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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.

Nor, conj.¹ Also: nore, noir(e (and Nar). [ME. (14–15th c.), prob. orig. a contracted form of Nother. (Cf. Na conj.²)]

1. Nor, in various collocations and uses.For further examples, see Naither, Nother, Nowther, etc., and Na a. 1 b.(1) Brus ix. 292 (C).
He that wald hald veyr no [E. na] mair Nor [E. Na] bargane vith the … Kyng c1450-2 Howlat 235.
Confess cleir can I nocht nor kyth all the cas Ib. 239. 1457 Reg. Episc. Brechin. I. 183.
That ye haue na daile nor intromittinge with the said landis 1462 Cal. Charters Suppl. 9 Nov.
That na burges na indwellare … of Montros sall indyte nor chalance ony of the inhabitandis … of Adȝel c1460 Alex. (Taym.) 1248, 2581. 1473 Acta Aud. 29/2.
Becaus thai comperit nocht now nor off before a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 253, 384, 1080, etc. 1487 Liber Melros 618. 1490 Irland Mir. I. 35/25. c1500 Rowll Cursing 93.
Nocht dreidand God in werk nor wourd … Nor ask God mercy nor repent a1500 Bk. Chess 2150. a1500 Lanc. 389. c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 69 (Ch. & M.).
Noucht thou Omer … Nor yit thou Tullius 1513 Doug. v. xi. 11, xi. xiii. 155, etc. 1531 Bell. Boece I. 37. a1561 Q. Kennedy Breif Tract. (ed.) 115/11.
And thow sal nocht persaue ane plaine nor manifest text [etc.] 1560 Rolland Seven S. 6816.
[In women] Sic kenenes … Was neuer hard nor sene 1562-3 Winȝet II. 68/5. 1566–7 Crail B. Ct. 21 Jan. 1567 G. Ball. 31. a1568 Bann. MS. 145 a/4. 1574 Reg. Privy C. II. 352.
Notwithstanding the saidis unleirnit … ministeris … ar not diligentlie … tryit … nor yit ar the unresident personnis admoneist 1588 Aberd. Council Lett. I. 43.
And not to be molestit nor troublit be thame nor utheris of thair causing … quhome thay may stop or lett derectlie nor inderectlie 1596 Dalr. I. 18/1. 1597 Breadalbane Ct. Bk. 158.
To … beir gunnis within the saidis boundis nor ȝit to haue the same in his possession … inwith his hous 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 46/7, 99/6, etc. 1622-6 Bisset I. 77/18.(b) 1456–7 Montrose Baillie Ct. 6 b (11 Feb.).
Nether hemp noir lynt noir oder thing be sawin 1466 Chart. (Reg. H.) No. 395.
Sway that the forsaid … may nocht bruk noire iois the … profyttis(2) 1456 Hay I. 161/10.
A pure creature that never maid were, nor never bare harneis, na wappin c1475 Wall. iii. 303. a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 286.
Thair gat he nane homage … Nor neuer none sene c1515 Asl. MS. I. 193/15.
Thar was neuer land nor is no land nor nacioun so fre bygane of all the warld nor has standing so long tyme in fredome as we Scottis 1513 Doug. viii. ix. 61.
Ne suld I nevir depart … Nor our nychtbour Meȝentyus … Suld na wys … haue killyt so feill corps Ib. ii. xi. 100, xiii. v. 62. 1559–60 Soc. Ant. XI. 521.
That quhateuer scho hes deponit … hurt nocht nor preiuge nocht the bishop 1560 Rolland Seven S. 165.
Na menstrell myrth nor ȝit na merines Into his hall was sene(3) 1470 Reg. Panmure II. 246.
Sa that he nor thai may not pesably joys na brouke the said twa part of the landis 1490 Irland Mir. I. 30/25.
For the hevynnis nore speris aboue has na wertu nore operacioune bot [etc.] a1500 Bk. Chess 1789.
That hors nore men nother thai dissaif 1513 Doug. i. Prol. 181.
Juno nor Venus goddessis neuer war 1515 Fife Sheriff Ct. 14.
That he nor nane in his name removit hyme neuir tharfra 1549 Compl. 6/6. c1552 Lynd. Mon. 5916. 1564 Edinb. B. Rec. III. 187.
That thai nor nane of thame … sall [etc.] a1578 Pitsc. I. 26/21. Ib. 259/16, II. 20/17.
To mak hir purgatione that scho was frie of all misrewlle … nor gave na counsall thairto 1587 Antiq. Aberd. & B. IV. 242.
Considering that be the lawes … of the realme the richt of blood nor yit ony heretable title fallis vnder prescriptione nor is tane away 1602 Colville Paraenese 28.
Sche doth institut nor prescryue no reull … vhilk is vnholy(4) c1500-c1512 Dunb. ix. 29.
Harbreit the wolsome nor naikit cled att all Nor ȝit the deid to bury tuke I tent(5) c 1424 Murray Early B. Organ. I. 310.
The clerc … sal … gar the tron-wechts … agree … with his ain wechts nor mair or les 1499–1500 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 77.
Nor ȝitt at the Sowth Loch nor yitt the North Loch 1611-57 Mure I. 296/3166.
To further man's salvation Hee did spare Paynes nor by night nor day, nor late nor ayre

b. And … (not), and … (not even). a1500 Rauf C. 503.
I wait not quhat his willis be, Nor he namit na mair thé Nor ane vther man to me Bot quhome that I fand a1500 Seven S. 543.
The herd sawe that he chape nocht micht nor that it was na bute to fle a1500 Lanc. 3333.
Nor he, the knycht in to the armys red … He may to this be no comparysoune

2. That … not, but (that): cf. Na adv.² a1500 Henr. Fab. 1402 (Bann.).
Quha wate nor I may leir … Sum thing thairby heireftir may awaill? a1500 Lanc. 2228.
Adventur is non so gret to pref … nor ȝhe sal it esschef Ib. 2350, 3176. c1552 Lynd. Mon. 5039.
It maruellis me He, haueand sic prosperite, … Nor he had infynite plesoure c1590 J. Stewart 41/430.
For routh I meruell nor the riuage rawe

3. In imprecations: (God) (grant) that, would that (1), let (me), may.(1) a1500 Henr. Fab. 2114 (Harl.).
Than said the wolf, Now God nor that I hang c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxxiv. 77.
God … Nor ane stark widdy gar me gaip 1540 Lynd. Sat. Proclam. 100.
I pray God nor the feind ressaif the fidder c1616 Hume Orthog. 31.
We wish be wald God, God grant, and God nor 1666 Wodrow Hist. (1829) II. 9. 1692 Pitcairne Assembly (1722) 24.
God nor the D'ill [sic] blaw me i' the air(2) c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxxiv. 32.
Ane sowttar said, In gud effek Nor I be hangit be the nek Gife [etc.] 1540 Lynd. Sat. Proclam. 46.
Nor I be stickit with a knyfe For to wad ony vder wyfe That day sowld nevir daw