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

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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Wark hors, Werk hors, n. Also: wark horss, wairk hors, work hors(e. [e.m.E. warke hors(e (1543, north.).] A draught-horse or pack-horse. Also attrib.(a) 1521 Selkirk B. Ct. MS 188a.
That … all [supra katel] … be schot to the common daylie, thair to be pasturit, except work hors and oxin in beistin tyme ?a1648 Polemo-Mid. 60.
Whistlavere viri, workhorsosque ordine swieros Drivavere omnes 1649 Acts VI (1819) 468.
Work horses with their sleds, creills, hochimes and such like 1662 Dumfries Council Min. MS 9 April.
A silver bell … run at yeirly by the work horse of this brughe 1672 Soc. Ant. XIV 332.
The haill grass in the yeards … for grasseing of the said Robert his work horse 1688 Tryal Philip Standsfield 20.
If it had not been that Sir James was well horsed, and his son Philip upon a work-horse, he had killed him(b) 1531 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 63.
To Johne Turnour quha is new conducit to laubour here with the furnysing of the werk hors(c) 1542 Grant Chart. 89.
Auch[t] drawand oxin, … twa wark hors 1573 Treas. Acc. XII 351.
To ten warkhors for the careing of bullettis fra the abbay to Leith c1650 Spalding I 299.
Nather wark horss nor saddill horss wes lift about Strathbogie(d) 1582 Grant Chart. 155.
Of wairk hors tuaattrib. 1685 Soc. Ant. LVIII 367.
In the workhorse stable