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: 1375-1400, 1474-1661
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Covering, Cowering, n. Also: coveryng, cowerring, -iryng, cowferyng; coverene, koverein, cuvering, cuffering. [ME. coveryng (Wyclif), f. Cover v.1 and Cuver v.1 Cf. Quivering n.]
1. A covering or cover, in various applications.(a) 1375 Barb. xvii. 343.
With instrumentis on seir maneris, As scaffatis, ledderis, and coueryngis c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 202.
When the walles all was mayd, Befor that it the coveringe had 1474 Treasurer's Accounts I. 26.
Rede crammasy vellus for the couering of the litil bering swerd 1506 Glasgow Dioc. Reg. II. 152.
Fife silouris for the couering of the stallis [of the choir] 1554 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 200.
That thair be na standis on the hiegait with palyonis or coueringis aboun thame 1561 Admiralty Ct. Bk. MS. 132 b.
Twa blak bonetis and ane covering of ane bonet 1615 Proceedings of Society of Antiquaries LVIII. 353.
A silver gilded cup, bost, with a covering bost Russia work(b) 1474 Treasurer's Accounts I. 21.
vj elne of smale brade clath for coweringis of the Kingis codberis 1530 Balmerino and L. Chart. ii. 33.
Twa haly walter fatts with cowferyngs 1540 Maxwell Mem. 409.
Ane cowerring of ane evcrist in ane rwnd bwst
2. A bed-cover; a table-cover.(a) 1483 Acts Lords Auditors 112/1.
A couering of Inglis worsat with ane vther coueryng of verdour 1490–1 Treasurer's Accounts I. 195.
A couering of arres to the Duk of Ros bed a1500 Buke of the Sevyne Sagis 1453.
The hound lap wp on the bed clathis … Baith courting, cod, covering & schete, Of silk he fylis with his feit 1527 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 230.
Ane fedder bed … a couering, a compter burd 1554 Ib. II. 200.
Ane burd on twa laych trestis without oney couering 1566 Protocol Book of Thomas Johnsoun 97.
9 stand beddis, … 5 Scots coveringis, 1 steikit covering 1597 Edinburgh Testaments XXXI. 93 b.
His bed claythis, viz. ane couering, blankettis, and pair of scheittis 1636 Ib. LVIII. 44 b.
Twa Santandrois coveringis, pryce of bayth viij li. 1654 Glasgow B. Rec. II. 297.
Ane covering of grein cloathe uained with gallowne lace(b) 1495 Halyb. 12.
A fyn cowiryng of vardur, 20 ellis 1630 Bamff Chart. 223.
Fowr cowerings, thairof twa sewed cowerings(c) 1573 Protocol Book of Thomas Johnsoun 172.
3 stand beddis, … with schetis, blankettis, coverenis 1581 Brechin Testaments I. 47.
Twa Scottis kouereins, price xxs.(d) 1561–2 Treasurer's Accounts XI. 109.
xvij elnis of quhite plading to be ane cuvering 1566 Fleming Q. Mary 499.
Ane cuvering of ane bed … Sax elnis of plaiding to lyne the cuvering with 1566 Ib. 500.
Tuay cuveringis of tapestrie(e) 1627 Orkney & Zetl. Test. I. 176.
Twa bowsteris and four coddis, ane auld sewit cuffering 1644 Edinburgh Testaments LXI. 38.
Twa pair of blankettis & ane old cuffering
3. Attrib. with bonnet, loom, skin. 1579 Edinburgh Testaments VII. 285.
xxxv parchement couering skynnis 1583 Ib. XII. 355 b.
xij covering bonettis to knappiscallis 1661 Melrose R. Rec. I. 353.
He aboad with him … ten dayes helping him to mount ane covering loome
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"Covering n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 8 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/covering>
