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

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First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Hare, Hair, a. Also: har, harr; haire, hayr. [Northern ME. hare, har, midl. and south. hore, hoor, hor, OE. hár, ON. hár-r. Cf. Horie a.]

1. Hoary, grey or white with age. a. Of persons: Grey-haired, venerable.(a) ?1438 Alex. ii. 1233.
Hare carle, thus thow chapis nocht Ib. 3653, 6515, etc.
In stede of Cassamus the hare Ib. 6616.
Ȝon ald herauldis hare 1456 Hay II. 7/3.
The worthy anciene knycht … sa hare and alde(b) a1500 Henr. III. 117/57.
This bevir hair c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 115.
Thare saw I crabbit Saturn ald and haire Id. Tua Mar. W. 272.
Ane hair bogeart, that hostit out flewme 1513 Doug. ix. x. 132.
Ane Butes hayr and ald 1535 Stewart 43816.
Ane ald man and ane hair 1590 Burel Pilgr. ii. xviii.
That helhound auld and hair

b. Of the hair, head, or beard. c1420 Wynt. i. 449.
Nakyde wes hys [sc. Noah's] harnays hare ?1438 Alex. i. 160.
His heid … for greit eild was canous hare Ib. ii. 45.
His beird, his browis, baith war hare Ib. 3181. 1492 Myll Spect. 297/17.
Scho gaif me … ane ald harr and dotand heid 1513 Doug. ix. x. 52.
The steill helmys we thrist on hedis hair [Sm. hayr]

2. Of frost: White; hayr-ryim = Hare-frost n. a1500 Henr. Fab. 1692.
Baith hill and holt heillit with frostis hair 1513 Doug. vii. Prol. 41.
With frostis hair ourfret the feldis standis 1549 Compl. 59/12.
The hayr ryim is ane cald deu, the quhilk fallis in mysty vapours and syne it fresis on the eird 1629 Black Sc. Witches 15.
The sweat was seen upon the said Margaret's cattle all the night over like the due of hair ryme

b. Of weather: Frosty, cold. a1500 Henr. II. 297/147.
In till a coif he crap Fra hair weddir and frostis him to hap 1513 Doug. vi. vii. 79.
By gowsty placis, welch savorit, must and hair Ib. vii. Prol. 130.
I … Persauyt the mornyng bla, wan, and har [: on char]

3. Of ground, rocks, or stones: Grey, greyish.Occurring in early place-names as Harestan (c 1320), but not always distinguishable from Hare n.¹ 1513 Doug. vii. Prol. 130.
The sulȝe stythly, hasart, rouch and hair 1533 Boece iv. xvi. 151 b.
Beȝond ws is na … vthir thing except haire rochis and welterand wallis Ib. viii. xii. 278 b.
Sum parte … led ane myserable life in desertis, montanis, forestis, or hair craggis

b. Of woods or copses.Only conventionally in verse, appar. without any precise signification, in the traditional phrases hare wod and holtis hair, in ME. verse as hare wode (14th c.), hær wude (Laȝamou), and holtes hore, hare (c 1320). The place-name Hares(ch)awes occurs a 1240.(1) c1420 Wynt. viii. 3588.
That semyd ane hare wode for to be 1513 Doug. x. xiv. 142.
This Troiane prynce … Intil hys stalwart stelyt scheild stikand owt Lyke a hair wod the dartis bair abowt(2) c1450-2 Howlat 773.
Huntyng at herdis in holtis so haire a1500 Henr. III. 94/122.
Malkyne went hame … Attour the holttis hair a1500 Rauf C. 419.
He followit to him haistely among the holtis hair a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 470.
Wrightis welterand doune treis, … Ordanit hurdys full hie in holtis sa haire 1535 Stewart 11266.
Argatill, … With craig and cleuch and mony holtis hair a1570-86 Maitl. F. cxxx. 26.
That garris me … walk amang the holtis hair, Within the woddis wyld