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: 1399-1599
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Bour, Bowr, n. Also: boure, bowre. [ME. bour(e, bowr(e, early bur(e, OE. búr, ON. búr.]
1. An inner or small apartment or chamber, freq. in contrast to hall.a1400 Legends of the Saints l. 1119.
Criste callis me now … To wyne with hym in till his boure c1450-2 Howlat 324.
Marschell to the Empriour, Boith in hall and in bowr a1500 Golagros and Gawane 330.
In burgh and in bour a1500 Ib. 406.
Mony burgh, mony bour a1500 Doug. K. Hart. 388.
Our lord … That ȝit is law amang the nether bowris c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxvi. 23.
In hall and bour, in burgh and plane 1513 Doug. xiii. viii. 46.
Resoundis tho baith palys, bowr, and hall 1535 Stewart 2309.
Now lat ws fecht, … For wyffis, barnis, hallis and for bowris 1535 Ib. 58588.
Burning … than baith bour and hall 15.. Clariodus iii. 290.
The garitouris That in the towne and wallis lay and bouris c1552 Lynd. Mon. 3459.
Ceteis, castellis, tounis, and towris, Villagis, bastailȝeis, and bowris 1573 Davidson Satirical Poems xl. 25.
Euin sa that bailful bour of Babilone, Na saifgaird was to Darius
b. A lady's private apartment.a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 438.
This lipper ludge tak for thy burelie bour a1500 Id. Bludy Serk 13.
Scho wynnit in a bigly bour a1500 Taill of Rauf Coilȝear 533.
I am knawin with the Quene … And with mony byrdis in hir bowre a1500 Golagros and Gawane 351.
Blith and bousum … as byrd in hir bour a1500 Doug. King Hart 933.
That fayr sweit thing bening in everie bour c1500-c1512 Dunb. li. 1.
The wardraipper of Wenus boure 1513 Doug. vii. vi. 5.
His spous quene Amatais bour c1550 Rolland Court of Venus iv. 287.
Vesta … did protest that hir court nor hir bour [etc.] 1560 Id. Seven Sages 227/27.
He fand the Quene sitting intill hir bowre
2. A bower of foliage.c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace vi. 12.
Nympheus, in beldyn of his bour c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe ii.
Thir birdis … Within thair courtyns grene, into thair bouris c1500-c1512 Id. lxviii. 15.
Full cauld ar bayth thair beddis and bouris 1535 Stewart 166 § 1.
Thow bonie bour, obumbrat all vith bews
3. Attrib. with bourding (sport), maid.1560 Rolland Seven Sages 254/25.
That ȝoung wenche … Quhilk is bour mayd vnto ȝour awin Empres a1570-86 Clapperton Maitland Folio MS lxxix. 28.
Of bowre bourding bayth bask and bair
