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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.

Hir, Hyr, pron. Also: hire, hyre, hyrre, her. [ME. hyr, hir, hyre, hire, OE. hire dat. (and later acc.) of héo, hío, she.]

1. The feminine pronoun denoting one person in direct or indirect objective use: Her.(a) 1375 Barb. xvi. 283 (E).
He … gert hyr gang in hastily And othyr wemen to be hyr by a1400 Leg. S. i. 63.
Quhen men lede hyre to the stede Ib. xvi. 51.
Now here of hyre we begyne c1420 Wynt. iii. 197.
Hym behowyd … Tell hyr all the suthfastnes Ib. 1022.
He … bade hyr kepe thame tendyrly c1475 Wall. i. 32.
Quhen Waltyr hyr of Waillis fra Warayn socht c1508 Ch. & M. Prints (S.T.S.) 14.
I can prise na mare Of hyre 1521 Fife Sheriff Ct. 207.
Certane soumes of mony aucht to hyre(b) a1400 Leg. S. xxxviii. 554.
He hire requerit To gyf hyme ansuere Ib. l. 59.
To fend hire fra hir fa c1450-2 Howlat 72.
Quha sall mak me ane mendis of hir worth a myte c1475 Wall. i. 27.
Malcom Wallas hir gat in mariage 1490 Irland Mir. I. 86/30.
He wsit hire to his help 1533 Gau 35/1.
Jesus ansuert to hir 1540 Elgin Rec. I. 48.
The said tuenty schillingis aucht be hir to him 1567 Sat. P. iii. 74.
Full weill was hir … that scho was fre 1608 Melrose R. Rec. I. 62.
James Maben deponis he saw him cast hir on the scalpe 1643 Strathbogie Presb. 38.
He neuer knew hir to be suspect of vitchcraft

b. reflex. Herself. a1400 Leg. S. xvi. 45.
The Magdalane That fyrst hyre gaf til al delyt c1420 Wynt. iii. 423.
Quhen scho saw hyr … swa Dyssavyde c1475 Wall. I. 277.
His modyr graithit hir in pilgrame weid

c. Hir allane. See Allane a. 2. a1400 Leg. S. xxvii. 171.
Sitand … Be the fyre al hyre alane c1420 Wynt. viii. 725.
Hys douchtyr … sall … hald hys herytage hyr allane a1500 Seven S. 666.
He callit the quene by hire allane 1533 Bell. Livy II. 9/28.
Thus stude Virginia hir allane 1597 Misc. Maitl. C. I. 129.
To dwell hir allane in ane hous

d. Applied by a Gaelic speaker to himself. c1450-2 Howlat 797.
Raike hir a rug of the rost, or scho sall ryme thé 1665–7 Lauder Journals 128.
He forgets the name … ‘Ay, hir owne selfe hes forgotten it’

2. Applied to a thing, as a ship, mill, etc., in place of it. 1375 Barb. xvii. 407 (E).
Vith bargis by hyr gan thai row Ib. 409.
To tow Hyr by the brighous to the wall 1478 Binns P. MS. No. 17.
As to the brekin of the said myln … the said Henry to … mak hir als gud … as scho was c1500 Harl. MS. 4700 fol. 148 b.
Thai may nocht sell the takle of hir [a ship] a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 450.
Into the Katryne thou maid a foull cahute, For thow bedrait hir 1532 M. Works Acc. II. 41.
Sand furnist with the kingis awne cart with tymmer attour the aslaris led with hir 1542 Soc. Ant. II. 391.
For brekin of the knok, and … the expensis maid upon the mending of hir 1600 Edinb. D. Guild Acc. 734.
For … ane platt forme to the commoun bell that may mak hir to he easey rung 1617 M. Works Acc. XV. 44 b.
For a fraucht of the falcoun … and careing of hir to the castell 1662 Lamont Diary 143.
The corne kill ther … was brunt, haueing 11 bolls oatts on hir 1701 Foulis Acc. Bk. 294.
For helping the coatch and a new axe tree to her