A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1375-1660
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Appere, Appeir, v. Also: apper, apere, appeire (appire), apeir, appear, appare. [Early ME. apere (c 1250), appere, OF. aper- variant stem of apareir, -oir, L. apparēre. Cf. Pere v.]
1. intr. To come into, or be in, sight.(a) a1400 Legends of the Saints i. 317 (eftir can Crist appere to Petir). c1420 Wynt. Cron. iv. 3118 (the comete fyrst apperyd in thai dayis). 1456 Hay I. 15/5 (then apperit a mervaillous visioun till him). c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace iii. 13 (wictaill worth scant or August could apper). 1513 Doug. iii. iii. 83 (na cost apperis quhilk we mycht se). 1549 Complaynte of Scotland 58/11 (ane sterne that aperis nocht oft). 1660 Nicoll Diary 313 (suld haif apered in the heid of thame).(b) c1450-2 Howlat 60 (I dare nocht in pert till appeir). 1487 Brus viii. 156 (C) (gif the king durst apeir to ficht).1513 Doug. ii. v. 2 (out of the sey the dym nycht gan appeir). 1560 Rolland Seven Sages 28/4 (diuers sternis appeirand in the sky).c1611–c1617 Mure Early Misc. P. i. 10 (the Citherean boy appeird).transf. 1535 Stewart 37441 (him thocht he hard ane voce apeir).
b. To appear before an authority, court, etc. 1385 3rd Rep. Hist. MSS. 410/1.
That thai apere lauchfolly at the Hundhill … to Sir Patrick Gray 1397 Acts I. 208/1.
He sal lat thaim to borch til appere at the iustice aire 1410 Reg. Brechin I. 30.
The partyeis foirsaid callit and apperand c1420 Wynt. vi. 1354.
Syttand in chapytere This Byschape he cald and gert appere a1500 Henr. Fab. 1163.
The selie Scheip … befoir the awfull Iuge appeird 1510 Misc. Spald. C. V. 395.
Becaus the said Wilȝam aperit not to warrand the said lands c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxxxi. 52.
Both thow and I most in the court appeir 1622-6 Bisset I. 309/6.
The said … tennent of the landis … appeirand in any courte befoir the ferd courte 1644 Wemyss Corr. 108.
Ordining all … commissioners … to appire
2. To appear to the mind or judgement; to be evident.(a) 1375 Barb. i. 93 (quhat perell to ȝow mycht apper). a1400 Legends of the Saints xxxvi. 644 (the lofing into fyfe thing wele aperis). 1389 Liber Melros 449 (as it apperis be the forsaid Chartir). c1420 Wynt. v. 4930 (gret wertuys that men saw in hym appere). 1456 Hay I. 10/20 (as apperis be it that said is). 1482 Edinb. Chart. 146 (as be certaine writtings planly apperis). 1529–30 Edinb. B. Rec. 18 (mair dangeir apperis now). 1570 Buch. Wr. 50 (the quhilk handilling apperit more planelie).(b) a1500 Buke of the Sevyne Sagis 22 (thai couth se how perellis appeire). c1500-c1512 Dunb. xx. 10 (trewth dwellis nocht ay for that trewth appeiris). 1560 Rolland Seven Sages 24/31 (quhair twa illis dois appeir). a1578 Pitsc. II. 127/1 (as weill appeired eftirward).1629 Mure Sonnets iv. 10 (quhen first appeir'd my joy).
3. To appear in a certain aspect; to present a certain character; to seem.a1400 Legends of the Saints xxxvi. 666 (ilke manis lyf culpable it gert apere). c1420 Wynt. viii. 6871 (that is apperand rycht lykly). 1456 Hay II. 92/14 (sa that he suld appere abone all otheris). c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 215 (thou gert ane hell my paradise appere). 1533 Bell. Livy I. 140 (ane strang toure quhilk apperit vnexpugnabil). 1549 Complaynte of Scotland 9/25 (quhen he aperit to be ydil). 1596 Dalr. I. 87/14 (quhilke appeiris to be maist liklie). 1622-6 Bisset II. 192/34 (the ane appeiris to be haly Iland).
b. To seem likely.c1420 Wynt. ii. 665 (sen hys barnys apperyt to be lordis off that ryawte); ix. 1638.
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"Appere v.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 27 Apr 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/appere>
