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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.

Ere, Eir, Ear, v. Also: eyr(e, eire. [ME. ere(n, early erien, œrien, OE. erian.]

1. intr. To engage in ploughing; to draw the plough. c1420 Wynt. i. 1619.
Men he kend tyll ere and sawe 1457 Acts II. 51/1.
Ilk man erande with a plewche of viii oxin sall sawe [etc.] Ib. 67/2.
All … that may nocht eyr na mak teilth wyth oxin a1500 Henr. Fab. 2244.
The oxin eirit mair reullie at the last Ib. 2259.
Gaif thow not me this drift, … quhen thow wes eirand on ȝone bank 1513 Doug. xiii. ix. 76.
He … Tawcht thame … To eyr, and saw the cornys 1597 Elgin Rec. II. 54.
Ane ox in the pleuche that this Spank was earand with 1615 Aberd. B. Rec. II. 325.
Finding that Johne Gordoun … had earit and spurrit out be southe the samen [road] 1643 Elgin Rec. I. 276.
John Chalmer … is fynit 4 lib. for earing out upoun the south syd of the Gallowhill gaitt

2. tr. To plough (land).(a) 1459 Reg. Aberbr. 108.
Quhar his predecessor lefte eryt and laborit the said land 1459 Rep. Hist. MSS., Var. Coll. V. 82.
He sal er hym als mykyl quyt land 1488 Acta Aud. 117/2.
The citineris … has erit and brokin the erde … within the saidis landis 1533 Bell. Livy I. 4/32.
Thare suld ȝit rest ane largeare feild til ere Than all my pleuch mycht teill in to ane ȝere 1558 Reg. Cupar A. II. 268.
He sall ere … Robertson's land for this instant crop 1599 Reg. Privy C. V. 525.
[His servants were] gangand at his plewch, ering and teilland the samyn landis(b) 1459 Reg. Aberbr. 108.
The lardis of Meldrum has gart eyre and saw our said landis of Canty 1498 Acta Conc. II. 123.
Of vj score of bollis of aitis that he micht haf sawin upone the sammyn landis erit and telit be him 1513 Doug. xii. ix. 50.
Hys fader eyrit and sew ane peys of feld 1559 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 315.
To intromett, eir, laubour, and occupy the croftis 1569 Rec. Inverness I. 175.
That … Mergret Waus causit eyr, sawe, and harrow ane pece land of his 1614 Burnett Fam. P. MS.
The said Alexander Gordoune … sall ȝeirllie … sett, fauch, and eir the land of the gleib 1660 Forbes Baron Ct. 226.
That no tennentis … eir nor labour hauch nor medow ȝeird that hes nocht bein labourit abefor(c) 15.. Misc. Spald. C. IV. 105.
The kirk … is the ground that he takis plesour to labour, he earis it, he sawes it, and he scheiris it 1612–13 Ib. V. 91.
In earing the land … and eattis, for sawing thairof 1622-6 Bisset I. 313/9.
In sa far as he gart ear, till, or maw my landis