Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Alter, v. Also: altir, altyr, altr-. [ME. altere, alter (c 1375), OF. alterer, late L. alterāre.] tr. (also absol.) and intr. To alter, change.a. tr. 1456 Hay II. 125/34 (it alteris thair complexioun). c1450-2 Howlat 929 (thocht I alterit as ȝe askit). 1484 Acta Aud. *144/1 (that the retour was fals and alterit). 1513 Doug. i. v. 57 (my sentence is nocht alterit). 1562-3 Winȝet II. 15/14 (I alterit na thing of the text). 1592 Acts III. 560/2 (quhen ony tennent is alterit).b. intr. c1515 Asl. MS. I. 316/11 (the son alterit contrar natur). 1513 Doug. iv. viii. 99 (scho gan behald the watir altyr). 1549 Compl. 21/27 (the cause that al dominions altris). 1558 Q. Kennedy Tractive 155 (as the tyme alterit). a1570-86 Maitl. F. cxii. 41 (sa alteris oure nobilitie).