Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

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

Futher, Futhir, n. Also: futhyr, fouther, fither, -ir. [ME. fothir, fother, OE. fóður, fóðer. Cf. Fudder n. and Fidder n.]

1. A cart-load (of peats, turf, or hay). 1400 Misc. Spald. C. V. 15.
Iniuste ab eo duxit sex futhris petarum. Alexander … concessit abductionem unius futhir 1473 Reg. Cupar A. I. 187.
Tha sal cast … the sext pairt of xx scoris of futheris of petis Ib. 188.
Tha sal lede … xiiij^xx of futhyris of turvys and petis 1478 Acta Aud. 82/1.
[They shall pay for] xx futhir haye x markis

2. A certain weight of lead. 1474 Cart. S. Nich. Aberd. 331/2.
Thre futhir of lede, ilke futhir contenand sex score of stanys

3. A number or company of persons.(a) c1500-c1512 Dunb. xiii. 13.
Ane commoun doar of transgressioun Of innocent folkis prevenis a futher 1530 Lynd. Test. Pap. 1154.
The feind resave the fouther 15.. Christis Kirk 200 (M).
Dic with ane ax Come furth to fell ane futher 1540 Lynd. Sat. 168.
Of fatheris sho maid me ane futher Ib. 943. 1581 Sat. P. xliv. 165.
I can not mark tua meater of the futher(b) 1540 Lynd. Sat. 673.
Of sic freindship I had ane fither 1603 Philotus iv.
Quha brocht thir kittocks hither? The mekill feind resaue the fithir