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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.

Cure, Cuir, v.¹ Also: cur, cwre, cwir, cuire, kuir. [ME. cure, curen (late 14th c.), OF. curer, L. cūrāre.]

1. tr. To cure, heal, restore to health. Also fig.(a) a1400 Leg. S. iv. 82.
God rasis thame, that strekine ar Done to the ȝerd, curand tha er [sic] 1456 Hay II. 118/30.
Ay the contrary is curit with his contrary c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 1542.
He … curit thair sairis with greit comfort a1568 Bann. MS. 224a/30.
Thair is nane bot sche That may me cur of all my caris cald a1578 Pitsc. I. 230/12.
Thai … thair remanit quhill thair hurt men was curit and the deid burieit 1594 Edinb. B. Rec. V. 124.
[The Council] geves to Jhonn Hog … ten pund to be gevin to the barbouris for curing him 1653 Glasgow B. Rec. II. 258.
To pay … twentie merkis for cureing ane poore womans arme of twa great vlsters(b) 1562-3 Winȝet II. 13/10.
That … thai may be cuirit fra al infirmitie a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 971.
The frantik fantasies, … That nane bot we, quod thay, can cuir 1622-6 Bisset II. 355/25.
Ane of my disciplis … sall cuir thy maladie 1643 Misc. Abbotsf. C. 177.
And it war the dead manis sting which trublit him, it would cuir and heale him

2. intr. (With not.) a. To have (no) anxiety, scruples, or hesitation with regard to something. 1531 Bell. Boece II. 363.
Balliol … had sa blind desire to the crown, that he curit not, sa that he micht jose the samin Id. Livy I. 195/18.
The pepill curit nocht quhat aduersite … succedit to thame, so that thai had na weris c1552 Lynd. Mon. 2266.
His wantoun wyffis to compleis He curit nocht God tyll displeis 1551 Hamilton Cat. 74.
In this case cure nocht to tyne thair favour 1560 Rolland Seven S. 3868.
Gif mannis craft … Micht help my sicht, … I wald not cure for to gif gold plentie a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. xcix. 10.
For to get land and geir thai seik all gatis, And curis not to get it wrangouslie

b. To have (no) care, concern, or interest. Const. of, for. 1567 G. Ball. 128.
Thow curis nocht of it ane myte 1570 Sat. P. xiv. 93.
Now sall appeir … Quha fittis the feild, quha cuiris inot forde a1578 Pitsc. II. 134/3.
As for my death I cure not a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. clxxv. 30.
Thai chenge als oft as dois the mone And curis nocht off auld kyndnes c1590 J. Stewart 30/10.
Ȝe sie quhat dolor dalie Rennawlt dreis For hir quha cuirs not of his cair ane myt

3. tr. (Usu. with negatives.) a. To have (no) regard or heed for, or consideration of. 1533 Gau 70/9.
Thairfoir we suld be glaid and blith … and cuir noth deid c1550 Rolland C. Venus iii. 231.
For Venus saik scho curit no displesour c1552 Lynd. Mon. 106.
Cure thow nocht the indignatioun Off hypocritis 1560 Rolland Seven S. 6757.
Ȝe cure na schame, ȝe cure na warldis wonder a1578 Pitsc. II. 120/17.
The Scoittis lordis war sic ane nomber … that thay cuired nather quein nor king 1603 Philotus lxxxv.
Dissaitfull traitour [that] … Of all thu kin curit not the greif

b. To care for, to value, to a specified extent. 1533 Gau 17/9.
The rich men of this vardel curis this litel 1540 Lynd. Sat. 1729.
As for this king, I cure him nocht twa strais c1550 Rolland C. Venus iii. 546.
For sic storyis I cuir thame not ane prene Id. Seven S. 7586.
Thow Proserpine of hell, we cure thee not ane myte 1571 Sat. P. xxv. 95.
Assuire thame, I cuire thaine Evin as thai do deserve

c. To attend to, take care of. 1574 Sat. P. xlii. 250.
That leuingis micht be modifyit To preichouris, … To cure thair office Ib. 721.
Gif that ane man had stedingis ten, Quhilk requyrit mony beistis and men, And greit expensis for to cure thame

4. To clean or dress (a slain deer). 1531 Bell. Boece I. 39.
The body curit to be at the pleseir of the maister of huntis 1609 Grahame Anat. Humors 12 b.
After the deere is kild and cwird, then is his intrals throwne to the hounds