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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1983 (DOST Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Officer(e, -ar(e, n. Also: ofic-, offyc-, offiec-, offec-, of(f)is(s)-, offys-, of(f)es- and -air, -eer, -ir(e. [ME. (c 1325) and e.m.E. officer, offycer(e, officeer (15th c.), AF. officer, OF. officier: cf. Officiar and Of(f)icher.]

1. A functionary; a servant or attendant; an officer of the mint. = Officiar n. I. 1556 (c 1580) Edinb. B. Rec. II. 260.
vj crownis … to the officeris ischaris of the Quenis chalmer duir 1598 Household Bks. Jas. VI and Anne 30 Apr.
To sertain of the inferiour officeris that trauellis with his majestie wpoun fitt 1604 Cochran-Patrick Coinage I. 283.
The ordinar officeris fies new weghtis and ballancis [etc.]

2. An administrative or executive officer. = Officiar n. 2.For justice officer (d below) see Justice n. 12 (2); burla officer, see Burlaw.a. 1375 Barb. i. 191.
Schyrreffys and bailȝheys maid he then And alkyn othir officeris That for to gowern land afferis He maid off Inglis nation 1398 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 38.
The officers of that contre that he beis fonndyn in … to deliuer hym … to the wardanis of the marche c1420 Wynt. v. 3646.
Offycerys c1450-2 Howlat 653. c1500 Crying of Play 21. a1578 Pitsc. I. 18/8.
Schir Williame Crichtoun … quha is ane hich officair Ib. 304 h. of ch.
Officaris Ib. 334/7, 8.
Offieceris, offeceris 1604 Reg. Privy C. VII. 19.
Sir Williame Cranstoun … to proceid in the dischairge of the office of lieutennendrie, quhairof he, as deput to the Lord Home, principall officer, hes the burdeine 1685-8 Renwick Serm. 560.
As if they [laic elders] were a part of the people only; and not to be reckoned among the officers of the Lord's house … But every elder is a ruling elderb. (a) 1456 Hay I. 145/20. Ib. 202/7.
The wagis suld be payit till advocatis and procuratouris, sergeantis and officeris, in the first entree a1500 Bk. Chess 1805.
Ane officer to kepe the tovne havand In his richt hand the keyis of the ȝet 1515 Wigtown B. Ct. 44 b.
Fergus McDowell & Thom Logan officeris, Moris Gibson deyn officer 1554 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 200.
That thair be eleckit … foure seriandis by the auch seriandis now beand … and thai foure to … be participant with the vtheris viij officers 1586 Jurid. Rev. IV. 296.
The … baillies creatt Mr. James Bannatyne clerk of their court of regalitie, Robert Fraser officer and servand 1589 Prot. Bk. J. Inglis 17 Apr.
& thair … deliuerit to Willem Andirsone officer & procuratour … thre aittis stakkis 1641 Acts V. (1817) 453/1.
The officers of the jayle 1670 Boharm Kirk S. 16 Oct.
4s. 8d. given to the officer for making James Farquhar his grave(b) 1530 Edinb. Hammermen 130.
To be levares to the boy that playis one the swas and to the officar 1533 Boece xvi. v. 616 b.
Quhen he departit of ony town he causit the tavernaris … be inquirit be ane officare gif [etc.] 1606 Dunferm. B. Rec. II. 21.
Officaris(c) 1531 Carnwath Baron Ct. (ed.) 139, 1552–3 Lanark B. Rec. 23.
Offissar 1563 Ib. 31.
And Johne Weir was chossin offisser and sworn to use the said offis lellele [etc.] 1597 Misc. Spald. C. I. 186.
Quhilk I suld haif done … quhidder I haid gottine ane charge be ane offiser or nocht(d) 1527 Carnwath Baron Ct. (ed.) 82.
As thai that ar lawfully summond be the said Thomas Cheisle offesar 1573–4 Edinb. Skinners in Bk. Old Edinb. C. VI. 90.
To the common offeseer for his fe 1598 Skipper's Acc. (Morton) 23 b.
Ofeser(e) 1571 Lanark B. Rec. 60.
Offecer a1578 Pitsc. II. 80/19.
Offiecers 1626 Aberd. Council Lett. I. 254.
To … caus be sworne clerks seriands … and all otheris offecersc. 1397 Acts I. 208/2.
The schirefs & al other officeris of the Kyngis c1420 Wynt. vii. 3195 (see King n. B 5 c).
The Kyngys offycerys 1438 Acts II. 32/1.
This act to be … fulfillyt be the offysaris of the lordis of regalyteys 1455 Liber Scon 186.
It salbe lesum to the saidez abbot and conuent thair … procuratouris thair maris or ony vther thair officeris to … distrenȝe [etc.] a1500 Prestis of Peblis 1059.
To me the king his officer hes send, For he wil that my count to him be kend 1526 Carnwath Baron Ct. (ed.) 55.
Under my l. fens be Vilȝem Elder my l. offesar 1532 Ib. 145.
My lord creat … Thome Chesly barrone offisar 1562 Armstrong Liddesdale civ.
Offecer of the nayther waird of Lyddesdayll a1578 Pitsc. I. 14/13.
Officairis 1605 Dundonald Par. Rec. 74. 16.. Crail Squaremen 26.
That no brother of our craft shall deforce the decone officer in drauing of the pund 1662 Galloway P. 21 Mar.
Allexander McCrerie tounes offiser of Quhithorne 1662 Crim. Trials III. 605.
Johne Yowng, in Mebestowne, is officer to our coeven 1692 Cramond Kirk S. III. 18 Aug.
David Lowes the presbitry officer 1699 Black Bk. Kincardineshire 86.
One of the sheriffs mares and officer to the laird of Leysd. (1) a1578 Pitsc. I. 96/26.
Ane herald and offiecer of armes 1587 Acts III. 449/2. 1622-6 Bisset I. 154.(2) 1617 Acts IV. 526/2.
Heirefter thair suld be na mae of the saidis officeris of estate … bot onlie eight 1661 Ib. VII. 200/2.
Find that the Clerk of Register and Advocat wer officers of state and privy councellours long befor the Thesaurer deput a1639 Spotsw. Hist. App. 34.
The government of the kingdom being wholly in the crown, the King administers it by his officers of state and privy council Mackenzie Wks. II. 537.
And these words officers of the crown and officers of state are now equipollent terms(3) a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 90, 769.
Officeris of justry(4) 1678 Mackenzie Laws & C. I. xxv § ii. 125.
A sheriff, or any other officer of fee, that is to say, any heritable officer 1692 Conv. Burghs II. 646.
To the officers of fies, drumer, poundler and knock keeper(5) a1500 Bk. Chess 54.
Thair bene … Ane tavernare & ane officere of wand To rewle the cite

3. A military officer. = Officiar n. 3. 1627 Kelly Pallas Armata 4.
Euerie companie hath for officers of the field a captaine [etc.] … two sergeants [etc.] 1661 Lamont Diary 137.
William Giuan, formerly ane officer of war 1666 Laing MSS. I. 354.
The nemis of all the ofesers of fuit in your regement 1667 Ib. 363.
Tuo such discrit ofisires

4. An ‘official’, the spiritual judge. = Officiale n. I. 1515 Fife Sheriff Ct. 16.
The pley tharof was dependand before the officer of Sanctandrois in the spirituale court 1516 Ib. 30.
Ane grauatour of the officer of Sanctandrois

5. Attrib. and possess. (in senses 2 b and 3). (Cf. Officiar n. 2 f.)(1) 1556 Reg. Cupar A. II. 260.
Componit with Johne Michell, officer in Glenylay, for … ane quarter … of Wester Innerarity … togidder with the officer land of Corneclocht 1625 Yester Writs 361.
Tack … excepting tua aikaris of officer land with tua sowmes gers thereto — 1674 Galloway P. 12 May.
Reserving … the crofft called the officeris crofft and tuo soumes grass(2) 1561 Reg. Dunferm. 455.
The haill officeris fies of Mussilburghe [etc.] 1671 Kirkintilloch B. Ct. 33.
The haille mailling is to paye a officers fie for a yeare and the halffe mailling the halffe of a years officers fie 1677 Cullen Kirk S. II. 2 Dec.
Given to Georg Steinson, officer, … all officer fies due by the session to him — 1650 Misc. 3 Spald. C. II. 204.
To Mr. Thomas Stewart for Mald's transport and ofisser pay(3) 1669 Caldwell P. 133.
Grassum £3/1/0. Ane oficer stuik £1