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.
Ouris, Ou'rs, Owers, n. pl. [Sense a, f. Our adv. 9, Over adv. 8, survives in the later dial. in the same proverb only; with sense b, f. Our adv. 8, Over prep. 15 c, cf. the mod. dial. owrins, overins vbl. n. pl. ‘odds and ends, remnants’, also ‘wage-money over and above one's usual earnings’.] a. Excesses, extremes. b. Left-overs, remnants, odds and ends. —a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 416 (L).
All ouris [W. owers, Wr. ou'rs] ar reput to be wys [= vice], Our [W. ore, Wr. ou'r] heych, our law [etc.] a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 1808.
Ye luke over hie, ye bred of auld owers
