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.
Avarice, Averice, n. Also: avaryce, -ise, -eis, -iese, (avaracie,) euarice; awarice, -is, -ys, -eis; au-, averyce, -eis(e, awerice, -yce. [ME. avaris(e, -ice, averyce, etc. (c 1300), OF. avarice, L. avāritia.] Avarice.(a) a1400 Leg. S. vi. 416 (ve suld eschew auarice); xxvii. 1648 (thru priyd & awaris gredy). c1420 Wynt. v. 383 (in crualte and avaryce); vi. 2418 (pryd, falshad, and covatys, and awarys). 1456 Hay I. 27/27 (the gredy covatis and avarice); II. 57/29 (curage souplit throu avarice). a1500 Bk. Chess 1564 (all thir folk suld kepe thaim fro awaris). c1500-c1512 Dunb. xii. 34 (honour returnis in-to avaryce). 1549 Compl. 109/2 (the auariese that is amang the Romans). 1560 Rolland Seven S. 170/19 (ȝour gredynes and birnand auarice). a1578 Pitsc. I. 254/12 (the pryde and auarice of France). c1615 Chron. Kings 17 (awareis and all wther wycis). 1622-6 Bisset I. 31/37 (inclyned to avaracie). 1626 Haddington Corr. 145 (out of malice nor euarice).(b) c1420 Ratis R. 321 (the stok of thaim is auerice). 1490 Irland Mir. I. 87/18 (thift and auerice). 1549 Compl. 34/4 (auereise, ambitione, insaciabil cupidite); 73/32 (auereise & ambitione). a1568 Scott xxxiv. 98 (I hald it aweryce). a1570-86 Arbuthnot Maitl. F. xxix. 51 (I hait auerice and prodigalitie).
