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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.

Oursé, -sie, v. Also: oure-, owr- and -see, -sei; or-sie. P.t. -saw. P.p. -sene, -sein, -seyn(e, -seein, -sine. [Sc. var. of Oversé v.]

I. 1. tr. To examine, inspect, consider, peruse. = Oversé v. 1. 1513 Doug. i. Prol. 498.
Reproche me nocht quhill the wark be ourseyn Ib. iv. vii. 22.
Nothir gretast Iuno … Nor Saturnys son … with iust eyn Hes our querrell considerit na ourseyn Id. Direct. 60. 1539 Haddington B. Rec. in Soc. Ant. II. 396.
The aill to stand as it wes afoir and let the custumers owrse it 1562 Inverness Rec. I. 93.
Eldaris and deaconis chosin to oursie and cause puneis the faultis contrar the law of God

2. To superintend, supervise, be in charge of, manage. = Oversé v. 2. 1456 Hay II. 16/23.
To serve in chaumer, till arme a lord, till oursee his hors 1494 Loutfut MS. 4 b.
The quhilk thing pertenis to the marschall of his office til oursee & perfornyce & til put to execucion c1500-c1512 Dunb. xvi. 58 (M).
The peple to teche and oursie 1529–30 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 104.
Our bailyeis to tak ane furlat of quheit and send it with ane trew servand to the myll and ourse it quhill it be bultit and bakyne 1556 Peebles B. Rec. I. 234.
The baillies to nominat ane man nychtlie to ourse the said wache 1560–1 Inverness Rec. I. 51.
Licencit hym to pas and wsse and ourse his busines in Ros 1562–3 Edinb. Old Acc. II. 174.
Owrse 1572 Peebles B. Rec. I. 343.
The artailyerie … to be oursene be Patrik Newtoun quhilk … sall distribute the pulder as necessite occurris 1582 Crail B. Ct. MS. 1 Nov.
Oursei 1589 Prot. Bk. J. Inglis 15 July.
In hir extrem aige that scho may nocht oursee … hir guddis 1617 Paterson Ayr & Wigton II. 403.
My Lord of Lowdoune to or-sie my saidis bairnis

II. 3. a. To disregard or neglect (anything deserving attention). b. To ignore, leave out, pass over (a person). c. To fail to deal with or mention. = Oversé v. 4–5 c1530-40 Stewart Bann. MS. 89 a/35.
Gife not to fulis and cunnyng men ourse 1565–6 Reg. Privy C. I. 428.
Escheit gudis … , neglectit and ouresene, untakin up a1585 Maitl. Q. xvi. 88.
All gud turnis … Ar clein forȝet and now oursein Ib. li. 36.
Bot gif this mater vnmendit be oursein 1590 Reg. Morton I. 166.
As concerning his majesties obedience quhatsumevir I hawe owrsene therin and ressauit pardon therof [etc.] c1590 Fowler I. 109/149.
Or Belus yit sall I oursie? 1600 Reg. Privy C. VI. 137.
[The execution of the said act] hes been neglectit and oursine thir divers yeiris bigane

4. To fail to act against, punish or censure, to overlook, tolerate (a fault or failure or the person committing it). = Oversé v. 6.(1) (a) c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxiii. 77 (M).
Rewarde … wald … gar me mony falt ourse 1568 Cal. Sc. P. II. 466. 1601 Reg. Privy C. VI. 216.(c) 1561 Inverness Rec. I. 69.
And the samyn [abuses] war ourseyne and rameid vnprowydit 1570 Leslie 90.
We wor contentit to haif oure seyne our harmeis and to have remitit the same 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 106/6.
Ourseein 1609 Inverurie B. Ct. 14 Apr.
Incaice … that the said pondlaris be trublit in thair executione of thair office the haill oursytis oursein of befoir be thame to be tain wp(2) 1547 Dunferm. B. Rec. I. 368.
Villeme Vilsone to decist fra occuping of the fredome bot thai wil our se hym quhill Lammes 1598 Stirling B. Rec. I. 88.
His wyf … is oursein for hir sclanders 1604 Aberd. Council Lett. I. 96.
Gif it salbe fundin that thai [the burgh of Dunbar] haif oursene the said unfriemen [etc.]

5. reflex. To forget oneself, act unbecomingly, err, blunder. = Oversé v. 8. 1559 Corr. M. Lorraine 424.
Albeit I thynk and fyndis his mynd that he hes our sein hym selff rycht far 1578 Bk. Old Edinb. C. XV. 25.
Understanding that Lucas Wilsoun dene of gild hes oursein himself in making of Thomas Bell burges and gild brother … for the soume of threttie pund allanerlie 1582 Waus Corr. 253.
Oursaw 1587 Maxwell Mem. II. 161.
Owrsein