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

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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Aver, n. Also: awer, auer, avir, eaver; avair, avoir. [ME. aver, avere, property, estate, OF. aver, aveir, med. L. averum, -ium, property, substance, chattels, and spec. (also averia, averius) a beast of burden or draught.]

1. A draught-horse, a cart-horse: an old horse or one of little value.For other examples see baxter, cadger, lob, strummel, ȝald. c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 114.
He feppillis like a farcy aver, that flyrit on a gillot Id. lxxxiv. 12.
Rycht so the meir forsaikis the cursour And takis a crukit aver and a dour 1531 Bell. Boece II. 269.
I sall gar him draw like ane avir in ane cart a1568 Scott ii. 177.
Thair avairis fyld vp all the feild 1583 Treas. Acc. MS. 130.
To the aydis that ryidis … the averis man, the sumpterman 1596 Edinb. Test. XXIX. 320.
Schippit in the said schip xx bukis & averis skynnis 1599 James VI Basil. Doron (1603) 62.
A kindely auer will never become a good horse 1667 Highland P. II. 16.
He answered that thair was a crooked aver on quhich the Ladie stood. … He understood this aver to be Alex.^r Leslie

2. An animal of the horse or cattle kind. 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. 81.
His maister sall haue the best eaver, or beast (the best aucht) of his cattell