A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 2000 (DOST Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
(Scoury,) Scourie, -e, Skowry, -ie, adj. (Of unknown origin: cf. Scurvie adj. Cf. later Sc. dial Scourie ‘scruffy, disreputable or nasty in appearance, broken-down, unprepossessing’ (SND).) ? Also absol. as a to-name or ? name of a dog (but quotes 1570 and Ferg. perh. belong elsewhere). —c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 113/15.
The tod wes nowder lene nor skowry [M. skowrie] 1570 Treas. Acc. XII 219.
Thomas Scot callit the scoure a1598 Ferg. Prov. MS No. 762.
Habet. He hes stollen the whelp Scourie [pr. Stourie]