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.
Torto(u)r, n. Also: tortur(e, -owr, totour, toirtour. [e.m.E. torture (c1540), tortour (1551), tortor (1608), OF torture, L. tortūra.]
1. Torture, the infliction of pain on a person by an authority in order to obtain a confession. Also pl. Freq. to put (in) to (the) tortour(is). Also fig.(a) 1590–1 Crim. Trials I ii 222.
Neither woulde he then confesse it the sooner, for all the tortures inflicted upon him 1591 Crim. Trials I ii 262.
The personis wilfull or refuseand to declair the veritie to putt to tortour, or sic vthir punishment to vse … as may move thame to vtter the treuth 1595 Highland P. I 174.
This is the … confession of … Margaret Campbell freely maid and givin up be hir but onie kind of tortor interogators or cumpulsion in taikin 1596 Crim. Trials I ii 376.
[They] wer all … put [to] tortouris att the same instant tyme: … to this effect, that hir said husband and bairnis beand swa tormentit besyde hir, mycht move hir to mak ony confessioune for thair releif 1603 Moysie 29.
That Mr. Archbald Douglas mycht have libertie to come home to suffer the tryell of ane assyse [without tortour] 1611 Crim. Trials III 196.
He, being legalie convicted himself, was put to the tortowr, to cause him declaire who was his confederats 1618 Trial Isobel Inch 11.
To put the said Margaret in torture 1618 Trial Isobel Inch 11.
[They] usit the tortour underwritten, as being most safe and gentill 1618 Trial Isobel Inch 14.
Forall that I haif confest was in tortour 1661 Forfar Witches in Reliq. Antiq. Sc. 141-2.
To examine them, and to vse all fair meanes, without any sort of torture, for their tryall 1689 Acts XII 61/2.
The reasones of the resolve … for settleing the government … The tenth by useing inhuman tortours & without any evidence & in ordinary crymes(b) 1593 Innes Rev. III 103.
I was put to totour(c) a1597-1617 Hist. Jas. VI (1804) 137.
He was boistit with toirtour unles he should tell quhair it wasfig. 1611-57 Mure Sonn. iii 9.
My constant hert no tortour sall remoue, Thoght duilfull death and frouning fortoune threat … No greif … no paine … Sall mack me ewer loath of my estait
b. A means of torture, an instrument of torture.1590–1 Crim. Trials I ii 215.
Her maister … did … torment her with the torture of the pilliwinkes upon her fingers, which is a grievous torture 1595 Innes Sketches 533.
With ane speceall commissioune, gif I sould nocht … reveill the leill circumstancis … to put me to the present tortor, quhilk thaye brocht in thair companie with thame and minassit and threatenit me dyuers tymis thairwith 1596 Crim. Trials I ii 375.
Be vehement tortour of the caschielawis, quhairin sche was kepit be the space of fourtie-aucht houris 1599 Crim. Trials II 93.
The depositioune … was maid in … James Setounis awin hous, quhair thair was na tortour nor yrnes presentit to hir 1612 Reg. Privy C. IX 448.
It is not unknawin quhat grite sclander and reprotche, besydis the tortour of the butis, the said complenair hes sustenit 1631 Sc. N. & Q. II 78.
[Tosh was put] first to the tortour of the buittis … and next to the tortour of the pilliewinkis
2. In literary contexts: a. Punishment. b. Applied to something twisted and intertwined.a. 1611-57 Mure Early Misc. P. vii 6.
Ixion … Doth suffer tortour on the restles quheeleb. c1590 J. Stewart 85/212.
The cawerne, abowe ane fontane cleir, Quhair vodbind and vyn brainchis linkit threw ane plesand tortur at the entres heir
