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: 1420-1641
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Bordour, Border, n. Also: bordwr(e, bordoure, -owr, -or; bordar, -ir; bour-, boirdour, boarder. [ME. bordure (Chaucer), bordore, bo(u)rder, etc., OF. bordure.]
1. The border(s) or frontier of a country or other large area.(a) c1420 Wynt. v. 4357.
Off Frawns nere the bordwrys c1420 Ib. viii. 1685.
Within the bordwrys off Ingland c1450-2 Howlat 639.
Bacheleiris bald on the bordouris c1515 Asloan MS I. 270/10.
Diuers strenthis & castellis on the Ynglis bordour 1513 Doug. iii. vi. 83.
This cost of Italy Quhilk nixt onto our bordouris ȝhe se ly 1531 Bell. Boece I. p. xxvii.
Becaus thay have Inglismen … liand dry marche apon thair nixt bordour 1535 Stewart 5556.
To stanche all stryfe … With everie prince in bordour neir him by c1552 Lynd. Mon. 3117.
Semeramis … Distroyit the bordouris of that land c1552 Ib. 5904.
On the bordour Off Hell 1551 Hamilton Catechism 35.
I sall gif peace to all your bordouris 1596 Dalr. I. 8/17.
The bordouris of thair cuntrie 1609 Acts IV. 443/2.
Landis … lyand foiranent the bordouris of England(b) c1552 Lynd. Mon. 2034.
To meit king Nynus on the border a1578 Pitsc. II. 40/25.
Money wther knyghtis of the bordar of Ingland 1596 Dalr. I. 97 marg.
The borderis of Scotland foranent Ingland 1596 Ib. 146/13.
Dunstaffage … in the bordir of Argyl
2. The border, or border districts, between Scotland and England. Freq. in plural.Innumerable examples occur in the Records of the Privy Council from 1545 onwards.(1) pl. 1455 Acts II. 45/1.
Thai that ar ner hande the bordouris 1491 Treasurer's Accounts I. 182.
To pas with letteris to the Bordouris 1494 Acts Lords of Council 377/2.
The said erle wes in our souerane lordis speciale seruice one the bordouris 1509 Reg. Privy S. I. 286/2.
For wele and savite of thair place [Coldstream Priory] landis and gudis on the bordouris 1513 Acts Lords of Council MS. XXVI. 12.
That balis be maid apon all partis of the bordouris … for … warnyng … of thar innimyis 1525 Criminal Trials I. 127.
The office of wardanery and lieutenentry of the Bordouris 1531 Bell. Boece I. p. xxvi.
This watter of Sulway … is the marche of Scotland, fornence the west bourdouris 1538 Treasurer's Accounts VII. 132.
To ane Inglismanne that come fra the Bordouris witht writingis 1545 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 117.
The extent of xvjm li. grantit … for suppleing and sustening of the West and Middill Bordouris 1549 Complaynte of Scotland 106/4.
The grit familiarite that Inglis men and Scottis hes hed on baitht the boirdours, … in selling and bying hors and nolt and scheip 1555 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 210.
The grete tax of xxm li. greit to the bigging of fortis in the bordouris 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 2.
The Regent was upon the Boarders for dantouning of the theives 1581 Sempill Sat. P. xliii. 186.
He … Abandoned the borders that na man durst rebell 1600-1610 Melvill 27.
They wracked all the Bordars wast and est 1641 Acts V. 685/2.
Anent the peace of the Bordouris(2) sing. 1496 Treasurer's Accounts I. 281.
Giffin to Rolland Robysone to ryde to the Bordour c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxvi. 29.
Gude rewle is banist our the Bordour 1535 Stewart 34454.
Gif thift or reif wes maid vpon the bordour 1529 Lynd. Complaynt 384.
Iustice … hes maid sic ordour, Baith throw the heland and the bordour 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 57.
Bot geif wear brekks up of thys foly laitly done on the border 1572-5 Diurnal of Occurrents 350.
[The] iustice clark, past … to Berwik, for intercommonyng of gude reule on the bordourattrib. 1579 6th Rep. Hist. MSS. 697/1.
The Counsall hes bene occupeit all this tyme bygane vpoun bordour effars
3. A border or boundary of a field, etc. c1450-2 Howlat 4.
All brichtnyt about the bordouris on breid With alkyn herbes 1459 Reg. Aberbr. 106.
Thar outuart bordoyris with the landis of Kylbleyn and Ordonedrane c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 195.
Perilous Presence … The bataill broucht on bordour hard vs by 1522 Acts Lords of Council MS. XXXIII. 41.
The saidis landis … lyis on plane dry bordour togidder 1533 Boece iv. vij. 134 b.
Thare wyiffis … war placit in cartis at the extreme bordoure of the feild c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 438.
The Heraldis put thame sa in ordour, That no man passit within the bordour
4. A border, edge, or edging of, or on, a thing. a1500 Golagros and Gawane 316.
Bordouris about, that bricht war of ble a1500 Ib. 977.
Throw birny and breistplait, bordour and band 1503 Treasurer's Accounts II. 225.
For ixc powderingis to the bordour of the kirtill a1500 Doug. K. Hart. 328.
Ane pallioun … Fast brikand by the bordouris all about 1532 Master of Works Accounts II. 48.
In payntit werk … with armis and bordouris 1536 Ib. IV. 84.
Paintit glas in bordouris a1568 Bannatyne MS 64 b/24.
With welwet bordour abowt his threidbair coit 1630 Peebles B. Rec. 370.
Ane mortclayth … with ane blak silk frenyie in the bordouris thairof
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"Bordour n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 14 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/bordour_n>
