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: 1456-1655
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Territo(u)re, Terretory(e, -ie, n. Also: territoire, -or, terretour, teritore, territorie, -ee, -y, terratory, terratorietie, terotorie. [Late ME and e.m.E. territory (1432-50), territorie (1538), territor (1589), territour (1606), F. territoire, L. territōrium.]
1. (A region or area of) land or terrain. 1456 Hay I 115/24.
That it [sc. a fortress] be nocht … in our harde dry territoire or our myry erde
2. The land or district belonging to or under the jurisdiction of a burgh or other similar community. Also attrib.(a) 1466 Acts Lords Auditors 5/1.
Land lyand in the tovnne & territoure of the Blaknes 1498 Acts Lords of Council II 201.
Bonȝebone … liand within the territore of the toune of Comry within the stewartry of Straitherne 1547 Aberd. B. Rec. I 250.
Our croftis, of the terretour of the est part of the said burgh 1594 R. Brown Paisley I 178.
Ane aker land in brumelands, by and within the tenth territor of the said burgh 1597 Dumfr. & Galloway Soc. IX 132.
The Counsall … perambulat the landis within thair teritoreis(b) 1535 Glasgow Protocols Abstracts IV 75.
Terretorye 1561 Irvine Mun. II 12.
Within the terretorie … of the samyn balyeary of Conynghame 1565 Protocol Book of Thomas Johnsoun 94.
Fyve merk land … liand within the boundis and territorie of Bonitoun 1570 Inverness Rec. I 193.
Thair victuallis growand within … our … territorie sall … pay [etc.] 1582 Glasgow Protocols Abstracts VIII 68.
Our said tenement … liand within the citee of Glasgu and territoree of the samyn 1587 Aberd. Council Lett. I 30.
Land that pertenit to the said black and quhyte friers lyand within the territories of Kintor 1590–1 Lanark B. Rec. 102.
Terratorietie 1588 Protocol Book of J. Inglis 15 Nov.
Ane croift … lyand within the terratory landis & fredome of Cullane 1613 Inverness Rec. II 106.
Lyand in the grieschip burgaige and terotorie of the brut of Innernis 1641 Acts V (1817) 629/2.
Within the territorie libertie or paroche of the said burch of Invernes 1651 Dumbarton B. Rec. 63.
Dunbartane and terretory thairof 1655 Retours I Inq. Spec. Berwick (296).
Husband land within the said toun and territory of Mellerstanesattrib. 1590 Protocol Book of J. Inglis 2 Aug.
The terratory landis of the kyrktone of Fordice 1613 Inverness Rec. II 105.
The grieschip lands and terotorie burgaige lands of the said burghe
b. The land or country belonging to or under the jurisdiction of a king or people. 1625 Garden Kings 48.
Malcolme I … A prince whose virtue [etc.] … His territors he but a stroake extends 1625 Garden Kings 67.
Th' English than … Thow fights defaets and wasts thair territors
3. The district over which the judicial authority of a judge extends. 1622-6 Bisset I 174/11.
Twa kynd[is] of exceptionis ar competent aganis the judge [etc.] … or be ressone of the personis pleydand … nocht duelland within his territorie or iurisdictioun
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"Territore n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 19 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/territoure>
