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.
Quotation dates: 1420-1634
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Asure, n. and a. Also: asur, azur, azure, asuir, aser, azor, asour; aisur, aysure, aissure, aisser. [ME. asure, asur, aser(e, e.m.E. asour, OF. asur, azur, med. L. azura, azzurum, ultimately of Persian origin.]
1. n. The colour azure in heraldry.c1420 Wynt. iv. 227.
Off gold rampand a lyowne, He bar in tyll asure brycht ?1438 Alex. i. 1216.
His scheild was bordouret richely With gold and asure halely c1450-2 Howlat 346.
Twa keyis our croce, of siluer so cleir, In a feild of asure 1456 Hay I. 283/27.
Sum callis the colour azure hafand the colour of the firmament, sayand that asure is a hevynly colour 1509 Glasgow Dioc. Reg. II. 275.
The armys of the Symsonis. The feilde is of asure 1561 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III. 502.
Sche … suld beir the armes … as fallowis, Asur thre beirheidis siluer mussalit sable 1628 Misc. Maitl. C. III. 372.
The armes and letters to be set af in thair awin cullouris with gold and aisser 1634 Buccleuch Mun. I. 264.
A little baner of the defunctis cullers, viz, azur and or
2. The pigment or paint used for azure blue; the colour produced by this.1488 Treasurer's Accounts I. 163.
For ix coyt armuris … price of ilk peyce, sylk, golde, aysure, and the makin of theim, v li. 1501 Ib. II. 63.
Item four unce asure, ilk unce iij s. 1536 Master of Works Accounts IV. 85.
To Thome Angus paintour for his workmanschip, gold, asur, & vther stuf 1531 Bell. Boece I. p. xxxix.
In Clydisdail is ane riche mine of gold and asure, won but ony laubour 1582 Treasurer's Accounts MS. 53.
Thre rynning speiris paintet with blew asure 1587-99 Hume 153/53.
Ivorie, leade, glasse, gold, and azor
3. A clear or deep blue colour.c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 41 (the rosy garth with purpure, azure, gold and goulis gent arayed was). 1513 Doug. xii. Prol. 22 (purpour sprayngis with gold and asure ment); xiii. Prol. 294.
4. adj. Of the colour of azure.c1500-c1512 Dunb. xlvi. 11 (the hevinly aisur skyis licht); xlviii. 4 (annamyllit with new asur lycht). 15.. Clariodus ii. 855 (Phebus with his asour beamis). a1605 Montg. Misc. P. li. 3 (to asuir colour turne ȝour elements).1617 Mure Early Misc. P. xviii. 8 (in azor-volted skyes).
