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 1971 (DOST Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Murther, -ur(e, -our(e, Morther, Murder, n.¹ Also: murthere, -ire, -yr(e, -ar(e, -eur, murthre, mwrther, -ir, -our, mourther, muirther; mortho(u)r, -ower; murdir, -our, mourder, mowrtour, mwrdour, mwrdre, morder, -or. [ME. murþer, morþre (13–14th c.), ME. and e.m.E. murther (Cursor M.), -ur, morther (c 1449), mordre (14th c.), moordre (15th c.), e.m.E. murder (Shakesp.), OE. morðor, also OF. murdre, moerdre, murtre (F. meurtre) of Germanic origin, med. L. mordrum, murdrum.The forms in d and t are no doubt due to the OF. and med. L.]

1. Murder, unlawful killing of a person or const. possess. of the victim, espec. premeditated or secret killing.Also const. possess. of the person committing the murder.Also with indef. article or in plur., an instance of murder.(1) 1235 Reg. Episc. Aberd. II. 269.
Cum … girthebrekyng, flemyngrith, murthir et latrocinio 1373 Acts I. 184/2.
Si per murthir siue per forthouchfelony fuit homicidium perpetratum 14.. Ib. 342/1. 1456 Hay I. 240/31. Ib. 27/32.
And his said maister did a crime of murthir or thift or ref 1473–4 Treas. Acc. I. 4.
Murthyre 1569 Sc. Hist. Rev. I. 40.
I never thoght … that the persowns nominat by the persown off Kynnoir wald jnterprysyt sik a vyle & execrable mourther 1572 Buch. Detect. (1727) 30. c1575 Balfour Pract. 508.
The four pointis of the crown … viz. murther … burning, robberie or reif, and ravisching and deforcing of women Ib. 512. 1600 Hamilton in Cath. Tr. 228/19.
Murthere Ib. 234/33.
For of it proceidis murthre 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 43/8.
As King Dauids [conscience] uas after his murther & adulterie aye quhill [etc.] Ib. 62/7, 64/8. 1596 Dalr. I. 289/9.
Donald and his wyfe, authoris of the murthir, the seruandes, committeris of the murth[er] 1608 Lett. & St. P. Jas. VI 129.
All wther slauchteris, muirtheris, hairschippis 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. ii. 132 b, 3.
The first of these crimes is murther, quhilk is publick, quhen ane is slane be forethocht-felonie. And commonlie is called voluntare slauchter. Or it is privat, quhilk is committed quietlie, and secretlie … the quhilk wee call properlie murther(b) 1501 Acta Conc. MS. XI. 5 b.
His hienes will nocht geif remissions … for tressoune murthare … commone resset of thift(c) 1473 Treas. Acc. I. 4.
Al accionis except murthure, tressone and commovne thyft 1502 Ib. II. 348.
Certane personis that wer suspeckit of murthur about Edinburgh 1508 Reg. Privy S. I. 270/1. 1525 St. A. Formulare I. 269.
The committaris of … saikles murthuris … reiffis [etc.] 1568 Buch. Indict. 47.
Murtheur a1578 Pitsc. II. 194/16.
Quhilk ratified all the murthur that was done befoir and now oppinlie declairit 1596 Highland P. I. 158. 1597 Skene Verb. S. s.v. Mvrthrvm. 1612 Jurid. Rev. X. 466.(d) c1490 Irland Asl. MS. I. 20/12.
He suld speir at … baronis & men of weir anentis reif, murthour and stouth a1538 Abell 31 a.
Pray apone pray and mwrthour apone murthour 1567 Reg. Privy C. I. 545.
That be the murthour of his fader he had purchest a pretendit mariage of his moder 1567 Crim. Trials I. ii. 501. 1568 Haddington Corr. 271. 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 30.
Hamiltoune send … seruandis to execute the murthour Ib. 33 35. 1573 Sempill Sat. P. xxxix. 302.
To puneis lounes that hes ourlaid this land By murthour 1579 Reg. Privy C. III. 196. 1582 Crim. Trials I. ii. 103. 1584 Laing MSS. I. 41.
To practise our murthour be shot or other wapon 1590 Crim. Trials I. ii. 206. 1592–3 Misc. Spald. C. II. l.
In respect that the alledgit deid forsaid is ane foule murthour, committit vnder clud of nycht, and consequentle ane caus of tressone 1613 Crim. Trials III. 262. 1619 Ib. 481. 1625 Justiciary Cases I. 27.
And of the murthour and slauchter of the persones foirsaidis 1627 Ib. 73.(e) 1563-72 Ferg. Tracts 10.
The punishment of whordome, dronkennes, … morther, thift 1568 Buch. Indict. 33.
Quhairbie it apperis evidentlie that the Quene … ves previe of the horrible and wnvorthe morthour perpetrat [etc.] 1579 Edinb. B. Rec. IV. 107.
Cheiflie culpabill of the said crewall morthoweris 1586 Cal. Sc. P. VIII. 447.
Morthor 1589 Black Bk. Taymouth 244.
Morthouris(f) 1165–1214 Facs. Nat. MSS. I. 20.]
[Exceptis … causa de murdra, causa de assaltu premeditato 1456 Hay I. 245/13.
Or poysonis or othir maner of murderis in hyd maner Ib. II. 40/21.
Ony grete excessive syn as tresoun or scisme, sorcery or wichecraft or grete murderis Ib. 36/4. 1515 Reg. Privy S. I. 398/2.
Murderis 1567 Crail Kirk S. 19 Nov.
For the mordor of hyr barne 1590 Grant Chart. 177.
Murdour 1596–7 Misc. Spald. C. I. 99.
Thow was ane continuall practizer withe … thi mother of hir haill mwrdres 1600-1610 Melvill 17.
Of the Kingis mourder at the Kirk of Field Ib. 23.
Murdour Ib. 427.
Murder(2) c1420 Wynt. vi. 2372.
He In murthyr hym slwe on the prewe 1498 Acta Conc. II. 291.
Apone forthocht felony in maner of murthare under cilence of nycht 1515 (c 1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I. 156.
Stouthreif, invasioun be way of murthure [etc.] … ar pvnist to deid 1526 Reg. Privy S. I. 524/2. 1551 Breadalbane P. No. 79.
Vnder silence of nycht … be way of murthure and hamesukkin

b. Also applied to any heinous or strongly reprobated killing or multiple slaughter or massacre, whether illegal or legal. c1420 Wynt. ii. 1014.
Off that incest fell murthyr kene Ib. v. 2220.
That fellowne slawchtyr he awowyd, And sayd … thai Suld it murthyre call na way, For tyll wndo thare goddys fa, How lychtlyast thai mycht hym sla c1475 Wall. vii. 369.
Our kyn ar slayn … Throuch feill murthyr the gret dispite is mor c1515 Asl. MS. I. 211/6.
In this samyne ȝere was a gret murthour of lordis in Yngland Ib. 214/5.
Hislyf was evir into tressonable murthoure 1531 Bell. Boece I. 19.
Suppone we be vincust, quhilk may nocht succeid but undemus murdir of you, than sall ye be an facill pray to your ennimes Ib. 44.
Seing the feild left efter sa huge murdir 1533 Boece ii. xii. 85.
Sa vehement was the murthare that nowthir kynde nor age mycht avale 15.. Clar. v. 84.
Thair was of Sampson the murthere 1560 Rolland Seven S. 5030.
To quhome Romanis had done greit vilanie, Be greit murther and malice thame molest c1568 Lauder Minor P. i. 469.
I vg ȝour murthour and hirschip to declair For thocht ȝe sla nocht pure men with ȝour knyues Ȝit with ȝour dearth ȝe tak from thame the lyues 1567 Sat. P. iv. 103.
By thrawart malice and murther manifest … hangit … but dome 1567 Ib. xi. 49.
Throw thé murther wald beir the swing a1578 Pitsc. II. 316/22.
To excuise his pairt of the murthure of the Scottismen 1589 Black Bk. Taymouth 245.
Causing thame authoreis the said creual mvrthour

c. To do, commit or ma(k (ane) murther. Also const. on or apoun the victim.(1) 14.. Reg. Maj. c. 138.
Ane is that is callit murther the quhilk is done priuily … sa that sudandly folowys nocht the cry of the pepyl 1494 Loutfut MS. 109 a.
Apon murthir tresson or ony siclike accioun quhilk is done in secret maner 1567 G. Ball. 3.
Thow sall do na murther(2) c1475 Wall. viii. 1120.
The wengeance … Off gret murthyr his men maid in till Ayr (a1570-86 Dunb.) Maitl. F. x.43.
The mourderar ay mourder mais [v.r. The murderaser and martyr mayis] And ay quhill he be slane he slayis 1533 Boece viii. vi. 261.
In feildis villagis and townys fellon murthure was maid, bot in the fleyng sum parte mare 1560 Rolland Seven S. 6732. 1570 Sempill Sat. P. xii. 59.
Lythquo, lament … Cause of this murther laitly maid amang ȝow(3) 1544 Corr. M. Lorraine 95.
Fyrst to commit tresson and sayne morther 1551 Hamilton Cat. 86.
Thai brek this command … quha of crabitnes committis slauchter or murthour a1595 Cullen Chron. Aberd. 37.
The grytt and crwll mwrther and messecar of Paris wes committit be Hendre, Kyng of France [etc.] 1593 Edinb. Test. XXV. 203.
The committar of the said mwrdour being apprehendit 1596 Dalr. I. 288/23.(4) 1492 Myll Spect. 283/3.
The damesell that had commysit sic a foull mvrthur on hir awne proper fader 1531 Bell. Boece II. 49.
Gret murdir and punitioun was maid on al thame that war repugnant to this proclamation 1533 Boece vii. vi. 233.
Vtheris … made na litill murthure apon Romanis Ib. ix. viii. 304.
The tratouris … maid apoun him haisty murthire 1547 Reg. Privy C. I. 71.
Thevis and tratouris that … makis revis, slauchteris, mowrtouris and oppressionis upoun our soverane ladyis liegis a1578 Pitsc. II. 291/14.
Thair chanceit to be maid in the towne of Parreis ane gret murthur vpone the haill protestanis

d. As a cry uttered by one who believes there is immediate danger of murder. a1500 Henr. Fab. 486 (Bann.).
Scho said and gaif a schout: ‘How, murthour, reylock!’ a1651 Calderwood VII. 124.
The Archbishop of St. Androes reposing in his bed … was walkened with a cry of blood and murther

e. Attrib. in murthour-aith (= oath) (unless this properly belongs to Murther n.²). a1500 Henr. Fab. 2865 (Bann.).
Gife thow sueir to me the murthour aith … to bring me our this flude But hurt or harme Ib. 2884 (Bann.).

2. Applied to: The (? mass) killing of animals. a1578 Pitsc. I. 55/32.
Ilk ane lyand wait for wther as they had ben settand tinchellis for the murther of wyld beistes