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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Er(e, Eir, n. Also: here, eer; eire, heir, eyr(e, ear, eair, aeir. [ME. ere, OE. éare.]

1. The ear as a part of the body.(a) 1375 Barb. vi. 627 (E).
Er [C. ere] and chek doune in the hals He schar c1420 Wynt. i. 748.
Hys mowyth … is rywyn wyde Fra ere tyll ere on ilk syde Ib. v. 2111.
Set he hawe mouth and erys twa 14.. Acts I. 338/2.
That the ere of the bestis and the hornis ar in like lang a1447 Bower Chron. II. 376.
The vnlatit woman … Wyth prik ȝoukand eeris, as the awsk gleg 1513 Doug. iii. Prol. 17.
Wald God I had thar erys to pull Mysknawis the creid 1533 Boece ii. v. 67.
Oure eris, neis, and naturale membris sall be cuttit away c1552 Lynd. Mon. 3123.
Oxin hydis, … With mouth, and nois, teith, eris, and eine(b) 14.. Acts I. 39/2.
Hydis … that has the eyris and the hornis of a lenth c1420 Wynt. iv. 1904.
A barne wes borne That had … Foure eyne and foure eyrys a1500 Rauf C. 150.
He … hit him vnder the eir with his richt hand 1531 Bell. Boece I. 42.
He … hes devisit … to cut our eiris, and put out oure eyne a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 863.
Sir, for ȝour clergie to be kend, Tak ȝe twa asses eirs c1615 Chron. Kings 164.
The Erll … giffis Sir Robert ane blaw on the eir

2. The ear as the organ of hearing.(a) 1375 Barb. v. 449.
The tithandis … Com to the Cliffurdis ere in hy a1400 Leg. S. ii. 873.
Er ma nocht her, na e se, … the gret ioy [etc.] Ib. xii. 330.
Thinge sene and hard with here c1420 Wynt. iv. 1948.
Fra reuth thai sall thare erys dyt c1420 Ratis R. 142.
Throw wordis … That thow may with thin eris here c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 10.
Your … tongis aureate Bene to oure eris cause of grete delyte 1513 Doug. iii. ii. 53.
A voce com til our erys, sayand thus 1562-3 Winȝet II. 16/4.
To the wordis of the wyse apply thi ere(b) 1490 Irland Mir. I. 138/15.
It that the angell schew to hir in hire eir and mynd 1513 Doug. i. Prol. 10.
Glaidly wald I … till ilk cunnand wight la to my myne eyr 1549 Compl. 75/11.
His eyris ar nocht stoppit, bot he maye heir ȝou a1500 Henr. Fab. 4 (B).
Thair poleit termis … Are rycht plesand vnto the heir of man a1578 Pitsc. I. 92/18.
Quhen thir nowellis come to the kingis eiris 16.. Hist. Kennedy 44.
The Laird of Benand tuik this to the Lairdis eirris(c) 1562-3 Winȝet I. 4/23.
War not the vrgent schortnes of tyme … thunderis in our earis a1578 Pitsc. I. 65/9.
How sune it came to his eairis, he caussit thame to be adiornit c1590 J. Stewart 229 § 117.
At Prencis aeir I do frequent

b. Hearing, attention. c1460 Wisd. Sol. 681.
A man suld nocht len his eris tyll all at he heris c1460 Thewis Wysmen 147.
Thai have thare er euer to the rycht 1567 G. Ball. 159.
Quhen Antichrist wald thé blind, That thow suld geue him na eir a1568 Scott i. 38.
Still on the commoun weill haif e and eir 1581 Hamilton in Cath. Tr. 78/19.
To haif geuin thame eir, and mentenit thair … doctrine c1650 Spalding I. 218.
Yit he reveillit the Kingis proiectis and secreitis, haueing too muche his eir, as wes thocht

3. A small projecting part; a handle. a1400 Leg. S. xxii. 747.
A gret pot with erys twa Of massy gold Ib. 764.
[They] of the chalyce fand the ere Brokine thare

4. Attrib. with confessioun, pike, ring, woup (ring). 1488 Treas. Acc. I. 81.
Twa tuthpikis of gold with a chenȝe, a perle and erepike 1567 G. Ball. 201.
The quhisperit sinnis, callit eir confessioun 1603 Montgomery Mem. 248.
Four eir reings … gifin at Nevyeires day to my Lady Haringtouns vemen 1664 Edinb. Test. LXXI. 258.
Ane ear woup worth ij lib. 1675 Carnegie Lett. 358.
An portugall doucott, ane ear whoop