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.
Penurité, n. Also: pennur-, pinur- and -yté, -itie, -atie. [L. pēnūria Penurie n., with altered suffix. Only Sc.]
1. Destitution, want, poverty. Also b. spiritual need.The quot. of 1522 may possibly be an example of Penurie n. in (unique) plur. use.(1) a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 321 (Ch.).
And greit penuritie Thow suffer sall and as ane beggar die c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxix. 13.
Penuritie [: me] 1522 Douglas Corr. 86.
Quhat penurite [pr. penurice] and distres so euir I sustene 1531 Bell. Boece I. 45.
The Scottis … war drevin to sic penurite … that thay kest cavillis quha suld be first devorit 1533 Boece ii. xi. 80. 1535 Stewart 52665.
And bring ȝour self … To falt and mister and penuritie [: be] Id. Maitl. F. cxxviii. 84.
And ȝour peple putt to penurite [: deite] c1552 Lynd. Mon. 1932.
Ryches bene turnit to powertie Plentie in tyll penuritie 1560 Rolland Seven S. 8528.
Than the male rauin … With panis and pine and greit penuritie [: fle] Fed this ȝoung rauin 1562-3 Winȝet II. 4/10. 1567 Sat. P. vi. 114.
Till relief the greit penuritie [: cuntrie, nobilitie] Off … your tennentis pure 1572 Bk. Dunvegan I. 35.
Throcht the greit penurite of cauld and hunger sustenit be me 1595 Crim. Trials I. ii. 351.
The grite penuritie and indigence quhairunto the puir handy-labouraris … ar redactit 1596 Dalr. II. 438/30.
Being opprest with penuritie and gret necessitie(b) 1549 Compl. 142/6.
The cald, hungir ande pinurite [pr. punirite] that there fathirs and mothers indurit(2) 1535 Stewart 60043.
Vmquhill in … prosperitie, Vmquhill in … greit penuritie 1561 Knox (B.C.) II. 201.
Fallin in decay and penuritie 1573 Davidson Sat. P. xlii. 698.
Wald not thay seruandis houngerit be And leif in greit penuritie?b. 1490 Irland Mir. I. 121/21.
Now mankind is in gret pennurite humylit with pains askand mercy and grace
2. Deficiency, dearth, scarcity, of, also once in, a. victuals, b. other material and non-material things.a. (1) 1531 Bell. Boece I. 23.
That be lang … penurite of vittallis his ennimes micht be … irkit Id. Livy II. 222/21.
Nochtwithstanding thare grete penurite of meit 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 263.
Thair wes … greit penuritie and scant of vivaris within … Edinburgh 1577 Aberd. B. Rec. II. 30. 1578 Rec. Earld. Orkney 354.(2) a1538 Abell 70 a.
The pure lauboraris … sustene gret penurite in met and drink & clathing [etc.]b. (1) 1513 Doug. i. Prol. 380.
Twychyng our tungis penuryte … into compar of fair Latyn(2) 1531 Bell. Boece (M) I. 94.
A huge tresoure … quhilkis mycht nocht be tursit with him for penurite of schippis Id. Livy I. 78/17.
The pepill had penurite of rowmes to thare habitacioun within the toun 1535 Stewart 2507.
The Britis knew … how thai had so greit penuritie Of men of gude to haif authoritie 1554 Cochran-Patrick Coinage I. 76.
Throw penurite and scantnes off … small money 1590 Glasgow B. Rec. I. 153.
Becaus of penuritie and skairnes of tymer 1596 Dalr. I. 35/23.
For the penuritie of wodis out of the ȝeard we cutt peates(3) c1550-c1580 Art of Music 26 b.
The first is penuratie of and scarsnes of nottis in ane part of ane sang 1584 Coll. Aberd. & B. 629.
Be penuritie of tym he culd nocht mak sik securiteis to his dochters as he wald 1587-99 Hume 143/26.
I speake so for penuritie of language
