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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.

Ourman, n. Also: oure-, ovr-, owr-, oir-, hoyr- and -man(n)e. Plur. -men. [Sc. form of Overman n.Cf. Our(i)sman n.]

1. A, or the, ruler or head of an institution (as a convent or a craft) or of a person or persons, one's superior.(a) a1400 Leg. S. xxxi. 207.
& to thare ourmen … Kepyt wele obedyence Ib. xxxii. 598.
Thu [a bishop] the kirk is in As oure-man saulis to wyne Ib. xl. 44. c1420 Wynt. i. 890.
The towne off Madyane Quhar Getro, prest, wes fyrst owrman Ib. v. 2314. Ib. vi. 1572.
Chefftanys … and maste oure-men Off that straynge natyowne 1429–30 Acts in Ayr B. Ct. 85.
[That a depute mair of fee] sall schaw na noder power … bot al anerly the precep of hys our man c1450-2 Howlat 212 (A). 1456 Hay I. 113/33.
Ane gude knycht … suld … ay be redy at bidding of his our-men [F. celuy qui gouuerne] to do his honour and charge of his lord 1484 Buccleuch Mun. 82.
Quhat tyme it sall happyne ws [subprior and monks of Melrose] to haf ane ourmane that hes power to mak balȝeis with our consent, that we sall consent that the saidis Dauid and Robert haf a letter of balȝery … vnder the seill of our owrmane c1490 Irland Asl. MS. I. 65/17. 1527 Dunferm. B. Rec. I. 155.
[The] ourman and bredir of the said abbay 1530 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 33.
That the [three crafts] … sall pas all togidder vnder ane hedisman, dekin or oureman … and to obey to him as thair oureman siclik as vtheris craftismen obeyis to thair dekin or oureman a1538 Abell 8 b.
[That] the pepill mycht frelie cheis thare ourmen(b) 1482 Misc. Spald. C. II. 324.
The qwylk mes sall be doyn at owr he auter or qwayr it plesis the hoyr man [of the Friars of Dundee] for the tym

b. One of the leading officials of a burgh, a magistrate. Cf. sense 4. 1533 Wigtown B. Ct. 279 a.
Ellene Tomsone to the alderman & balȝeis schallans for desabeand of the forsaid ovrmen in brevyne & bakyne 1558 Glasgow Cordiners 250.
Be thair fwndyn ony werk insufficient … the deikin sal aduerteis the ourmen of the toune thairof

2. A member or members of a panel of judges, arbitrators or other official body, who had the final decision if the other members disagreed or were equally divided = Odman n. 1424 Dumbarton B. Rec. App. ii. 1.
The qwhilks xii, with the ourman, … sal determyt al playnts 1471 Acta Aud. 22/2.
And falȝeing that thai couthe nocht aggre vpoun the said debatis the lordis auditouris … to be ourman all as ane c1475 Wall. viii. 1332.
Throuch ii clemyt, thar hapnyt gret debait … [therefore] Ȝour king thai ast for to be thair ourman 1496–7 Acta Conc. II. 56.
The saidis jugis [are] to cheise ane, twa or thre ouremen 1499 Echt-Forbes Chart. 85.
Jhone Lord Forbes as ourmane till ws arbitouris 1535 Dunferm. Reg. Ct. 124.
Ane ourman and dispayr persone 1544 Fam. Rose 211.
Oir man 1562–3 Rec. Earld. Orkney 113.
The forsaid arbetoris owrman witht consent of parteis hes scansit [etc.] 1616 Crim. Trials III. 393.
Odmanne and ourmanne, in caise of vareance

3. a. A chief or arbitrating executor of a will. 1547 Misc. Bann. C. III. 287.
I leif for my executoures … thir my fyve sonnes, and my wyfe Helene Hepburne ourman 1557 Prot. Bk. Gilbert Grote 22.
[He constituted Patrik … , David … , William … , and Thomas … , tutors-testamentar to … his bairns, and also executors-testamentar with Robert, bishop of Dunkeld, as] ourman

b. One appointed by a testament to see that its terms are carried out and /or to look after the interests of the widow and /or pupil or minor heirs. = Overséar n. 2 a, b, Ourséar n. 2. 1509 Glasg. Univ. Mun. I. 45.
Item I leif ourmane and ourseare of all thir premissis the Deyne of Faculte of Glasgwe quhat he be for the tyme 1560 Stirling B. Rec. I. 74.
We, William … and Thomas … ourmen left in the testament maid be umquhill Duncan Kar … in and to the gudis and geir … and … barnis [of the late Duncan] 1562 Will A. Betoun 226.
Ordanit David Rosse and Gilbert Auchinleck of the ylks oure men to see att this will be fullfillit to hir said baryns 1582 Ib. X. 351 b.
That scho sall nocht cuppill hir self to ane husband bot be consent of thir ourmen 1603 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. II. 37.
[Janet Sangster … discharged 500 merks … payable … under marriage contract. Alexr Wode of Colpnay stating himself to be] oureman to the said Jonet [under her father's will, protested]

4. a. In Prestwick and Wigtown: The chief officer of the burgh, ranking above the baillies; the provost. 1472–3 Prestwick B. Rec. 21.
Sande George accusit in curt for the strobillans of the toun be James Blar ourman and the balȝeis 1477 Ib. 18. 1487 Ib. 31.
The hale comunite with awise of thare ourmane Dauid Blair … , chesit Joh. of Blair … to be ourmane … in his absens 1492 Ib. 18. 1515 Wigtown B. Ct. 44 b.
To cheis the ourman & officer of the town [infra The samyn day the common consell … hais choisin Patrik Mwr alderman (etc.)]

b. One elected or appointed to be the leading man in a community. 1473 Reg. Cupar A. I. 173.
For kepyn and guvernans of the toun in the common profit of it tha [the tenants] sal hafe ane ourman chosyn amang tham self efter the statut of our court that gud nychtburyt be kepit Ib. 174.
And tha sal hafe ane ourman, at the ordynans of the abbot, quilk sal reul the town [etc.]