A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Turs, Tros, n. Also: turse, turss, tors, tours(e, truss, truce, trois, trosse. [ME and e.m.E. trusse (Ancr. R.), trus (1336-7), trosse (1562), truss (1585), OF torse, trusse, tourse.]
1. A bundle ((of) hay, straw, etc.), appar. of a standard size.(a) 1472 Reg. Cupar A. I 162.
A turs of fresche ate fodder 1496 Acta Conc. II 20.
The wrangus spoliacione … of … fifty thre tursys hay, price of the turse xvj d. 1501 Treas. Acc. II 111.
For the carying of tua turs of bent fra Dunbar to Edinburgh for the kingis chamir 1507 Rentale Dunkeld. (SHS) 205.
[The fourth part of the meadow of Kinnoule … extending to 64] turs 1529 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 7.
iiii rukkis hay … price of the ruk xxvi s. … for four pynouris … for the making of the said tursis … and helping of the samyn till Edinburgh to thair vagis iiii s. 1536 Ayr Common Good Acc.
For ane turs of stra, vj d. 1544 Ayr Common Good Acc.
Ane turs of heddir to mak ane bleis vpoun the hillis 1590–1 Cal. Sc. P. X 464.
The devill apperit unto her … somtyme like ane turse or ruk of hay 1600 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. I 386.
xiij s. iiij d. for tua turs stra 1617 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 84.
For binding and laying on of the haill strae being in turssis at 16 d. the turs 1642 Household Bk. M. Stewart 56.
Payit for ane turss straw for the beds and paliasses, 19 sh. 1698 Foulis Acc. Bk. 241.
For 2 turss of strae … to the horse £1 9 s.(b) a1633 Hope Major Pract. I 225.
The recept of ane peck of oats and ane truss of straw quhilk wes ane part of the auld dewty wes enough to take away the inhibitioun(c) 1643 Dumfries Treas. Acc. MS p. 34.
For ane tourses of haye to Mr. Hewgh 10 d.
2. ‘A rope that hauled back the yard to the mast and served to heave it down, generally in combination with pulleys, or blocks, in later usage sometimes a tackle performing the same service.’ Sandahl Middle English Sea Terms (1958) II 119.(a) 1504–6 Treas. Acc. III 90.
For vj trosses to the schip weyand vcliiij li. 1511 Treas. Acc. IV 300.
For hed towis to the gret schip, … tua cordalis, x trosis, iij teis [etc.] 1549 Compl. 41/4.
The master … bald … vire the trossis, nou heise. Than the marynalis began to heis vp the sail 1549 Compl. 41/16.
Vire ȝour liftaris and ȝour top sail trossis 1549 Compl. 41/19.
Hail the trosse to the ra(b) 1494 Treas. Acc. I 253.
Ane new trois weyand vj stane 1574 Edinb. Test. III 231a.
Tua warropis & ane trois price thrie scoir pundis(c) 1535 Stewart 4153.
Sum bad on le, and vther sum strek saill; … Sum with ane tors la capand on the wynd
3. A means of securing a bundle, pack or load; the pack itself.1521 Dundee B. Ct. I 58a (13 Nov.).
As to the clame of fracht of xxix s. clamit be the awnaris of the pet vpon James Kinloch … it is deliuerit be deponitoun of witnes that thir salbe defalkyt vj s. of the said fracht … for the scath of the cuttyng of the tros that it was pakkit with 1669 Edinb. B. Rec. X 61.
In case the said James Ralstoun [sc. a barber] … shall be fund carieing baisings or a great case or truce with razours for lances etc.
