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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.

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 Leg. S. 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 Gol. & Gaw. 330.
In burgh and in bour 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 Ib. 58588.
Burning … than baith bour and hall 15.. Clar. 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 Sat. P. 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 Id. Bludy Serk 13.
Scho wynnit in a bigly bour a1500 Rauf C. 533.
I am knawin with the Quene … And with mony byrdis in hir bowre a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 351.
Blith and bousum … as byrd in hir bour a1500 Doug. K. 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 C. Venus iv. 287.
Vesta … did protest that hir court nor hir bour [etc.] Id. Seven S. 227/27.
He fand the Quene sitting intill hir bowre

2. A bower of foliage. c1475 Wall. vi. 12.
Nympheus, in beldyn of his bour c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe ii.
Thir birdis … Within thair courtyns grene, into thair bouris 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 S. 254/25.
That ȝoung wenche … Quhilk is bour mayd vnto ȝour awin Empres a1570-86 Clapperton Maitl. F. lxxix. 28.
Of bowre bourding bayth bask and bair