A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1986 (DOST Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Pour(e, Powr, n.1 [Late ME and e.m.E. pour(e (north. c 1440), powre (c 1440), also ME pore (? 1297; 1461), e.m.E. poore (1529), late contracted varr. of Power n. Found in Sc. only after 1590.] Power, a power, in various senses of Power n.(1) 1591–2 Crim. Trials I ii 266.
Gif thay be nocht of pour sa to do [etc.] 1597 Misc. 3 Spald. C. II 38.
With pour to the said George Myll to call and persew 1614 Crim. Trials III 288.
That your ll. sall have ever pour to command 1611-57 Mure Dido & Æneas i 778.
Thy [sc. Dido's] great deserts exceed owr [sc. the Trojans'] pow'r so farre 1638 Hamilton P. (Camden Soc.) 1.
Their lytill poure, the danger they were in in the contrie 1641 Cochran-Patrick Coinage I xxxviii.
For it is altogether derogatorie from the generalls place poure and jurisdictione 16.. Anderson's MS. Hist. in Crim. Trials I i 216.
This is your hour and pour of darknes 1655 Hist. Fragm. I 31.
The council of state put the pour in the hands of the remonstrator ministers 1656 Bk. Carlaverock II 142.
They haue giuing him a pour to looke upon the registers 1656 Inverness Presb. 286.
Wherefoire we humblie require the hono[rabil]l judges … in this natioune … to interpone thaire pour [ed. por] and judiciall decreit … for causeing [etc.] 1676 Douglas Corr. 278.
Its in your pour … to extricatt me from these deficulties 1677 Meikle Old Session Bk. 32.
They promised faithfulnes therin according to their pour with uplifted hands a 1677 Curiosities Charta Chest 46.
And generally wee doe herby give ye all the pour and indemnitie as is usuall a 1678 Culross II 176.
Consider … whether or not that we heave that poure that we assume to ourselves 1686 Dunkeld Presb. I 230.
Wee comitt to you … our full pour be this our edict(2) 1573 Wemyss Corr. 70.
Be yovris at his vttir powr, Dauid Bossuell of Glasmont c 1637 Innes Sketches 520.
Your affectioned cousing to poure, Anna Cunynghame 1687 Dunlop P. III 38.
Thy own vri dear sestr to serve thé to the outmost of my powr
