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Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

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First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Guttar(e, Gutter, n. Also: gwtar, guther, guttour, guit(t)or, -er, gooter. [e.m.E. and ME. gutter, ME. guter, goter (a 1300), OF. gutiere.]

1. A channel made to carry off water on the ground, esp. a street gutter.(a) 1443 Reg. Cambuskenneth 127.
[To] lay guttaris of leid … and pend brasis to be flure to kechingis 1509 Reg. Privy S. I. 281/2.
Fra the wall of the samyn [tenement] to the commoun guttare 1512 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 140.
To clenge rewes, windis, closis, and guttaris, bayth on baksyd and foresyd 1530 Ib. II. 29.
The guttaris of the tovne ar full of filth 1542 Ayr Common Good Acc.
For redding of the gwtaris in the querrell 1556–7 Edinb. Old Acc. II. 77.
To mak symound [= cement] to calphat the guttaris(b) 1508 Reg. Privy S. I. 238/2.
The said voult havand … fra the wall of the samyn [tenement] of breid to the commone gutter [etc.] 1538 M. Works Acc. V. 37.
To Michell Calsaymakar, for his complet ending of the Frensh calsay … betuix the gutter aind the wall 1560 Rolland Seven S. 2908.
His fathers heid he hiint of haistelie, And in ane gutter he kest it neir haind by 1583 Edinb. B. Rec. IV. 287.
Jhonn Gilcryst, smyth, to sett vp aine traveis … besyde his smiddy … swa that he pas nocht ower the gutter 1628 Aberd. B. Rec. III. 21.
A number of choppis biggit and extendit on the Kingis calsie outwith the gutter 1650 Peebles B. Rec. 390.
The said Mariown sal … nother resort to kirk or mercate or transgresse to go abroad attowr her awin guther 1660 Dunferm. Kirk S. 55.
The kirkyaird may be made dry if there were a gutter under the gravesattrib. 1597 Edinb. B. Rec. V. 186.
[The council] ordanis the thesaurer to caus croceband the gutter-hoill at the Kowgaitt port(c) 1683 Corshill Baron Ct. 165.
That none … hinder the sinkes and gooters … in the doun fall with the descent of the ground 1686 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. XIII. 83.
He wes … dragged … thorow the guitors, myres and street

2. A gutter on a building.(a) c 1550 Corr. M. Lorraine 442.
Lang before Ywle I send our grace leid cassin for beiting of the leidin rwfis and gwtaris of yowr grace werk in Falkland 1568 Edinb. Test. I a. 119 b.
Twa working burdis, … ane guttar of bras(b) 1554 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 351.
For dichting of the gutteris and spowtis above the Kirk 1556 Ib. 367.
To Johne Werre, … for casting of the lidne gutters 1564–5 Edinb. Old Acc. Ii. 203.
The leid quhilk was cuttit furth of the gutteris of the kirk Ib.
For laying of the guitteris 1590 Edinb. B. Rec. V. 19.
To caus win and bring in … staynes to the gutteris of the kirk ruif 1626 Ib. VI. 332.
To hald cleine the gutteris of the Ald Kirk and Colledge Kirk(c) 1590 Wedderburn Compt Bk. 63.
To the skletter for redding the guttouris and mending the riging of the hous