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: 1375-1605
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Forbere, Forbeir, v. Also: forber, forebere, foirbeir. P.t. forbar(e, -bure, -buir. P.p. forborn(e, foirborne. [ME. forbere(n, OE. forberan (p.t. forbær, p.p. forboren.]
1. tr. To refrain or abstain from (some action, etc.); to keep away from.(a) a1400 Legends of the Saints xix. 182.
Thu mon … fore-bere oft drynk & met a1400 Ib. xl. 22.
Forberand wantones & play c1420 Wynt. v. 3947.
To forbere inyqwyte 1456 Hay II. 135/12.
Sa sulde men forbere wyne and mylk c1500 Fyve Bestis 366.
To forbeir sic lust and sic delyte c1540 Lynd. Kitteis Conf. 50.
Quharethrow I suld my syn forbeir c1552 Id. Mon. 908.
Quhat is the cause, That ȝe forbeir ȝone plesand tre? 1560 Stirling B. Rec. I. 72.
Ordinis Sir William Myrton to foirbeir George Gardineris gait a1570-86 Maitland Folio MS xv. 58.
All thingis [to] foirbeir That may thair barnis gar repent 1605 Ellon Presb. 55.
Mr. Thomas Gardyne wes chargit to forbeir the oistlar hous, carting, dyceing, civill trysting(b) 1375 Barb. ix. 37.
He forbare [E. forbar] bath drink and met c1420 Wynt. iii. 823.
Hys douchtyr sone … Forbare na thyng for tyll assayle Hys eldfadyr c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace i. 259.
Scho … Forbure the gate for wachis that war thar(c) 1456 Hay I. 163/23.
Sen it is aganis God … me think be all men it suld be forborne 1457 Acts II. 47/1.
It is sene spedfull at that vse be laide done and forborn in tym to cum 1492 Myll Spectakle of Luf 288/18.
Sic luf is gud to be eschewit and forborne 1561 Inverness B. Rec. I. 52.
To cause the forsaid falis [= faults] to be forborn 1574 Acts III. 84/2.
The … schwting with culveringis … is not left of and forborne 1600 Ib. IV. 214/1.
That all wark labour … sall be foirborne & abstenit fra
b. In absolute use.a1400 Legends of the Saints vii. 57.
Na [oil] til enoynte hym wald he hafe, Bot altyme he cuth forbere a1500 Henr. Fab. 777.
Sum bene also … Can not forbeir, nor fra thair sinnis fle a1568 Scott xxxi. 53.
We most forbeir, And fra this sinfull lyfe evaid ws 1572-5 Diurnal of Occurrents 291.
Ȝit thai left nor forbure not
c. Const. with infinitive.c1420 Wynt. ii. 1064.
Othir fenyheid fabyllis sere I wyll forbere to wryt in here c1420 Ib. vi. 1567.
Than thai forbare nowcht to do skayth Till abbays 1456 Hay I. 75/18.
The king of Fraunce … wald leve na forbere to ger fulfill the said bataill c1500-c1512 Dunb. xvii. 34.
To tak than sowld he nevir forbeir c1500-c1512 Ib. xlviii. 35.
Amang thy bewis to walk I haif forborne a1570-86 Maitland Maitland Folio MS xcvii. 56.
I ken nane now … To do ane wrang that will forbeir
2. To refrain from injuring; to use gently; to spare.1375 Barb. vi. 152.
The laiff … dred his strakis voundir sare; For he in na thing thame forbare c1420 Wynt. v. 2774.
Quhy suld we slay … oure awyne, And thaim forber that are wnknawyne? ?1438 Alex. i. 2131.
His hors forbure he in na thing, Bot prikkit ay into ane ling c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace i. 169.
No for the Pape thai wald no kyrkis forber c1475 Ib. iii. 218.
Wemen and preystis he gart thaim ay forber a1568 Scott xxxiii. 26.
At the bound thow schutis, And thame forbeiris that thé rebutis 1572 Satirical Poems xxx. 192.
His capitane … Absolone forbure a1585 Polwart Flyt. 59 (T).
At this tyme think I forbuir thé, Becaus I can not trait thé fairerabsol. a1500 Golagros and Gawane 1200.
How fair him fell in feght, syne how he couth forbere
3. To bear with, to excuse.c1420 Wynt. i. 47.
Gywe youre curtasy Forbere me in this juperty c1460 Thewis of Wysmen 402.
Thai ar vncunnand in thar play, And wald be forborn alway
4. To do without, to dispense with.a1500 Doug. King Hart 479.
Vnwelcum Age, … I lat théwit I micht théweill forbeir a1586 Maitland Ho. Seytoun 38.
This Lord gave to his thre sisteris ane thousand pundis … , quhilk was mekle to him to forbeir 1602 Dundonald Par. Rec. 13.
Johne Cunyghame, … to enter and remain in the Castell … how sone he micht be forborn from the Lairdis service
