A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1971 (DOST Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1400-1699
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Nor, conj.2 [Origin not clear: ? an adaptation of Nor conj.1 on the analogy of Na conj.2 and conj.3Ultimately superseding Na conj.3 but of later origin, all the apparent early instances being from recensions of the 16th c.; ? at first only before vowels.]
Than.Also b. = than if. Les nor: see Les a., adv. and conj. C.Other early examples:(a) Before vowels and h: c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 2402.a1500 Prestis of Peblis 558.c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxvii. 96, xlix. 20, l. 7.1535 Stewart 6331, 8266.1536 Lynd. Answ. Flyting 31, c1536 Lynd. Compl. Bagsche 154.1540 Lynd. Sat. 2868. c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 1081, 1364.1549 Complaynte of Scotland 3/26.1557 Peebles B. Rec. I. 236.1565 Peebles B. Rec. I. 299.(b) Before consonants: ?1438 Alex. i. 629, 2352, etc..a1500 Taill of Rauf Coilȝear 546.c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyt. 196.c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxx. 22, etc..1535 Stewart 142, 7514.1541 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 105.1545 Reg. Privy C. I. 3.1540 Lynd. Sat. 531.c1552 Lynd. Mon. 633.1549 Complaynte of Scotland 12/16. a1561 Q. Kennedy Breif Tract. 114/12. 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 24.(1) c1460 Alex. (Taym.) 3216.
And euirie man fersar nor vther was 1531 Glasgow Protocols Abstracts IV. 39.
Ony mair anwell … nor fyf crownis 1533 Boece vi. i. 185.
Mare be boist nor lufe 1535 Stewart 55480.
Als hetter nor ony fyre 1540 Criminal Trials I. i. 228.
Affirmeing that it stude him to no les nor his lyff 1550 15th Rep. Hist. MSS. App. viii. 22.
Mair nor I suld have had c1568 Lauder Minor P. i. 267.
Mekill wors nor mad 1564 Reg. Privy C. I. 287.
Na bettir … remedy could be devysit nor to reduce the saidis materis in [etc.] 1566 Bk. Univ. Kirk I. 89.
The tyrants darre no more be sein in lawfull judgment nor darre the howlets in the day light 1567 Gude and Godlie Ballatis 1.
For thay wil soner consaue the trew word nor quhen thay heir it sung in Latine 1567 Satirical Poems iii. 126. 1570 Misc. Bann. C. I. 47*.
That I was evir mair rashe nor wyse a1570-86 Maitland Maitland Folio MS xciv. 63. 1577 Waus Corr. 146. a1578 Pitsc. II. 141/13.
He wald nocht put away his hure noe mor nor the bischope of Sanctandrois wald put his away a1578 Ib. I. 75/19, etc. 1582 Reg. Privy C. III. 529.
Rather nor for the said Maister Johnnes caus 1584 Sempill Sat. P. xlv. 715.
He had na mair grace … Nor it had bene ane hieland quow a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 282.
Moir noy nor I had neuir nane 1581-1623 James VI Poems I. 68/51; 1598 Id. Basil. Doron 11/3, etc. 1596 Dalr. II. 184/25, etc. 1604 Craig i. 35/17. a1598 Ferg. Prov. MS. No. 1300.
Thair is mo wayes to the wood nor one a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 286. 16.. Acts V. (1817) 309 (Jam.).
Nothing les intendit … nor … totall destructioun 1635 Dickson Hebrews 6, etc. 1637 Rutherford Lett. (1891) 275; 1643–4 Ib. 616. 1639 Lanark B. Rec. 133. 1640-1 Kirkcudbr. Min. Bk. 69. 1641 Baillie I. 365. 1644 Strathbogie Presb. 47. a1650 Row 7, 213. a1651 Calderwood V. 557. 1668 Red Bk. Grandtully II. 183. 1672 M. Bruce Rattling Dry Bones 37. 1682 Peden Lords Trumpet 20.(2) 1565 Facs. Nat. MSS. III. lvi.
Far vther nor ever I deserved 1579 Rec. Convention of Royal Burghs I. 100.
At any vther port vther nor at hir ladinning port 1586 Jurid. Rev. IV. 298.
The Kingis Advocat would have the Kingis actis otherwise understand nor they mean 1622-6 Bisset II. 100/19. a1651 Calderwood I. 4.
No other nor the Scotsb. a1586 Maitland Ho. Seytoun 45.
The biggin [and repairs] … wes mair costlie to the said lord nor he had biggit the samyn fra the grund vp
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"Nor conj.2". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 26 Apr 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/nor_conj_2>
