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

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First published 1971 (DOST Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Minour, Mynour, n. ¹ Also: -owr, -or, myn(n)our, -er; myndour, -er. [ME. mynur (c 1275), mynour, minoure, e.m.E. myn-, miner, minor, OF. minëor, minour (F. mineur).] A miner.

1. In warfare, one who digs mines in siege-works, a sapper. a1400 Leg. S. vii. 754.
He saw a wal wes fow thyke & his mynowris thare gert he pyke In entente to caste it done c1420 Wynt. viii. 5537.
Sley mynowrys c1475 Wall. ix. 1139.
Mynouris [1570, myndouris] sone thai gert pers throw the wall Ib. x. 759.
Masons, minouris [1570, myndouris] 1572 Cal. Sc. P. IV. 460.
Sum of ȝowr awld experimentit capitanis with a mynour … to considder the work [sc. the siege of Edinburgh castle]

2. A miner of metal; one who works in a metalmine; also, a metallurgist.For ‘coal-miner’ see Colȝear n.(a) 1428 Exch. R. IV. 436.
Per solucionem factam Gerardo de Frangia le mynour —a1500 Henr. Fab. 1097 (see Minerall n. 1). — 1539 Treas. Acc. VII. 194.
Gevin to ane Scottis boy that spekis Frenche passit witht the Frenche mynouris to Crauford Mure 1554 Ib. X. 237.
Gevin to the Inglis mynour to mak ane assay of money c1615 Chron. Kings 86.
Certane mynnouris com in Scotland(b) 1607 Reg. Privy C. VII. 434.
Ony mynner, pikman, windaisman [etc.] … hyrit at ony of the mynis 1661 Acts VII. 361/2.
All myners, mettallers and others(c) 1623 Edinb. Marriages 58.
Mynder