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.
Quotation dates: 1399-1628, 1691
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Paramo(u)r, n. Also: -amoure. [ME. (Cursor M.) and e.m.E. paramour: cf. Paramouradv. and Paramour(i)s n.]
1. Love, esp. sexual or passionate love. a1487 Gud Wyf & D. 65.
Men will presoyme na gud treuly Bot that scho dois it for paramour a1500 Golagros and Gawane 654.
Ane vthir heght Edmond, that prouit paramour a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 232 (Ch.).
That all fleschelie paramour … Is sum tyme sweit, sum tyme bitter and sour a1500 Id. III. 119/44 (B).
And pane thé sall put fra paramour [M. depryve for paramour] a1538 Abell 92 b.
His wife … syne passit with a Inglis man in paramour in Ingland a1570-86 Maitland Folio MS lix. 21.
And half the sleiping of ane hour For my plesance of paramour a1605 Montg. Misc. P. l. 27.
Pigmaleon … Himself thairwith in paramour Fell suddanlie
2. A beloved, sweetheart, lover; a lady-love, mistress; an illicit or clandestine lover, a paramour. ?1438 Alex. ii. 1215.
Thow sall neuer haue that paramour Nakit vnder thy coueratour c1460 Alex. (Taym.) 7230.
He … made a buke … How mony kyndis of paramouris thare was And of gude women a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 53 (Ch.). a1500 Golagros and Gawane 538.
He thinkis provese to preve, for his paramour a1500 Sir Eger 1412.
The lady said, ‘ … In press, think on your paramour’ 1490 Irland Mir. I. 124/25.
Hou he chesit hire for his tendir luf and paramoure c1500-c1512 Dunb. xlviii. 180. a1538 Abell 7 a.
His paramour Dillada betrasit him a1538 Ib. 64 b.
In hir ȝoung age sche [‘Pope Joan’] wes led with paramour in mannis clathis to Athenis 1537 Lynd. Depl. Magd. 19.
With hir prince and paramour c1550 Id. Test. Meldrum 222. 15.. Clariodus ii. 233. 1583 Sempill Warning xii.
With princes & paramouris absence is a shrew a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 1258.
Puddins and paramours wald be hetlie handelit 1691 Kirk Secr. Commonw. 105.
In the quality of succubi or lightsome paramours and strumpets
b. transf., in religious contexts. — a1400 Legends of the Saints l. 1118.
My dere Lord Ihesu Criste … That is my luf and paramor c1500-c1512 Dunb. xlvi. 47. a1538 Abell 24 a.
Christin wirginis … ar the paramoris of Christ
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"Paramor n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 14 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/paramour_n>
