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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.

Noumer, Nomer, Num(m)er, v. Also: nowmer, -ir, nomyr, nwmer, -yr. P.t. and p.p. noumerit etc.; also nowmryde, nwmert. [Late ME. nowmer (c 1400–50), otherwise appar. only Sc.; var., with assimilation of -mb-, of Nombre v., but cf. also L. numerāre.]

1. To ascertain the number of, by counting; to count. ?1438 Alex. ii. 1536.
Numer c1490 Irland Asl. MS. I. 49/17.
The angell novmeris the gait and passage that he makis 1533 Bell. Livy I. 96/29.
Becaus he ȝeid about thame and nowmerit euery centurie … be thame self 1539 Treas. Acc. vii. 154.
Lettres to proclame wappinschewing, and … to noumer the personis fensabill for weris c1552 Lynd. Mon. 3056.
Noumer 1573 Inverness Rec. I. 230.
To nummer and tak compt of thame and all vther his grayth

b. In the passive, with agent understood. a1400 Leg. S. xliii. 404.
Thai ma nocht nomeryt be That resawit this halynes c1420 Wynt. viii. 3628.
The bodyis … Nowmeryd full and sowmyd syne In reknyn passyd thre thowsand 1533 Bell. Livy I. 278/35.
For all the cieteȝanis of Rome war nowmerit & extendit to [132419] persouns c1520-c1535 Nisbet Matth. x. 30.
Al the hairis of your heid ar novmerit 1568 Inverness Rec. I. 164.
At euerie mannis schot … salbe numerit sa monye fischis as thai get 1578 Inv. Wardrobe 261.
Boullettis … quhilkis culd not be instantly nowmerit or tauld becaus thay ly in divers places far sindry

c. To reckon up the total sum of, to count (money). Cf. sense 9. a1500 Seven S. 826.
Gold and siluer in hurd had he That vnes it mycht novmerit be

2. In the passive without agent. a. To be counted or reckoned as amounting or being equal to, till or of, and b. To be numbered at, to amount to, (a certain number).a. c1420 Wynt. viii. 6278 (see Anowmer v.).
Nowmryde — a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 227.
And of the nobillest be name, noumerit of nyne 1531 Bell. Boece I. 108.
The army of Caratak … wes noumerit to xl m. menb. c1515 Asl. MS. I. 242/17.
The quhilk day thai … semblit … and war novmerit xxx m. c1550-c1580 Art of Music 15 b.
And thay ar thrie nummerit

3. intr. or absol. To reckon up, calculate. 1490 Irland Mir. I. 98/25.
To Daniel was reuelit the tyme and he nowmerit per ebdomadas

4. tr. To enumerate, recount one by one. 1531 Bell. Boece I. lxii.
To nowmer thair genelogy first fra Brutus 1598 Crim. Trials II. 50.
In lyke maner, besydes the haill particuler circumstances numerit of befoir, he hes solicit [etc.]

5. To measure out proportionately in music: see Noumer n. 9. c1552 Lynd. Mon. 191.
The lustye lark ascending in the air, Numerand hir naturall notis craftelye

6. a. To gather the full number of (an army), to levy or to muster. Cf. Noumer n. 4. 1531 Bell. Boece (M) II. 43.
King Donskene novmerit [1821, convenit] all fensabill persons of his realme [L. scriptis ad militiam cunctis Pictorum gentis] … and come with ane proude army aganis the Scottis Id. Livy II. 195/22.
Quhen thir consulis war nowmerand [L. recensentes] thare legiouns … comperit afore thame ane huge pepill desiring peace

b. To count or class amang, in or with (a certain group or class of persons). Cf. Noumer n. 4 b, c.(1) c1520-c1535 Nisbet Acts i. 17.
Judas that … was novmerit amang vs 1531 Bell. Boece I. 126.
Nocht unworthy to be nouinerit amang maist douchty campionis Ib. 54, II. 100. 1533 Boece iv. vii. 134 b.
Voada … was nowmerit ane chiftane amang vtheris Arundel MS. 248/288.
That I be vnder sa gret a hird novmerit amang the beistis of His flok(2) 1533 Boece ix. v. 297.
Abone al haly wemen that the Kyrk nowmeris in the cathologe of sanctis 1580 Hay in Cath. Tr. 33/21.
Albeitt … they aucht no way to be nummerit in that rang(3) 1622-6 Bisset II. 292/14.
Matthias … wes eftirwardis numered with the ellevint apostollis

7. To assign a specific number to. 1490 Irland Mir. II. 20/7.
Distingand & numerand the artiklis of the faith eftir the nowmer of the apostlis

8. To amount to in number. a1500 K. Hart 42.
Thir folk … Quhilk nummerit ane milȝon and weill mo

9. To count out (a certain sum of money) in offering or making payment; to pay over (money) in cash.Also const. to the payee.Cf. L. numerāre in the same sense.(a) 1474 Stirlings of Keir 248.
Williame of Striueline … to pay and content to me … the soume of tua hundreth marcis of gud and usual money … in ane hale soume … in money novmeryt and tauld … upone the hie altar of the paroch kyrk of Logy 1474 Lennox Mun. 103. 1481 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III. 463.
To pay … the soume of fourty pundis … apone Sancte Serwe altar … thar to be tald and nowmeryt befor notabil witnes 1494 Charter (Reg. H.) No. 583.
The mone beand nowmerit & lokkit in ane boxis & deliuerit to the positoure 1509 Reg. Privy S. I. 288/2. 1521 Boyd Fam. P. No. 3 (3 Nov.).
Thane it sal be lefull to the sad Johne … to nowmer the sad sowme of sevine scor of merks apone the sad hie altare before ane notar and witnes and to ther leif the samyn stille 1533 Boece xiii. ix. 519.
Gualo resauit neuer the bischoppis & noblis of Ingland in favouris quhil thai had nowmerit to him sowmez of money(b) 1557 Orkney & Shetl. Rec. I. 263.
To be nomerrit in gold and silver 1563 Prot. Bk. Gilbert Grote 58. 1599 Glasgow Prot. XI. 52.(c) 1480 Macleod P. MS. (Reg. H.).
To tell & nwmyr the saide some apone the saide altar 1492 Acta Conc. I. 255/1.
The … procuratour numerit the said money in presens of the lordis and offerit the samyn to the said William 1496 Lennox Mnn. 162.
The said sowmes beand tauld, nwmerit and left apon the said hie altar 1550 Aboyne Rec. 81.
Numer 1587–8 Prot. Bk. J. Inglis 15 Feb.
To se the said vii hunderit merkis nwmert & tauld & to resawe the same 1590 Grant Chart. 172.
Numer