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.
Quotation dates: 1400-1586
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Pur(e, Puir(e, v. P.p. purit, -yt; purd, puird. [ME and late ME pouere(n (c1275), poore (Wyclif), to become poor (c1275), to make poor (Wyclif, c1450), thereafter appar. only Sc., OF poveri p.p. impoverished (1175 in Greimas). Cf. Poure v.2]
1. intr. To become poor.c1460 Regimine Principum 133 (Marchm.).
Thi revm sal riche and thou sal neuir pure [: cure] a1568 Bannatyne MS 134a/2.
All to pure and nocht to plenȝie Sic freitis I hald nocht wirth a fas
2. tr. To make poor, impoverish.
a. a corporate institution by destroying or wasting its wealth. b. land or soil by exhausting it or failing to fertilise it. c. a person.a. 14.. Acts I 113/2.
It behufis nocht for that the kynrik be puryt be alienaciounis of gudis had out of the kynrik c1460 Alex. (Taym.) 9511.
Bettir … to riche ane hale regioun Na pure ane realme and riche bot ane persoun a1538 Abell 70b.
Scotland now is ane sait of ydill men at puris the kinrik 1555 Rec. Convention of Royal Burghs I 7.
Thair is diuers and syndry borrowis of this realme … that ar depauperit and purit and dekeyit … thairthrowb. 1490 Irland Mir. II 93/2.
We se the herbis corne and treis how thai pur the erd and drawis fra it the nurisinge conuenient for thame 1548 Protocol Book of Sir C. Craig 14b.
Sua that the said colterall tak be nocht purit for falt of guding 1581–2 Waus Corr. 237.
The possessoris … hes sa purit that land … that it is not abill to rander any frutc. a1500 Prestis of Peblis 326 (Ch.).
Ȝour tennants and ȝour leill husbands ar puird [: smuird; A. purd] And quhan that thay ar puird [A. pure] than ar ȝe pure [A. soure] a1570-86 Maitland Maitland Folio MS xxxi 25.
With vane consait to pure [Q. puire] him selfe and hirrie 1568 Waus Corr. 49.
To ga to sum purpus that is other to cum apone vs, to pure us, or else vpone your self
d. To impoverish, deprive, render destitute of (something).1467 Acts II 88/2.
The mone of this realme is born out in gret quantite and the realme puryt of the sammyn c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace xi 43.
This land is purd off fud that suld ws beild
