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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Spur(e, Spurr(e, n.¹ Also: spwr, spour. [ME and e.m.E. spore (a1175), spure (Layamon), spvyre (Cath. Angl.), spurre (1526), spur (1566), OE spora, spura.]

1. A spur, a small spike or spiked wheel attached to a horse-rider's heel, one of a pair. Also proverb.Freq. in collocation with bute (Bute n.², q.v., also Mol(l)et(t n.¹, for further examples). c1420 Wynt. iv 1530.
Spure [W. spur] c1420 Wynt. viii 2869.
A pare off spwris 1496 Treas. Acc. I 324.
To the laddis of Brechin that tuk the Kingis spuris in the quere c1500 Rowll Cursing in Cursing 256 (M).
But heltaris heidtallis sonkis or saidillis But butis or spurris … With foull berdis blasand in the wind And hot speitis in thair tailis behind 1507 Treas. Acc. III 395.
For vj pair armyng spuris, j pair lang spuris, j pair gret braid spuris, and xiij pair small spuris … lviij s. 1507–8 Treas. Acc. IV 94.
To William Dalgleisch, lorymar, for spuris 1527 Treas. Acc. V 302.
ij paris spurres of the Franch fassoun for the king 1538 Treas. Acc. VII 98.
Ane pair of spurris to ane page 1550 Treas. Acc. IX 408.
Ane pair of blak spurres to my lord governour a1568 Bann. MS 135a/33.
A fule bidis job furth And hes baith spur & wand 1569 Treas. Acc. XII 155.
Twa angell nobillis to ourgilt the saidis spurris a1605 Birrel Diary 18.
After that spure and vand had failed him, he drew forth hes dager, and strooke hes hors behind 1625 Justiciary Cases I 23.
He ansuerit … that he wald be with his wyfe and mell with hir buitis and spuris and altogiddir 1675 Cunningham Diary 63.
Spurrs(b) 1559 Balnaves in Knox III 423.
He was departit suddanly upon ane hors without sadill, bout, or spouresproverb. a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 1347.
Seindle ryds tynis their spurris

b. specif. Viewed as a means of achieving speed. Also with (the, etc.) spurris, at speed, quickly. 1375 Barb. iii 121.
[He] strak with spuris the stede in hy And he lansyt furth delyuerly ?1438 Alex. i 2755.
I trow that thair was sum of tha, To sell thare spurris that tyme na wald [F. Ses esperons n'i volt nus avoir oublié] ?1438 Alex. ii 4241.
Gaudefeir … thidder went … with spurris 1460 Hay Alex. 3637.
With the spurris he sped him a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 305.
Thayr wes na spurris to spair, spedely thai spring 1535 Stewart 41385.
With scharpe spurris … Spurrit his hors quhill bayth his syidis bled, Quhilk causit him go leip furth c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 1415.
With that, he gaue his hors the spurris, And spedelie flaw ouir the furris 1560 Rolland Seven S. 1596.
With speid of spurris to the palice him sped

c. specif. Viewed as a distinctive mark of a knight or of nobility, esp. as gilt (rede) spurris (of gold). 1375 Barb. xiii 463.
Sevin hundreth paris of spuris rede War tane of knychtis 1375 Barb. xvi 604.
The gilt spuris rycht by the hele He suld in hy ger hew ȝow fra Rycht wald with cowartis men did swa 1490 Irland Mir. III 17/16.
A takin of honour … as giltyn spurris in knychtheid 1494 Loutfut MS 37a (see Mol(l)et(t n.¹). 1494 Loutfut MS 41b.
Tremelliere … signifies at he that first bure thaim in armes wes a man cummyn of noblesse membris … ande maid mony pointouris of spurris in valliand dedis a1500 Bk. Chess 836.
Spurris of gold apon his feit suld be In takin of his knychtlye dignite 1633 Lithgow Poet. Remains 94.
They … Whose riggs speake English … Forgetting Scots, can speek with gilded spurres

d. As a token payment or blancheferme (Blancheferme n.). 1501–2 Acta Conc. III 146.
The gift of the landis of Rouchmosthill, payand tharfore yeireley a pare of quhite spurris 1592 Acts III 593/1.
For the saidis landis … off ane pair of gilt spurris … in name of blenchferme 1597 Skene Verb. S. s.v. Hawbert.
Vther are halden blenche, be payment of ane pennie, an rose, ane paire of guilt spurres

e. As a symbol of the need for flight. a1538 Abell 96a.
Brus … knew be tua spurris & tua pece of gold send to him … at it wes na buit to him to bide

f. attrib.Spur leather (whang), the strap or thong attaching the spur to the rider's boot. Spur silver, appar. a fee donated to choristers by those entering a church wearing spurs, cf. 1496 quot. in 1 above.(1) 1674 Cunningham Diary 47.
For a spur leather … 2 s. 1684 Cloud of Witnesses 230.
Sir, I had not the worth of a spur whang of any man's but was mounted of horse and arms of my own(2) 1543 Edinb. Hammermen 160.
Johne Crwot spurmakir 1587 Stirling Parish Registers in Sc. Ant. VII 42.
Johne Swane, spurmaker 1676 Dunferm. Kirk S. 68.
William Bell spurrmaker(3) 1500 Treas. Acc. II 97.
To the barnis in the Queir of Strivelin of spur silver … v s. 1501 Treas. Acc. II 128.
In Brechin, to the childir in the queir, of spur silver ix s. 1502–3 Treas. Acc. II 354.
To the barnis in the queir of Dunde, in spure silver v s. 1503 Treas. Acc. II 370.
Giffin in Peblis, in the Corskirk, to the barnis of spure silver quhen the king was thare vij s. 1506 Treas. Acc. III 331.
To the childir of the queir of Glasgo, in spursilvir 1511 Treas. Acc. IV 175. 1545 Treas. Acc. VIII 411.

2. The spur of a cock. a1500 Colk. Sow iii 126.
He [sc. a cock] wald win to his maister in feild Fourty florans with bill and spuris beild

3. Appar. an instrument of torture; ? a spiked wheel, cf. Mol(l)et(t n.² which may be a bit for a horse incorporating a spiked wheel. 1613 Paterson Ayr & Wigton I 99.
Janet Smellie, being convict of filthie and sclanderous speeches towards her neighbour, was ordanet to be cairit to the fish cross, and the spurr to be put in her mouth

4. fig. An incentive, stimulus or incitement. 1531 Bell. Boece I cvii.
Glore to noblis is ane groundin spurre 1571 Cal. Sc. P. III 660.
[I know you need no] spour [to remember on us] 1638 Bk. Old Edinb. C. XVIII 122.
Which would be a spur to … our neighbour tradis to … stir thame up to the syke guid wark 1692 Presb. Eloq. 94.
Give them the spurs of confidence … that … they may loup over the fold-dikes of grace

5. A defensive outwork or projection from a curtain wall or bulwark, esp. with reference to that of Edinburgh Castle.The bracketed quot. is taken from an English survey made for Elizabeth I. 1572–3 A survey … of the Castle … of Edinbrogh … by Rowland Johnson and John Fleminge in Misc. Bann. C. II 69.]
[We fynde vpon the said este syde a spurre lyk a bulwarke standing befor the foot of the rocke that the said courten stands on … which spur is lyke xx foote h[ye], vamyred with turfe and basketes … furnished with ordinance c1615 Chron. Kings 129.
The assaltt wes gewine to the spur or laiche bolwork of the castell 1628–9 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 251.
15 kairtis with frie staine for the spur of the blokhous [sc. at Stirling Castle] 1649 Edinb. B. Rec. VIII 197.
For carieing doun of stanes fra the spurre of the castle 1679 J. Somerville Mem. II 224.
A large half-moon, named the Spurre [sc. of Edinburgh Castle] 1683–90 Soc. Ant. LIV (1919-20) 238.
Andrew Scot and Wiliam Charles … having wrought severall dayes in digging stones out of the spur before the castle

6. A projection from the mast of a ship. 1674 Kirkcudbr. Test. (Reg. H.) 2 July.
[Valuation of a ship] … The foir mast with the tuo foot spurs