A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1986 (DOST Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1500-1567
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Pur(e)teth, Puirteith, n. [OF pouer-, poverteit (12th c. in Tobler-Lommatzsch), povretet (12th c. in Tobler-Lommatzsch), pauvreteit (13th c.), etc., L. paupertāt-, inflected stem of paupertās: cf. Poverté and Povert, and also Pureté. (For the suffix cf. also Danteth n.) Also in the mod. Sc. and Northumb. and Cumb. dialects as puirtith, poortith, etc.] Poverty. = Poverté n. — c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyt. 118.
Bot now in winter for purteth thow art traikit 1560 Rolland Seven Sages 2811.
To sic pureteth he grew … That he behuid to sell his heritage 1560 Ib. 3120.
Thairefter cummis necessitie, Hounger, pureteth, and pouertie 1560 Ib. 3092. 1567 Gude and Godlie Ballatis 73.
Extreime puirteith nor greit ryches, Thow gif me not
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"Purteth n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 14 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/pureteth>
