A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1971 (DOST Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1399-1490
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Merour(e, -owre, n. [Sc. var. of Mirro(u)r n.: cf. late ME. (north.) merowe (Cath. Angl.). Only in early texts.] A mirror. lit. and fig. = Mirro(u)r n.a. c1460 Consail Vys Man 402.
Wysmen of fulys has rycht knawlege As in a meroure thar wysage 1490 Irland Mir. I. 23/24.
Thai se in the hie divinite as in a cleire & nett meroure1490 Irland Mir. MS. 320.b. (1) a1400 Legends of the Saints ii. 895.
Paule … is mad til ws merour c1420 Wynt. v. 3945.
The dedys off this empryowre Sulde be, lordys, yhoure merowre c1420 Ratis Raving 1084.
Sice ar the perellus merouris Entisand ȝonge men til amouris c1420 Ib. 1090. 1490 Irland Mir. I. 13/14.
The Kirk is meroure and exampil to all the pepil 1490 Ib. 14/13.
That this werk be callit the meroure of wissdome or A.B.C. of cristianite(2) a1400 Legends of the Saints xxxvi. 615.
Sancte Johnne … Meroure of uerginite, Of clenes & of chastite c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace iv. 205. 1490 Irland Mir. I. 154/10.
Sche was the bricht meroure & examplare of all wertu and womanheid 1490 Ib. 103/10.(3) a1400 Legends of the Saints xxiv. 499.
Now is my meroure brokine smal & my gud hope tynt is all
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"Merour n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 5 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/meroure>
