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.
Quotation dates: 1375-1475, 1531-1535, 1596-1643
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Flear, n.1 Also: fleiar, fliear, fliar; fleier, flier. [f. Fle v.2 Cf. e.m.E. (rare) fleer (1598).] One who flees, a fugitive. 1375 Barb. iii. 51.
He reskewyt all the flearis 1375 Ib. 81.
To reskew all the fleieris c1420 Wynt. viii. 6261.
Quhen the flearis twa myle and mare War fled ?1438 Alex. i. 2787.
He … him set For to defend all the flearis 1456 Hay I. 279/29.
To geve lak and dishonour to cowartis or flearis fra bataillis c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace x. 341.
Sic a flear befor was neuir seyn 1531 Bell. Boece I. 125.
Followit, ane miserable slauchter on the flearis 1535 Stewart 57215.
As hapnis oft … ane greit braggar to be fund a fliear 1596 Dalr. I. 21/13.
The dog … seases nocht afor he find the trad of the fliaris 1596 Ib. II. 287/1.
Sa was followit vpon the flearis 1643 S. Leith Rec. 45.
The fleiar to be in danger of his lyf
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"Flear n.1". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 13 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/flear_n_1>
