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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.

Cler(e, Cleir, a. Also: cleire, cleyr(e, clier, cleaire. [ME. clere, cler, OF. cler, L. clārus. Cf. Clare a.]

1. Materially clear or bright, in various applications.(1) a1400 Leg. S. vi. 28.
Saphir of assay & beriall clere Ib. ix. 200.
Thane Goddis angele can apere, That wes wondyre brycht & cleyre c1400 Troy-bk. i. 349.
Golde and sylke, Anournyt with sere coloures clere 1456 Hay I. 282/18.
Gold … is clere and schynand c1450-2 Howlat 82.
The plesand pacok … vnder his cler cape Ib. 469.
The hert … he couth clos in a cler cace c1475 Wall. iii. 58.
Full weill graithit in till thar armour cler Ib. ix. 1930.
Cler aspre eyn, lik dyamondis brycht a1500 Seven S. 1650.
A myrrour … clere to behold c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 36.
The stanneris clere as stern in frosty nycht Ib. 62.
Thair brycht hairis hang … In tressis clere Id. Tua Mar. W. 433.
As the new mone … Kythis quhilis her cleir face 1513 Doug. ix. vii. 76.
Lukand vpwart towart the cleir moyn c1552 Lynd. Mon. 5561.
He sall appeir Amang the heuinlye cluddis cleir c1568 Lauder Minor P. i. 387.
As … the cleir sone [can nocht be] withouttin beamis bricht a1568 Sempill Sat. P. xlviii. 1.
Off cullouris cleir … Ar sindry sortis in to this toun (a1570-86 Dunb.) Maitl. F. xxxvii. 212.
Efter that Ressoun had tynt his ene clier 1611-57 Mure Son. ix. 5.
Some eyes adoir, lyk stars, cleir glistering bright 1660 Nicoll Diary 305.
The Toun of Edinburgh haid 16 companyes … weill provydit in thair best apperrell and cleir partizanes(2) 1375 Barb. xv. 131 (E).
Als sone as the day wes cler [C. cleir] a1400 Leg. S. Prol. 109.
In-to the nycht as candil clere 1456 Hay I. 283/15.
The lowe of fyre, the quhilk is the maist clere and lycht efter the sonne c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 227.
Quhen the cleir day is cummyn Ib. xxx. 1.
Befoir the dawing cleir 1513 Doug. i. ix. 14.
In cleir lycht schyning fair Ib. ii. xi. 27.
A fayr bricht starn … with bemys cleir 1562-3 Winȝet II. 7/2.
A cleir licht to schaw the way (a1570-86 Dunb.) Maitl. F. xxxviii. 440.
Thocht I haue cayr … the clier day to the nicht(3) 1375 Barb. ix. 588 (E).
The myst wox cler all sodanly 1456 Hay II. 130/3.
That tyme is … hate and clere in the ayre 1490 Irland Mir. I. 58/5.
Aboue it [is] the hevin clere lik cristall a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 453.
The firmament na firth was newir cler 1513 Doug. x. Prol. 166.
Thow haldis court our cristall hevynnys cleir 1533 Boece viii. xiii. 280.
The are wox temperate and clere and the sey cawme c1552 Lynd. Mon. 1477.
Quhen he persauit the heuinnis cleir(4) 14.. Acts I. 333/2.
Samekle cler aile withoutyn berme c1420 Wynt. i. 128.
A welle of wattyr clere Ib. v. 33.
A well Off clere oylye, fayr and gud c1450-2 Howlat 678.
The merschale gart bring watter to wesche of a well cleire 1490 Irland Mir. I. 18/29.
Thus thire vij peticiounis … are vij wellis of grace, cleire and nete a1508 Kennedy Fllyt. 340.
The fontayne … Quhen it was purify it with frost, and flowit cleir 1513 Doug. vi. x. 76.
Erydanus, the hevynly ryver cleyr Ib. vii. xii. 133.
The cristal strandis, … cleir lakis and spryng wellis 1531 Bell. Boece II. 72.
Ane drink of clere watter fra the nixt fontane 1549 Compl. 37/15.
Ane fresche reueir as cleir as berial c1552 Lynd. Mon. 281.
A famous flude … As christall cleir Ib. 3875.
The waltir cleir he turnit in wyne 1596 Dalr. I. 15/7.
The watir of Dune quhilke is a cleir and ane riche riuer 1603 Reg. Great S. 506/1.
Passand eist … as the deip of the cleir water gangs

2. Clear, in various figurative applications.(1) a1400 Leg. S. xxviii. 61.
This Margret … Wes borne … of kine gret & clere Ib. xxxiii. 917.
Til a preste of lyf clere Ib. xliii. 527.
Of conscience gud & clere c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 1121.
Sen sche is clere & pure virgyne c1420 Wynt. v. 3944.
Be thame bath landys sere Wes efftyre done off wertu clere c1420 Ratis R. 1363.
Quhar consciens was hail & clere 1490 Irland Mir. I. 62/19.
That knawlage … was mekle brychtare and clerare na is now the gift of grace 1567 G. Ball. 73.
He gaue him sell, To saif from sin, and purge vs cleir(2) 1456 Hay III. 127/6.
That makis gude blud and blyth hert and clere witt c1490 Irland Asl. MS. I. 53/29.
Charite causis clerare and mare visoun of God 1560 Rolland Seven S. 864.
Thair scoller had sa perfite ingine Of cleir cunning 1560 Acts II. 527/1.
We … acknawlege … God to haue creatit man … to quham he gaif … cleir knawlege of him selff(3) 1489 Treas. Acc. I. 125.
Al odir stuf according … to the clere owte-red to pas hir voyage 1592 Lennox Mun. 48.
Nouther throw dowte na forse led, … bot of owr cler and fre wyll 1664 St. A. Baxter Bks. 129.
His … comptis being sein and considered, ar fund treu and cleir

3. Of persons: Of outstanding beauty or distinction. c1420 Wynt. vii. 418.
Fra the Madyn clere Had borne the byrth off hyr body a1500 Henr. Bludy Serk 47.
A worthy prince … Hes tane the deid on hand For the luve of the lady cleir a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 1249.
Schir Wawane … Carys furth to the king, cumly and clere c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 96.
Full low enclynyng to thair Quene so clere Ib. xxviii. 38.
In hevin ȝe salbe sanctis full cleir 1513 Doug. x. iv. 94.
Manthus the lady cleir That was baith nymphe and famus prophetes 1567 Sat. P. vi. 1.
Dian … with hir court of poyetis cleir a1605 Montg. Flyt. 402 (T).
Thair a cleir cumpany cum eftir close Id. Misc. P. xvii. 95.
Fairweill, my love and lady cleir

4. Plain, manifest, obvious. 1400 Red Bk. Menteith I. 171.
Mervaile yhe nocht that I write my lettres in Englis, fore that ys mare clere to myne vnderstandyng than Latyne ore Fraunche c1420 Wynt. i. 97.
That begynnyng sall mak clere Be playne proces owre matere Ib. iv. 1786.
Off the male suld nane succed, Bot it ware clere, but ony drede 1450 Reg. Episc. Brechin I. 151.
We haf gart mak … cleire declaratioune 1456 Hay I. 86/13.
It is wele clere till understand that [etc.] Ib. 105/22.
Of this we have a clere example Ib. 197/16; etc.
It is clere thing that he suld be punyst tharefor 1513 Doug. ii. vi. 23.
I than, by cleyr takynnys enew, Manifestly al the Grekis falshed knew Ib. xi. vii. 116.
That mater quhilk … Is nother dyrk nor dowtsum, bot full cleir c1530-40 Stewart Bann. MS. 88 a/27.
I … hir besocht … This caus obscure to mak vnto me cleir 1541 Prestwick B. Rec. 58.
The inquest contenewis this mater to clerer probatioun 1573 Cath. Tr. 19/22.
Quhat can be more manifest and clier? a1578 Pitsc. I. 10/25.
Evirie thing schaw him in ordour cleir 1581 Burne Disput. 14 b.
Thair be monie vther thingis … , quhilk ye understand not, aluise the mater is maist cleir 1596 Dalr. I. 36/9.
That thir tries … grew in thir places, is cleirer than the nune day 1600 Misc. Bann. C. I. 173.
Quhy stand ye in ane thing sa cleir? 1652 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III. 281.
I am not so cleir in this not [= note] as I vold, becaus the rol is fallen by my hand

5. Of sounds: Distinct. a1500 Rauf C. 211.
The carll with ane clere voce carpit on he c1500 Fyve Bestis 161.
This bird wox a cok, … Clerast of voce c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 129.
Thai … sang ballettis with michty notis clere Ib. xlvi. 105.
Than sang thay both with vocis lowd and cleir 1513 Doug. ii. vi. 3.
Clerar wolx the rumour and the dyne

6. Clear of something; free from obstruction. 1456 Hay I. 26/19.
Quhen … he held the court of Rome clere and clene of all symony 1489 Lennox Mun. 131.
This realme, quhilk … has hidderto euir bene cleyr of tresone 1670 Orkney Rentals App. 62.
To keip the roofe [of the steeple] water-tight, and the bartisanes and spouts clier