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.
Quotation dates: 1375-1420, 1475-1617
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Scurrio(u)r, Scurrour, Scowerour, n. Also: scurr-, skurreour, skurrour, skowrrour, skouriour. [e.m.E. scorar (c1471), scourer (c1500), scurrer (1525), appar. aphetic forms of OF descouvreor Discurr(i)our n.; also ME skouerour (a1400), aphetic form of Discoverour n.] A reconnoitrer, scout. Also in fig. context.(a) 1375 Barb. xiv 487 (f.n. in C).
How Thomas Randell chased hame The scurreours that fra Cogners came c1420 Wynt. viii 4455 (W).
In the dawing Thare scowerouris [Au., E.2 scurreouris, R. dyscuverouris] of thaim gat a sicht c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace (1570) ix 180.
Luick weill about for scurriouris [Moir scoukaris] on the se 1533 Boece 109.
Be skurreouris he [sc. Claudius] was certifyit the ilis aboundit … in schepe, nolt [etc.] 1533 Boece 146. 1531 Bell. Boece I 94.
Claudius … send his scurriouris to spy the nature of the cuntre 1533 Bell. Livy II 207/29.
Quhen the scurreoures that war send be thame afore had schawin that the portis of Rome war standand opin [etc.] 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 231.
Sum scurriouris … in the nycht, perceaving some lichtit lountis, thocht it had bene thame whome thei waittit for 1581 Satirical Poems xliv 357.
Coniurit scurriors of the Antichryst! repent a1597-1617 Hist. Jas. VI (1825) 110.
So the lieutennents scurriors … entrit upon thame saftlie, and presentlie slew thame(b) c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace vii 796.
Apon the mos a scurrour sone fand he. To scour the land Makfadȝane had him send c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace viii 185.
Apon swyft hors scurrouris past betweyn c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace ix 1677.
A scurrour he set, to warn quhen he saw ocht 1494 Loutfut MS 18b.
And signifiez he that first bure thaim in armes wes a rynnar & scurrour of land & bad nocht his enemys 1603 Moysie 110.
Sum skurrouris of the lord Maxvellis to the number iiijxx wer send out to persev him and his number, … lyand darnit in a wood(c) c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace iii 103.
Send twa skowrrouris to wesy weyll the playne c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace iv 431.
Thai … set skouriouris furth the contre to aspye
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"Scurrior n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 15 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/scurriour>
