Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1986 (DOST Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Pour(e, Powr(e, v.¹ Also: pouer, power, -ir, pover; pure. [e.m.E. and ME pour(e (c 1330), powre (15th c.), pore (c 1430), poore (1530), appar. repr. an ME *pūren, of unknown origin.] To pour, in various senses.

1. tr. and absol. To cause (a liquid substance) to flow (out of a vessel) (into or in a receptacle, on a person, etc.).Also to pour in, on, furth or out.Also to powre doun or out (tears).(1) c1520-c1535 Nisbet III 332/35.
Ewin as watter is powret into anne weschel 1551 Hamilton Cat. 192.
And in sum countrei thai laive or powris wattir on the barne thrise 1611-57 Mure Dido & Æneas i 282.
Some at the pumpe powr seas in seas againe 1643 Misc. Abbotsf. C. I 184.
Ȝe took lead, … and meltit it, and powrit it throw the boul of the scheir —absol. 1595 Duncan App. Etym.
Fundo … to powre, to ȝette(2) 1589 St. A. Kirk S. 653.
That Mr. Androw powrit furth the aquavite in ane trein cope 1590-1 R. Bruce Serm. 42.
Quhen the minister … is … pouring out and distributing that wine a1599 Rollock Wks. I 446.
He that waschis us is he that pouris on the precious lavver of the spreit 1662 Crim. Trials III 615.
We powered in vater —absol. 1579, 1617 Despauter (1579).
To ȝet or powre furth(3) a1500 K. Hart 932.
Quhen scho for me the teiris doun culd powre 1572 Buch. Detect. (1727) 127.
For him also I powrit out mony teiris

b. transf. and c. fig. To shed or discharge copiously; to release; to send furth or out.b. c1552 Lynd. Mon. 161.
Persauyng Phebus powir [v.r. powre] his beymes brycht Abufe the erth 1615 Denmylne MSS. in Highland P. III 181.
The rebelles … powrit out a great many shoate one the twa boatsc. (1) 1559 Knox VI 50.
These benefites of God … poured … upon you a1561 Norvell Meroure 13 a.
I frelie powre my spreit On all fleshe 1561 Q. Kennedy Compendious Ressonyng (ed.) 182 (G). 1572 Sempill Sat. P. xxx 36.
Sic tyme sall cum that God sall pour his plaig a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 427 (W).
Let fame hir pittie on thé poure, Quhill all thy banes ar brokin 1588 King Cat. 231.
For sen Christ euer poures wertue in to tham that [etc.] c1590 Fowler I 153/12.
Shee … never will one dropp of pittie pouer Ib. 304/5.
Now must I poure my plaints before his throne ?a 1591 Misc. Spald. C. IV 109.
Pover 1591 Aberd. B. Rec. II 71.
It procuris the wraith … of God to be pured on that citie and congregatioun quhair the same is committit 1592 Warrender P. (S.H.S.) II 172.
Powered 1596 Dalr. I 142/12.
To ingrafe and poure in the hartis of the ignorant people … the knawlege of ane only God Ib. 220/33. 1649 Cullen Kirk S. 8 July.
Saying the Lord graunt that this toune be brunt … and God pour a curse upon it(2) 1551 Hamilton Cat. 55.
Powr out your hartis afore him 1562-3 Winȝet I 14/26.
Thairfore I haue pourit oute my creuell displesour vpon thaim 1570 Sempill Sat. P. xii 73.
Apperandly thir plaigis ar powrit out To wraik this warld 1570 Misc. Bann. C. I 48*.
My prayer quhilk oftymis I powrit furth befoir the throne of [etc.] 1588 King Cat. 223.
The charitie of God is powred forth in thair hartes wha ar iustified 1590-1 R. Bruce Serm. 125.
In sic sort that it is made to poure out thy affection … on … God, quhere it was poured out on ane idoll … before c1590 Fowler II 162/13.
Pouer 1643 Rec. Kirk Scotl. 357.
Powred 1695 Glasgow B. Rec. IV 145.
And to Him we power out continually our … prayers

2. With a. the original, and b. the receiving, container of the liquid as obj.

a. To pour liquid from (a container). b. To fill by pouring (a receptacle) full of (a liquid substance). a1508 Kynd Kittok 32 (Ch. & M.).
Than to the ailhous agane scho ran the pycharis to pour 1560 Rolland Seven S. 5330.
On his bak thay kest him in ane bed And powrit his mouth of meltit gold thair fow