A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1983 (DOST Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Or(r)a, Or(r)ay, -ey, a. [Of uncertain origin.Presum. the same word as the mod. dial. orra, orrae, oary, o'era odd, in various applications. The lacunae in the phonological and semantic history leave somewhat uncertain the possible derivation f. Overall a., Over-all adv., Our-all adv.]
In Central Scotland: Unattached, without attachment or fixed employment.Most commonly of women: Not attached, either as a married woman is to her husband or a servant to her employer; disengaged.(a) 1597 Stirling Kirk S. in Misc. Maitl. C. I. 129.
Orray wemen — The quhilk day it is concludit … that na eldar … suffir ane singill woman that never hes bein mareit to dwell hir allane in ane hous undelaited to the sessioune 1611 Paisley B. Rec. 286.
Act anent orray personis an single women … that na orray person, man nor woman servants … be sufferit to remane in the town unfeyit, nor convene in houses pretending work of their awn, bot that they … work for meat and fie 1623 Stirling Kirk S. in Misc. Maitl. C. I. 465.
Issobell Dowgall, quha is fund ane resettar of oray women and uther vicious persones 1661 Glasgow B. Rec. II. 457. 1664 Ib. III. 30.
All single and orray weamen who desertis ther service and takis houssis 1665 Ib. 50.(b) 1664 Glasgow B. Rec. III. 31.
Orrey(c) 1627 Falkirk Par. Rec. I. 61.
[Annoyances caused by] iydle and orra persounes Ib. 62. 1639 Stow 143. 1673 Kirkintilloch B. Ct. 48.
Ora Ib. 58.
That all thir orra idle women that are unhyred with honest men that they goe out of the toune [etc.] 1674 Ib. 61, 1677 Ib. 90, 1679 Ib. 101, etc.
