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.
Quotation dates: <1375, 1375-1425, 1498-1512, 1567-1595
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Fry, Frie, n. Also: frey. [ME. fry(e, frie (1389), med. L. fria (1318), app. OF. fraie (F. frai) in sense 1, The ME. example of frie in 1389 may be AF.]
1. Young fishes just produced from the spawn; also the spawn of frogs. 1318 Acts I. 109/1.]
[Salmunculi vel smolti seu fria (tr. fry) c1420 Wynt. v. 597.
Thai gert hym … In tyll a drawcht off drynk swelly A paddog yhong, lyand in fry 1425 Acts II. 5/2.
That all crufis and ȝaris … quhilke distroyis the fry of all fischis be distroyit a1500 Taill of Rauf Coilȝear 680.
Fyne foullis in fyrth, and fischis with fry 1498 Acts II. 221/2.
Anent the crvuis and fisch ȝardis quhilkis distroyis the fry of fische 1572 Satirical Poems xxx. 90.
Thay beand beistis … Compairit with gedds that dois thair fry deuoir 1595 Aberd. B. Rec. II. 112.
For haulding of justice courtis vpon … distroyeris of smoltis and frey of salmound
2. Offspring, progeny, children, brood. a1400 Legends of the Saints xxxiii. 868.
Fourty thousand … Outakine wemen & ȝung fry c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 403.
I … maid bot fulis of the fry of his first wyf 1567 Gude and Godlie Ballatis 189.
Nor gude men vncouth fry suld feid, And all the suith war knawin 1590 Burel Pilgr. ii. v.
Than curiously I did inqvire … Quho prences wes, or had impire Of that maist frolick fry
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"Fry n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 14 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/fry_n>
