … wit ȝe but weire c1460 Thewis Wysmen 42.
Veire 1460 Hay Alex. 3112.
For thair reskewing suld he cum but weire a1500 Rauf C. 228.
‘Out of weir,’ said the King, ‘I wayndit neuer to tell’ a1500 Rauf C. 704.
Ȝone is Wymond, I wait, it worthis na weir 1513 Doug. v vi 109.
Ȝour enterprys … Remanys sovir to ȝou, for, owt of weir, As fyrst was set the pryce, sal na man steir 1535 Stewart 152.
So that it be substantious of sentence In plane termis, thairof haif thow no weir, Bot it wil be richt pleasand for to heir c1552 Lynd. Mon. 1391.
The makyng of this ark, but weir, Indurit weill ane hundreth ȝeir 15.. Clar. i 1320.
This knicht we tuike in this maneir To save our aithes, traist weill this is no weir 1567 G. Ball. 149.
I am ane husband man but weir Quhilk labouris for my lot a1570-86 Maitl. F. 67/39.
Lordis and lairdis ȝour wyffis but weir puttis ȝow to grit expensis c1600 Montg. Suppl. ix 54.
And sen I schaw the suith full sueit To ȝow but weir

3. a. A doubtful or difficult point of law; a question or difficulty in a legal process. Also const. were of law. b. A doubt as to a point of law. c. transf.Appar. applied to a system of law or a jurisdiction.a. c1420 Wynt. v 2493.
He [sc. the pope] bad … that nane suld drawe Clerkys for till suffyre lawe Befor [ony] juges seculare And gyff ony dowtys ware Or gryt questyownys off swylk were [C. weyre] That ware deficyle to declere Thai suld at the pap[ys] se Referryd … be 14.. Acts I 389/2.
A gude were of law. Twa sisteris frewomen hes an heretage [etc.] … the tane takis a throl … may the sone recouer the heretage nay he sal nocht 1429–30 Acts II 18/1.
Quhare twa partiis apperis at the bar and the tane strek a borgh apon a weir of law the tother party sal haf leif to be avisit 1429–30 Ayr B. Ct. 6 March.
Quhar a borch is fwndyne in a court apon a wer of law that the party defendour … sal hafe fredome to be awysit 1456 Hay I 144/1.
Here standis the were of law quhethir [etc.] 1456 Hay I 252/30.
As to this mater [sc. whether the queen of Naples could marry the king of Sicily] we ar cummyn nocht anerly for the declaracioun of this were be langand Quene Jounelle 1461 Aberd. B. Rec. MS V i 425 (23 June).
The quhilkis ar sworn the grete athe to deside & to discern al weris of clamis giffin be thaim 1448–9 Aberd. B. Rec. MS V i 34 (16 Feb.).
Give thar beis in thar acomptis any grete weris or doutis thai sal reserve that to be endit be the hale counsale 1686 Mackenzie Observ. (1687) 25.
When any defender finds caution to answer as law will (which is called here a borgh upon a weir of law)b. 1456 Hay I 254/21.
Thai war thai tymes in were of twa electiouns quha suld be pape; sum said pape Clement, sum Johnne 1460 Hay Alex. 2143.
Than of the law thair is na dout nor were—But questioun I am his hereterc. 1456 Hay I 253/5.
Of this mater, we ar out of were of Fraunce, for the opynioun of Tholomien

d. ? Jurisdiction or care more generally, or ? altered from or erron. for Care n. or Cure n.¹ c1420 Wynt. ii 1498 (L).
Tua ladyis of thame in land tuke the weire [R., C., W. cure] Of houshaldis 1597 Edinb. Test. XXXI 157b.
I … ordanis my haill frendis … to be faythfull and trew to my said tutour during the minoritie of my sone for it wilbe all thair weiris

4. Apprehension, dread, fear; uncertainty, confusion. Also pl. a1400 Leg. S. i 318.
Sin eftir can Crist appere To Petir, at wes in sic were And sad … 'Drede na deile' c1450-2 Howlat 58 (A).
I am bot ane owle Aganis natur in the nicht I walk in to weire a1500 Seven S. 2396.
Scho said my lord haf ȝe na weire Bot ȝour ryng … As my awne body kepe sall I c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 166/50.
This freir that did Sanct Francis thair appeir, Ane fieind he wes … He vaneist away with stynk and fyrie smowk; With him me thocht all the hous end he towk, And I awoik as wy that wes in weir a1508 Want of Wyse Men 33 (Bann.).
Weir [Ch. & M. 25, Now] but defens, rycht lyis all desolat 1513 Doug. ii xi 11.
We than, al in weir, Abasit, trymlyng for the dreidfull feir a1568 Bann. MS 264a/4.
My hairt is in distres And wrappit full of havines And I as wofull presoneir Gois walking vp and doun in weir My lady will not on me blent c1611 Reg. Panmure I xxxiv.
[Thomas] findine ane gryt cherrie tre clam vp in the thikest of the branches thearof … Thear fel fra ane [of his pursuers] … ane purse. The Englishmane beine on horse drew his sword and had mikil ado to geat vp the sam wpon the point thearof; quhilk space Thomas ves in gryt veir and feare he said he newer thought ane tyme so longue 1604-31 Craig v 29.
Then louelesse dame adue whom I haue helde so deare: And welcome, Death, to cut the threede, which holdes my lyfe in weirepl. a1500 Colk. Sow i 474.
Is nocht this a nyce cais That first this pig so pure wais And in so mony dengeris He eskapit with weris