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.
Quotation dates: 1499-1640
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Nurture, -our, Nortur, -our, v. [Late ME. and e.m.E. norture (c 1430), nurtur(e (c 1440), -er (c 1511), to feed or to rear or foster, (1526) to bring up, educate, (1528) to discipline, f. Nurtur(e,n.] tr. a. To bring up, educate. b. To discipline, chastise. —a. a1500 Tale of the Colkelbie Sow ii. 15.
So weill nurtourit as scho has nurischeit bene In closter or court 1603 Elgin Rec. II. 398.
To instruct and vpbring the ȝowthe of the … burgh … in art and science of musick … and to reid and wreit to nortur them with maners and curtasie —b. c1520-c1535 Nisbet III. 130 marg.
Almychti Gode euir … preiffit his chosin … be nortouryng thaim with outwarde plagis 1567 Gude and Godlie Ballatis 92.
Thay nurtour me my faultis to knaw 1640 Rutherford Lett. (1891) 606.
Seeing … the covenant standeth fast … , let Him strike and nurture
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"Nurture v.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 14 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/nurture_v>
