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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.

Fare, Fair, v. Also: far, faire, fayr(e. P.t. fur(e, fuir(e, fwr, four. P.p. faryne, farn(e, fairne. [ME. fare, faren, OE. faran (p.t. fór, p.p. faren).]

1. intr. To go; to make one's way. Freq. with advs. as furth, on, or with to (a place).(a) 1375 Barb. ii. 303.
Towart Meffayn then gan thai far Ib. iii. 345.
[Thai] lap on thar hors, and furth thai far a1400 Leg. S. ii. 233.
As thai furth farand ware Ib. xxvii. 1360.
But bad he buskit hym to fare c1420 Wynt. viii. 4276.
He tuk hys wayage for to fare Owre the mownth ?1438 Alex. ii. 339.
On the morne … , The King gart cry that all sould fare a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 27.
The king faris with his folk our firthis and fellis a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 510.
Cleke on thy cors, and fare on in to France Ib. 512.
The fend fare wyth thé, forthward our the fellis 1513 Doug. vi. vi h.
Ouer Styx that flude how that Enee dyd fare(b) c1420 Wynt. ii. 1672.
Pylgrymys … That to Jerusalem walde fayre Ib. viii. 6320.
Throwch Nyddysdale syne couth thai fayre Hamwart c1475 Wall. ii. 260.
Scho … thyggyt leiff away with him to fayr Ib. iii. 255.
The erle Persye to Glaskow couth he fair c1500-c1512 Dunb. v. 19.
To the ȝettis of hevin fast can the wif fair 1535 Stewart 282.
Bark and boit … Weill furneist wes to fair attour the flude c1550 Rolland C. Venus ii. 196.
Furth can he fair … Throw wildernes in woddis a1570-86 Maitl. F. lxxvi. 17.
Now mon I to the court fayr 1590 Burel Pilgr. ii. xxxvi.
Repairs thou, or fairs thou, With diabolyk bruds(b) 1375 Barb. xvi. 288.
How scho furth suld caryit be, Or euir he fure [E. fur] than ordanit he c1420 Wynt. viii. 5626.
The wardane syne till his cuntre Fure c1450-2 Howlat 486.
Thus in defence of the faith he fure to the ficht c1475 Wall. x. 955.
Thir wermen sone apon Gyane thai fwr a1500 Seven S. 1124.
Also sone as he furth fure, In scho slaid a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 215.
He tuke his leife, and to floum Jordane fure 1513 Doug. vii. v. 10.
As scho fur Down from the skyis 1535 Stewart 23651.
He … fordwart fure without ony affray 1530 Lynd. Test. Pap. 100.
Quhare euer I fure, I bure hir on my hande 1596 Dalr. II. 460/19.
Quhen scho fure to Scotland be Ingland(b) 1535 Stewart 342.
He … fuir on thame with sic a felloun force Ib. 38985.
Vpoune ane da tha fuir all to the fame 15.. Clar. v. 2676.
Thay raisit saillis … And fuire ower fluide c1552 Lynd. Mon. 126.
I fuir furth in ane Maye mornyng 1594 Poems 16th Cent. II. 352.
Thir war the number that they had Of footmen with them fuire(c) c1475 Wall. iii. 83.
Ay fra the tyme that he of presoune four

b. With cognate accusative. a1400 Leg. S. xxvi. 119.
He … his way syne cane fare Ib. xl. 1290.
To-morne … fare hame ȝoure way c1400 Troy-bk. i. 137.
We … At the fyrst flude sall fare ourway c1420 Wynt. iv. 1840.
He bad thame mare, Fra the se that thai suld fare Ten thowsand pasys

c. To proceed, go on, to something. c1552 Lynd. Mon. 684.
Now to my purpose fordwart wyll I fair Ib. 5325.
First wyll I to the Scripture fare 1574 Sat. P. xlii. 552.
I say na mair, But fordwart to my purpois fair

2. To act, behave, conduct oneself. 1375 Barb. ii. 507.
Sa fur thai then with him a1400 Leg. S. xxv. 351.
My dere lemmane, Quhat amowit ȝow this to fare? Ib. xxxviii. 252.
Ames thi self, & faire nocht sa c1420 Wynt. viii. 4490.
Thai … sa rycht rwydly wyth thame fure, That thai till Edynburgh held the way a1500 Henr. Fab. 195.
Thus thay fure, quhill soberit wes thair mude a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 676.
The frekis freschly thai fure, as fyre out of flynt 1513 Doug. xii. xi. 86.
Now, as the thundris blast, faris Ené In bargane 15.. Clar. v. 2035.
He fairis alse wode as lyoun in ane rage a1570-86 Maitl. F. lxxiv. 6.
Tak ȝe no thocht … Off this fals warld how ever it fayre

3. To have course, take place, happen. 1375 Barb. ii. 500.
Sa fayris ay commounly Ib. xiii. 653.
Sa fure it off thir kingis twa a1400 Leg. S. xxxvii. 217.
Sa farris for suth now of thé, That can nocht vndirstand me 1513 Doug. ix. Prol. 79.
Sa faris with me, bew schirris 1574 Sat. P. xlii. 699.
Euin sa fairis of this new law a1578 Pitsc. I. 392/25.
Thairfoir it fairit so with Schir James Hammiltoun 1604-31 Craig ii. 119/6.
So fairs'd of Loue, and woe is mee therefore

4. To ‘get on’; to experience good or bad fortune; to do well or badly.(a) a1400 Leg. S. xi. 146.
To wit at the goddis thare How in the batal he suld fare Ib. xviii. 338.
Thru god prayere Thai far al wele ȝe eftyre spere a1500 Rauf C. 258.
I suppois … Thow sall the better fair c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 460.
Faith hes ane fair name bot falset faris better 15.. Clar. ii. 420.
Geive hir this letter in ane taikining That I fair weill c1568 Lauder Minor P. i. 559.
Of wrangus gude no better man can fair(b) 1375 Barb. ii. 507.
Bot threldome, that men gert thaim fele, Gert thaim ay ȝarne that he fur wele c1500-c1512 Dunb. lviii. 22.
Swa thai the kirk haue in thair cure, Thay fors bot litill how it fure a1500 Doug. K. Hart 266.
He said he suld be spy, and bodwart bring … how that his maister fure 1535 Stewart 20329.
How he fuir that tyme in his travell, It war ouir lang … to tell 15.. Clar. v. 2947.
Then speirit he of the King, and how he fuire(c) 1375 Barb. iv. 513 (E).
The king … speryt syne How thai had farne in thair huntyn Ib. xvii. 904.
Quhen the king had speryt tithand How thai had farne [C. faryne] in Ingland a1400 Leg. S. xl. 196.
His frendis … , of his come wes rycht fayne, & hou he had faryne cane frayne a1500 Rauf C. 108.
I trow our gaist be the gait hes farne als ill c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 153.
Now … fallis ȝow but fenȝeing to tell … How haif ȝe farne, be ȝour faith? 1560 Rolland Seven S. 3320.
Now tell me of thy cheir, How hes thou fairne sen I departit heir?

b. In phrases of wishing good (or bad) fortune to another. (See also Farewele.) 1533 Gau 109/26.
Fair now veil and resaue this seruice of ȝour pwir seruand 1562-3 Winȝet I. 26/12.
Praying ye to fair weill in the Lord 1570 Sempill Sat. P. xii. 145.
This fair ȝe well; I flait not to offend ȝow 1570-3 Bann. Trans. 35.
They were hanged for thair full wages; and sa fair all the cumpany a1570-86 Maitl. F. xxxv. 60.
Scho said, ewill mot ȝe fair, That wald not lat me rest

5. To be served or provided in respect of entertainment, esp. in food and drink; to live (well or ill). a1400 Leg. S. xxvii. 1093.
He led hym quhar he suld tak ese; & mad hyme mery for to fare c1420 Wynt. iii. 748.
Wyth his court he come onone … And realy mad hym to fare Ib. vii. 2958.
He herbryd … Wyth Schyr William Besat, knycht, That gert the Kyng weylle fayre that nycht a1500 Henr. Fab. 221.
Quhylis I fair als weill as ony lord c1475 Wall. xi. 441.
Ȝeit fur thai weill of stuff, wyn, aill, and breid a1500 Prestis of Peblis 82.
Thai fure alswele as ony folk mycht fair 15.. Clar. iii. 2395.
Everie knicht … went to meit and fuire rycht nobillie c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 888.
Of venisoun he had his waill, Gude aquauite, … And swa the Squyer fuir richt weill a1568 Scott ii. 86.
Thame to refres with thair disione, … Quhen thay suld haif fairin bestfig. 1574 Sat. P. xlii. 576.
God wait, sa weill that flock will fair