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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.

(Wattiring,) Watterin(g, Wattryng, vbl. n. Also: watering(e. [ME and e.m.E. watrin (Cursor M.), wateryng (Chaucer), watteringe (c1440).]

1. The action of sprinkling with water, wetting or soaking. 1488 Lanark B. Rec. 3.
For lym and sande and mengyn and watterin x s. ij d. 1553–4 Edinb. Old Acc. II 28.
For wattering and deichting of the kirk 1578 Edinb. D. Guild Acc. 63a.
For wesching ordouring paittelling & wattering of the kirk 1680 Kirkintilloch B. Ct. 107.
Everie man to keip within his owne mosse for watering of their lint

2. The action of furnishing (a horse, etc.) with (a supply of) water. b. comb. Wattering bridill, a bridle or head collar used when taking a horse to drink. Cf. Wat(t)ir n. 15 d. Also attrib. Wattering hous, a horse-covering used as a wattering bridill. 1591 Thanes of Cawdor 207.
Sevin dowsand of braid to your cursour and broun geldin … four braid at everay wattering to the hors 1632 Lithgow Trav. vii 301.
He payed five sultans of gold for watering all vs and the beastsb. (1) 1502 Treas. Acc. II 347.
Item, for tua small watering bridillis in Jedworth, ij s. 1538 Treas. Acc. VI 444.
For furnessing of heidstellis, schakillis, gyrthis, wambrasis, mending of sadillis, wattering bridillis and utheris small geir furnest be him to the grete hors that come furtht of Denmark 1540 Maxwell Mem. 408.
Ane wattryng new brydill … ane hors kaym [etc.] 1543 Treas. Acc. VIII 181.
Ane doubill heidstaill, ane wattering bridill, ane collar [etc.]attrib. 1603 Treas. Acc. MS 281b.
Tua watering brydill bittis(2) 1581 Treas. Acc. MS 82 (2).
Reid Inglis stemming to be four wattering housis to the horsis at xl s. the eln

c. In legal use: The right of a superior to a vassal's water, see quot. 1681 Stair Inst. ii vii § 11.
Watering is a servitude of taking water, proper to one ground, for the use of another, whether it be for the cattle of the dominant ground, which is most ordinary, or for other uses thereof

3. The action of supplying (a garden, plant) with water. Also attrib. 1585–7 Acc. Mary Q. Scots (Camden Soc.) 17.
Richarde Garrett and John Smyth, for mindinge and wateringe the garden, xij s. ij d. 1619 Perth Kirk S. MS 8 June.
Issobell Garwye … wes laitlie in hir maisteris ȝearde at the wattering of kaillattrib. 1685 Soc. Ant. LVIII 368.
Belonging to thi yairds … 4 spaids … a wattering can … a syth. 2 watering pumps 1692 Foulis Acc. Bk. 147.
For a whyt iron watering kan to the yard

4. coll.Streams which irrigate an area. 1566-70 Buch. Comm. on Virgil Eclogues x 29.
Rivis, wattring 1641 Philorth Baron Ct. I 79.
In the head of the Skramfeis and Quhigabout and wateringe thairof

5. Silk which has been treated to produce a lustrous effect, watered silk. 1647 Dunferm. Kirk S. 24.
2 ells of grein clothe to cover the pulpett with some silk waterings vij lib. x s.

b. Watering chamberes, ? an article of furnishing [cf. OED Chamber n. 7] for urination, a chamber pot or ? a further example of 1 above. 1663 Kirkcudbr. Min. Bk. 187.
In the woman house … ane uther turnit bed … ane auld table … a lame pot for watering chamberes