A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. X).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1475
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Swar, Swair, n. [? Erron. for Snair n. or f. OE searwían to lay snares.] Only in Wall.: A snare, trap. — c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace ii 144 (McD.).
Fortoun thus brocht him in the suar [M. snar] c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace ii 169.
This land is lost, he caucht is in the swar [1570 snair; rh. cayr] c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace vii 211.
Be he entrit hys hed was in the swar [1570 snair; rh. thar] c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace (1570) vii 349.
Throw foul gluttony in swair [M. swarff] swappit like swine c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace viii 1422.
As quha suld dryff the byrdis till a swar [1570 snair; rh. fayr]
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"Swar n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 14 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/swar>
