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.
Unsavorie, -y, adj. Also: unsaverie, -savere, onsaworie. [ME and e.m.E. unsauure (Ancr. R.), vnsauory (Piers Plowman), unsavery, -sawory (both Wyclif), unsauoury (c1400); Savorie adj.]
1. Lacking in taste; unpleasant to the taste. Only fig.(a) 1563 Ferg. Tracts 42.
Your Pastors … are … so vnsauere, that they can not be salted(b) c1650 P. Gordon Brit. Dist. 183.
So hard and so onsaworie a morsell, as it could not go doune without loathing and abhorssione of the stomack
2. Distasteful, offensive; obnoxious; disgusting.1558-66 Knox II 344.
Sic comparisonis … are verray unsaverie 1573-1600 Burne Disput. in Cath. Tr. (STS) 170/16.
Vitles bishopis … quha … compellis thame to pay doubil teindis to garneis thair vnsauorie mules that beiris thair croces 1573-1600 Burne Disput. in Cath. Tr. (STS) 171/25.
Ane change … from cleynnes be vesching, to vnsauorie painting 1604 James VI Tobacco 96/1.
Many in this kingdom haue had such a continuall vse of taking this vnsauorie smoke, as now they are not able to forbeare the same 1637 Gillespie Eng. Pop. Ceremonies iv viii 37.
This … will be very unsavory language to many Arminianized conformatans 1637 Baillie I 5.
We make our self more and more unsavorie daylie … we are so severe in exacting, that we are a common talking
