A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 2001 (DOST Vol. X).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Sulphurious, Sulfurious, adj. Also: sulphure(o)us, -ius, -yus, sulfurius, -yus, sulpheureous. [e.m.E. sulphureus (a1552), -eous (1594), also sulpherus (1530), OF sulphureus (c1265 in Larousse), L. sulph-, sulfereus.]
1. Of flames or smoke; Derived from, or reeking of, sulphur. Also in fig. context.1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 354.
Maist gros and vile enpoysonit cludis clatterit, Reikand like hellis smoke sulfurious [L. sulfuryus] 1513 Doug. vii xiii 11.
Chymera … Furth blawand fyre and flambe sulphureus a1568 Bell. in Bann. MS 8a/298.
And vthiris ar in reik sulphurius As Ixion and wery Sisiphus a1568 Scott xxxi 49.
[Love] is to fle Aboif the pest and plaig … Quhilk is bot curius, Ay woid and furius, And fyre sulfurius, That men doun bringis 16.. Maidment Balfour Ballads 14.
Least … Thou … in a sulphurious cloud Be hurled headlong to that place of pain
2. Of water: Full of sulphur.1513 Doug. vii viii 94.
The dyn was hard eik ellis quhar ful far At the sulphuryus quhite ryvar callit Nar 16… Symson Descr. Galloway (1823) 113.
Myrteoune, which, in the most rigide winter, never frises, the vatters quherof ar supposed to be sulpheureous
3. fig. Hellish, satanic.c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus i 833.
That lufe was wantoun, and vicious, Irefull, pridfull, and rigorous, Ouirset with slicht sulphurious 1560 Rolland Seven S. 1226.
O vyle uiper maist vennemus, O suttell serpent sulphurius
