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

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First published 2000 (DOST Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

S(c)hering, -yng(e, vbl. n. Also: schere-, s(c)heir(r)-, sheire-, shier-, sceeir-, s(c)hear(e)-, sheer(e)-; s(c)har-, schair- and -inge, -in, -yn. [ME and e.m.E. scherynge (c1315), sheryng (Chaucer), schering (a1400–50), shearinge (1558), sharing (1573); Scher(e v.]

1. A division, parting. c1400 Troy-bk. i 502.
A myddle scheryng in the way [L. quedam intersectiones cuiusdam circuli celi] Of a cercle that turnys in heven One some ane of the planetes seven 1534 Bamff Chart. 65 (see S(c)her(e n. 1 b).

2. The action of cutting, or filing, in various applications of Scher(e v. I.Also attrib. with fyle and raper.(1) c1420 Wynt. viii 4810.
That thame thowcht nevyre … So rycht anoyws a bydyng As thai had at that [thwang] scheryng [C. sherynge] 1574–5 Day-bk. J. Cokburn 27.
Blynd naillis to the pulpot making and schering of thame 1591 Thanes of Cawdor 206.
To the cutlar for schairing away the handis of your knyffis 1616 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 61.
For schering and tinning of 37 belhedit naillis 1672 Sheriffhall Coal Accompt 3 Aug.
For sharing of pichelis for boaring(2) 1564 Rep. Hist. MSS I 21.
His lordship sen his schearing hes bene evill at ease 1590 Edinb. B. Rec. V 22.
Thomas Patersoun to gif to … James Bar for schering his bairne of the stayne, foure pund 1625 Fraserburgh Kirk S. II 28 Sept.
Siluer for scheirin ane puir boy 1625–6 Peebles B. Rec. I 414.
Gewine to James France for sceeiring of the mane that fell comeing downe the steippill 1631 Perth Kirk S. in Chron. Perth 96.
Gave to an poor woman to buy a peck of aiken bark for scheiring of her child of a confirmed stone(3) attrib. 1619 Edinb. Test. L 194b.
Fyve scheiring fylis price of all sexteine schillingis 1633 Perth Glovers in Mill Mediæv. Plays 271 n.
Threttein of our brethereine … with … scheiring raperis in thair handis … dauncit our sword daunce

b. concr. A cutting edge, a blade. ?1438 Alex. ii 9446.
Thare mycht na helm the straik with-stand Sa that the scheiring [F. li trenchans] of the brand Hit in to the nakit syde

3. The action of cutting the nap from woollen cloth. Cf. Scher(e v. 9. 1490 Treas. Acc. I 138.
Price of the elne schereing, vj d. Ib. 139.
For the schereing of xxxiij elne j quartar of Fransche clayth 1496 Ib. 269.
Balfour, for the schering of the kingis claithis sen the first entra of him in his office 1499 Halyb. 209.
For scheryn eft[ir] the lyttyn 1503 Treas. Acc. II 308.
For schering, lynyng and making of the samyn 1505 Ib. III 99.
For lynyng, making, and schering of it, xj s. 1512 Ib. IV 185.
For schering of the samyn claithis; ilk elne three half penneis 1531 Ib. VI 32.
For litting of the said claith blew, … to the walcar for graithing and schering of it 1633 Edinb. B. Rec. VII 130.
For scheirring monting lynning and [blank] and pasmenting of glooves and purses 1683 New Mills Manuf. 46.
That the rents and too near shearing of some cloth … be prevented

4. The action of cutting grass or corn with, or as with, a hook or sickle. Also fig. b. specif. As a feudal service (cf. Schere-dawark n.).(1) 1489–90 Acta Aud. 140/1.
Expensis sustenit be the said Johne … in the schering of the said cornez 1500 Acta Conc. II 472.
For the wrangus schering, awaytaking and withhalding fra him of certane aitis 1513–14 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 26.
Jacobus Harper promittit to geiff the halff of the corne for schering of the toder halff 1537–8 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 206.
To the furnessing of the saidis vi hors … in gers schering and carying to tham fra the wod 1552 Glasgow Test. I 94b.
For … corne schering wynning [etc.] 1562 Prestwick B. Rec. 66.
Ane ac for the bent scherin, at … ylk freman sal hayf iiij hukis 1567 Liber Dryburgh 402.
For expenssis maid in teling sawin harrowing wading schering and leding of the cornis 1573 Breadalbane Ct. Bk. 1.
Decernit … for abyding fra the schering of the toun cornis of the landis of Killin 1589–90 Lanark B. Rec. 97.
Indyttis … Jonat Folkart … for stelling hennis, elding and schering gers 1599 Aberd. Eccl. Rec. 169.
That nane schear gressis in the kirk yearde … sua that it sall be not lesum to the officear to haue the use of the gressis and schering theirof 1648 Boharm Kirk S. 4 Nov.
Confessit their breaking of the Lord's day in shering their corn(b) 1570 Cal. Sc. P. III 280.
[No impediment shall be made to Lord Hume's servants in the] scharing and wynning off his cornes(c) 1599 Aberd. B. Rec. II 179.
Schearing 1674 Misc. Spald. C. V 232.
The shearing of grass amongst corns or in hainings 1685 Corshill Baron Ct. 170.
For the shearing … of the corne of ane peice of ane headrig of land 1707 Cunningham Diary 27.
After ilk cropt's shearing(d) 1609 Arch. Scot. IV 391.
Scheiring 1617 Douglas of Morton 63.
Harrowing, scheiring and leiding of his cornis of the Maynes of Mortoun yeirlie a1633 Hope Major Pract. I 221.
Efter the sheiring of the cornes 1637 Dumbarton Common Gd. Acc. 94.
For … winnowing of the beir grown in the westmost peis of land … for the scheiring thairof 1645 Edgar Old Church Life I 251.
Mawing and sheiring of grasses 1674 Cunningham Diary 39.
To the lad for sheiring grasse, 6 s. 1681 Kirkintilloch B. Ct. 118.(e) 1676 Cunningham Diary 79.
For sheering grasse to my horse 1698 Cramond Ch. Aberdour 34.(2) 1531 Wigtown B. Ct. fol. 246b.
Fore a scheryng of hyre medow 1595 Breadalbane Ct. Bk. 111.
For the schering of the grange of Kincrakin 1663 Dumfries Council Min. 3 Aug.
Who hes noe vther way of living bott by steilleing thair peits sheireing of meidows and marches [etc.] 1686 Fountainhall Decis. I 431.
Complaints … about the sheering a controverted haugh(3) 1585 Acts III 376/1.
It is na les convenient to haif sumtyme of vacance at the tymes of the sawing as of the scheiring 1619 Crim. Trials III 469.
The officer was ordanit to pas the tyme of schering and scheir and leid the cornes … and thaireftir in the tyme of scheiring … the said officer haifing … schorne the coirnes 1643 Acts VI 25/1.
2000 hwickis and 100 sythes for sheiring and mawing 1659 A. Hay Diary 125.
I … went out to see my nighbors first dayes shearing 1665 Holmains Baron Ct. 8 March.
All the tenants are ordainit … to hainne and keep their grass without shearing in marches and land ends(4) fig. c1460 Wisd. Sol. (STS) 168.
Al thing has a tyme in this warld … as tyme of byrth, tyme of ded, … tyme of scheringe and of gaderinge, tym of vptakinge, tyme of ded a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 273 (Asl.).
The tyme of sawyng is callit tedious And eike of schering richt sweit is the sessounb. 1489 Acts II 222/2.
Thai ar … oppressit be lordis … quhilkis … compellis thaim to do seruice auerage cariage schering ledding [etc.] … be thare poweris and autoriteis 1530 Murray Kilmacolm 18.
The day's sherin 3 d. 1565 (1585–6) Reg. Great S. 304/1.
Lie bonage, viz. … 1½ day wark in snedding with ane hors, togidder with 3 dayis wark in scheirring 1573 Breadalbane Ct. Bk. 2b.
For non cuming to the lardis schering 1580 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. I 137.
And viij d. for ilk dayes schering of viij dayes 1595 Exch. R. XXIII 440.
Unacum sexdecem lie maill foullis et tuelf dayis schering a1633 Hope Major Pract. II 213.
That seruice done to the master could not take away the wairneing except it wer proven that seruice wes done at comand of the master in shearing of the corns 1633 E. Loth. Antiq. Soc. II 138 (see S(c)herar n. 2 (1) (d)).
Shiering 1654 Boyd Fam. P. No. 209 (25 March).
Ane hookis shearinge yeirly 1672 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Deeds I 408.
[Tack … for the yearly payment of £16 Scots … with three capons,] a rigg of sheareing and a couple of harrous as bailly worke 1675 Ib. II 51. 1707 Cunningham Diary 27.
A yoaking of land tilling, 6 days' horse service, 3 days' shearing, & 6 fowls

c. The action of cutting kale. 1698 Strathendrick 30.
Sheering of kaill [etc.]

d. attrib. and comb. Also in fig. context.Schering-dargis = Shere-dawark n.Schering silver, ? money paid in lieu of performing the service of shearing; the money paid for shearing.(1) 1557–8 Edinb. Old Acc. I 249.
For ane schering sped to scheir the faill of the butt, … iij s. — 1591 Edinb. Test. XXII 384b.
Scheiring huikis at xxiiij s. the dosone c1598–9 State P. (Reg. H.) No. 107B/7, 1.
Tuentie scharin houkis, twa sythis 1636 Edinb. Test. LVII 259b.
Sheiring heukes 1650 Edinb. B. Rec. VIII 425.
For fourescoir dussone of sheiring houks … for the use of the airmie(2) c1520-c1535 Nisbet Matth. xiii 30.
Suffir ye tham bathe to grow into schering-tyme and in the tyme of ripe corn I sal say to the scheraris, first gader … the dornelle [etc.] Id. Mark iv 29.
Anoon He sendis the hewk, for schering tyme is cummyn 1541 Linlithgow B. Ct. 20 May.
At scheryng tyme — 1550 (1593) Reg. Great S. 794/2.
Lie schering-dargis(3) 1597 Exch. R. XXIII 465.
£12 16 s. 8 d. ejusdem monete nomine lie scheiring sylver … cum servitiis solitis et consuetis 1668 Kirkcudbr. Test. (Reg. H.) 12 Dec.
To James Tagart for fies, cloathes and sheereing silver £5