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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.

Familiar(e, a. Also: familyar, famyliar(e, -ylyare, famuliar, -illear, fammiliar, fameliear, -ell(i)ear. [ME. familiar, famyliare (c 1340), L. familiāris. Cf. Familier(e a.]

1. Of persons (in attrib. use): Intimate; closely associated …In some contexts possibly ‘belonging to one's household’. 1456 Hay II. 31/18.
He may be lyknyt to the wolf that the lord gave the schepe to kepe to, as till a familyar faa 1482 Fam. Rose 148.
Forsamekill as youre familiar squiaris … haf commonit with vs in youre naime 1497 Reg. Morton II. 247.
Oure louet and tendyr familiar servitor Robert of Douglas 1510 Peebles Chart. 42.
Thar … corne, catall, familiare servandis [etc.] 1524 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 218.
Our familiar seruitour, aduocat, and justice clerk 1549 Compl. 111/3.
Quhar for ane of his familiar frendis inquyrit him of the cause of his … vagatione 1570 Buch. Wr. 28.
The erllof Arrane … wes set furth be … sum of the kingis familiar seruandistransf. 1513 Doug. iii. v. 145.
Al our Troianys togiddir welcum war Onto thar frendly cite famyliar

b. Const. with, or predicative without prep. 1490 Irland Mir. I. 136/33.
Quhen ȝe … schaw ȝou familiar, ȝe are ourcummyne a1500 Lanc. 1699.
With them thow sit, … I say not be our fameliar 1522 Douglas Corr. 84.
Schir Iohne Duncansone … is rycht famylyare wyth the Duke of Albayne c1536 Lynd. Compl. Bagsche 15.
I thocht me so familiar, I neuer dred necessitie c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 222.
This ȝoung squyar Was with him richt familiar 1588 King Cat. 33.
The quhilk Sancts … to quhome is gewine … to liwe maist familiar withe Christ thair lord

c. Of intercourse, friendship, etc.: Intimate, close, friendly. 1513 Doug. i. ix. 36.
O thou … Quhilk ws … Within thy cyte ressauys till herbry, And to famyliar frendschip and ally 1533 Boece vi. ix. 205.
Ane cristin woman of Pichtis blude in familiare seruice with the quene Ib. xii. xix. 492.
Except familiare talk na thing bot vertuos langage was herd ? 1548 Corr. M. Lorraine 240.
Aperdon my hardines in my familiar wreittyng 1596 Dalr. I. 72/25.
Thay cal Gathele to a familiar speiking

d. As adv. Familiarly. a1578 Pitsc. I. 50/16.
The king … wssit him maist fameliear of any man

2. Of an ordinary kind, simple, well-known, readily understood. 1513 Doug. 909/94.
Kepand na facund rethoryk castis fair, Bot haymly playn termys famyliar 1551 Hamilton Cat. 120.
To declare to ȝow the rycht use of the law be plaine and familiar exempillis 1562-3 Winȝet I. 61/3.
The plane and sempill trewth … requiris only plane familiar … speche

3. Domestic. 1533 Bell. Livy I. 14/1.
Eneas … in presence of his familiare goddis [L. penates] resauit Lavinia … in mariage 1596 Dalr. II. 9/26.
Quhen externe ennimies he had laid asleip, he intendis neist to dantoun all familiar faes

4. Customary. 1533 Boece vi. xv. 216.
It was euer familiare to the Romane maieste to spare thare subiectis