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.
Turtur, Turtil(l, n. Also: turture, -o(u)r, t(o)urtre, turtle. [ME and e.m.E. turtle (c1200), turrtle (Orm), turtur (c1220), turtil, turtre (both Wyclif), turtill (c1440), OF turtre, tortre, tourtre, L. turtur.] a. = Turtur dowe n.(a) 1375 Barb. v 4.
Byrdis smale, As turturis and the nychtyngale Begouth … to syng a1400 Leg. S. xxiv 231.
Scho sad … but mak ay suld scho dwel As turtur c1450-2 Howlat 127 (A).
He … Bad send for his secretar … That was the turtour trewest Ferme faithfull & fast 1494 Loutfut MS 26b.
The turtre [Lindsay MS 29, tourtre] is a foull suet & simple & chast c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 262 (M).
Be as turtouris [OUP turtoris] in ȝour talk thocht ȝe haue tailis brukill a1568 Bann. MS 244a/25.
The turtour for hir maik Mair dule may nocht indure(b) 1549 Compl. 39/15.
The turtil began for to greit, quhen the cuschet ȝoulit a1568 Bann. MS 227b/23.
I luf bot hir allone That hes my hairt ichone als trew as turtill on stone 1570 Sat. P. xv 31.
Ȝe plesant byrdis, lat be ȝour sang, Ȝour mirth in murning turne And tak the turtill ȝow amang To leirne ȝow how to murne a1585 Maitl. Q. 249/3.
The turtill for the lose of maik thay say Doeth neuer rest bot workis hir awin decay a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 23 (Wr.).
The turtle wailes on withered trees 1622 Lauder in Fugitive Poetry II iv 3/13.
Heauens grant … A happy husband for thy mate … That like two turtles then, thou faithfull to thy pheere, And he as kind as thou art true, may hold thee always deere
b. fig. As a term of endearment.c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 40/37.
Quhyte dow, quhair is ȝour sobir humilnes? Swete gentill turtour, quhair is ȝour pete went? a1568 Bann. MS 235a/6.
Vnto this taill, sueit turtor, thow attend 1611-57 Mure Sonn. vii 13.
My Phoenix & my turtle true, A thousand, thousand tymes adieu!
c. As food.1528 Household Bks. Jas. V 134.
Panetria … Empt xj capones, iiij pultre … ij turtures 1568 Skeyne Descr. Pest 25.
Flesche is maist proper quhilk … is of facill digestioun, sic as pertrik, phasiane, … hen, turture [etc.] 1684 Sibbald Scot. Illustr. iii 20.
In insula Bassa, ubi turtur dicitur
