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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.

Nurtur(e, -our(e, n. Also: nwr-, nor-, nour- and -tor, -tar, -tir, -tyr. [ME. nurture (Manning), norture (Chaucer), nourtoure (1422), e.m.E. norter (1526), nurtoure (1535), nourture (1596), OF. nurt-, nourture: Cf. Nuritur(e n.]

1. Upbringing, education, training.(1) 1375 Barb. iv. 732.
He may … refrenȝe his vill, Outhir throu nwrtour or throu skill, And to the contrar turne him all ?1438 Alex. ii. 96.
Sampsoun and Pyirus … That war brocht vp of my nurtour c1515 Asl. MS. I. xiv.
Item the buke of curtasy and nortur 1571 Selkirk B. Ct. MS. 26 Oct.
All men havand bairns that are age to ressave teachment and nurture 1586 Misc. Bann. C. II. 214.
Item, the buik of nurtar(2) 1562 Knox VI. 180.
proverb Considering ȝe said ane lytill afore ȝe did abhor all chiding and railling, bot nature passes nurtor with ȝow Ib.
I will nether interchange nature nor nurtor with yow a1598 Ferg. Prov. No. 645.
Norture

2. The virtues that result from good upbringing, good manners, courtesy, ‘breeding’. c1475 Wall. ix. 310.
With rewllyt spech in so gudly awys, All France couth nocht [mair] nurtour tham dewys a1500 Rauf C. 160.
Schir, thow art vnskilfull … Thow byrd to haue nurtour aneuch and thow hes nane a1500 Sir Eger 1988. a1500 Prestis of Peblis 328.
Carllis of kynd … In quhom is na nurtour nor nobilnes c1490 Porteous Noblenes 176/5.
Nurtour a1500 Lanc. 2440.
Nurtur c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxiii. 54.
[They] will at na man nurtir leyr Id. xlviii. 174; etc. 1533 Boece ii. xii. 84.
Lismore and Cormak … meting the King … with mekill nurtoure made him reuerence 1535 Stewart 51054.
That pensit knaif without nurtour or aw 1542–3 Coll. Rebus Alban. 29.
Brought vp … without lerninge and nourtour 15.. Clar. ii. 1628.
Nurture Ib. iii. 970.
Nurtur 1560 Rolland Seven S. Prol. 2.
Nurtour a1568 Scott i. 221.personified c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 163.
Nurture [M. nurtyr]