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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Dolour, n.¹ Also: doloure, -owr(e, dollour(e; dolur(e, dolor. [ME. dolour (c.1320), -oure, OF. dolour.]

1. Mental pain or suffering; distress of mind; sorrow, grief. (Common 15–16th c.) c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 795.
The laif of the noble wemen … war then In fele teres and in doloure Remanand still c1420 Wynt. v. 4726.
Off that he fell in gret langure, In menyng sare and hard dolure Ib. vi. 2456.
The Statys off Ingland Wes all in dolowre hard murnand 1456 Hay I. 59/14.
Than cled thai thame in clething of sekkis, and in wedis of doloure 1461 Liber Plusc. 383.
Thow man that is … Leifful to joy, sone movyt to doloure a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 971.
Hir dule excedand his dolour couth renewe c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 413.
Adew, dolour, adew! my daynte now begynis 1513 Doug. v. i. 12.
Weil wyst Eneas In violait lufe quhat strenth of dolour was 1540 Lynd. Sat. 2282.
Quhen will thou cum my dolours till abait 1560 Rolland Seven S. 9705.
The Empreour Payit his dew det, quhairof was greit dolour a1585 Maitl. Q. xlviii. 167.
In sorrow lat me not consome, Nor langer dolour drie c1600 Montg. Suppl. 213/33.
With dolour Damone did dekay For Mentas luif 1622-6 Bisset II. 172/8.
He had leved certane dais on this vyse in miserie and doloure(b) a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 796.
Wa will me sla throw dollour or my day a1568 Scott xvi. 33.
I dre the dollour and diseis, Quhen vthiris hes hir as thay pleis 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 156.
The deid of my lord regent wes the caus of great dollour to all thame of Chrystis religioun a1585 Polwart Flyt. 562 (T).
Delay his death … To doolful dollour derflie or ȝe dryve him a1598 Ferg. Prov. (1641) 2 b.
A proud heart in a poore breast hes meikle dollour to dree(c) 1570 Leslie 159.
Quhilk wes the caus of no les dolor throuch the haill realme nor thair wes joye … of befoir c1590 J. Stewart 30/10. Ib. 34/150.
Ȝe sie quhat dolor dalie Rennawlt dreis

b. An expression of grief; a lament. 1456 Hay I. 58/34.
The doggis … maid sa grete noysis and dolouris, that it was like a greting 1533 Boece iv. xii. 144 b.
Inhabitantis on nychtis herd vocis, menyng, murnyng and dolours

2. Physical pain or suffering; a pain or painful affection.(a) c1450 Cr. Deyng 109.
Thir men … thole in thar seknes meruolus dolur and infirmyte 1456 Hay II. 124/8.
Gif it behapnis thé to fele ony dolour in thy stomak 1490 Irland Mir. I. 148/29.
Without dolour sche bure hire sone 1531 Bell. Boece I. p. xv.
The pane and dolour ar sa pungitive, No medicine the pacient avalis 1557 Fam. Rose 224.
Ane continewale malidye of syatyk and dolour in his left syde 1579 Waus Corr. I. 205.
I haif had sic ane dolour in my leg … that I haif newir gayn furth of my chammir 1596 Dalr. I. 24/2.
It is gude … to kure and to remeid diuers dolouris of the skin(b) 1579 Edinb. B. Rec. IV. 136.
Vnderstanding that our said cousigne is heavalie diseasit be the dollour of ane wound that he hes in his bodie 1579 Reg. Privy C. III. 337.
Scho being birsit sa that in effect scho is not able to steir hir bodie for the vehement pane and dolloure thairof 1604 Dundonald Par. Rec. 52.
Kaithrein Makteir … gripit hir airm and it tuik ane grait dollour thairof 1615 Crim. Trials I. 318.
Visseit with dyuerse bodielie infirmiteis, speciallie ane grit dollour and sairnes in his richt leg