Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 2000 (DOST Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Scar, Skar(r, v.¹ Also: scarr(e, skarre; scaur; scare, skair; sker(r, skere; (sakir). P.t. and p.p. also skard, (scart). [ME and e.m.E. skerrenn (Orm), scarr(en (14th c.), skayre (north., a1400), skere (a1450), skare(n (c1450), skeare (1558), scarre (1568), scare (1573), rare ON skirra. Cf. Norw. skjerra, Sw. dial. skjarra to scare, f. ON skjarr shy, timid, startled.]

1. tr. To make (a person, also an animal) afraid; to frighten, terrify.(a) a1400 Leg. S. xxv 595.
For althir-mast That takine [sc. the cross] the feyndis sakiris [ed. sckiris] & of thar mycht & purpos merrys(b) a1500 Prestis of Peblis 882.
Ȝow wil he neuer skar 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 298.
With that they raid away as thay war skarrit c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyt. 214.
Cum thow agane to skar us with thy strais We [etc.] 1533 Boece 606b.
And maid … sic ratling that be noyis thairof thai fleyit and skarrit all the hors … sua that … thai mycht nocht be haldin a1568 Bann. MS 134a/25.
Quhar garris ȝow cry me for to skar 1598 James VI Minor Prose 66/35.
Al your speeches and hard conditions shal not skarre vs 1599 Reg. Privy C. VI 60.
[They have] sa scarrit and terrifeit the said Robert Jowssie [that he dare not return within this realm for fear of the like rigour] 1603 Philotus 1183.
I can not tell quhat hes him skarrit, Or hes the man amazed 1604 Aberd. B. Rec. II 263.
Vtheris ar scarrit to cum thairvnto 1638 Rec. Kirk Scotl. 167/1.
And I think that whilk scarres some most is feare to offend the kings majestie 1687 Shields Hind Let Loose 553.
All these commands … will sufficiently scar all the fearers of God to join(c) 1661 Soc. Ant. XXII 253.
They [sc. witches] daunsed a whyle togidder till they were skaired by some people coming by

b. ? To surprise, come upon suddenly; to give a fright to (someone). 1658 Sc. Ant. IX 51.
Scho had severall meetingis with all tham … somtymis at Androw Erskins litle hous quhair they war skard on night with James Moreis

c. ? To fear (a possible consequence). a1400 Leg. S. xxv 35.
For mene suld skere That thai ware to be il or ware

2. To frighten away (a person or animal); to alienate by arousing fear or apprehension; to drive off fra (fro, (furth) of) a person or place. Also fig.(1) ?1438 Alex. i 1656.
Sa smartly thair thay can thame skar That the fecht halely warpit thay a1500 Henr. Fab. 304 (H).
The spensar had na laser … to skar nor chace a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 279.
Yone knicht to scar with skaitht ye chaip nocht but scorne 1540 Lynd. Sat. 981.
Howbeid gud counsale hestaly be not hard, With ȝung princis, ȝet sowld thay not be skard Ib. 2340 (Ch.).
Sir hald ȝou stil & skar them nocht Till ȝe … se quhat men them leids Ib. 4368 (B). 15.. Christis Kirk 65 (B).
Grit skayth wesd to haif skard him a1605 Montg. Flyt. 108 (T).
Ay lyand lyk ane ruik, if na man wald scar thé Ib. 487 (H).
All the kye in the cuntrey they skarred & chased 1614 Keeping of Deer Forests in Argyll Mun. (Misc. 17th c.) 2 July.
That the deir and rae in Beinmoir is skarrit 1621 Perth Kirk S. MS 2 July.
Gif Patrik Pitcarne hed nocht skarrit him he waild haif presentit his fisch to the marcat to sell 1631 Strathbogie Presb. 2.
Ther minister, his onkyndlie vsage of thame, haid scarred thame that they culd nocht communicat with him 1642 Thanes of Cawdor 287.
They will scarr and flie and missuse the gentilwoman(2) a1500 Prestis of Peblis 516.
That he mot skar thay felloun fleis away 1596 Dalr. I 25/15.
The grettest gun … will nocht scar thame nor chais thame away 1601–2 Reg. Privy C. VI 353.
[Persons who use the said weapons for shooting wild fowl, so that they are] scarrit and chaissit away 1638 Peebles Gleanings 319.
For laying on of the net to skar away the kees c1650 Spalding II 242.
Bot this schip lay still … and skarrit away the salmound fishesfig. 1606 Birnie Kirk-b. xvii.
The more to skar away Christian contemplation ye will finde for object to your eye [etc.](3) a1500 Colk. Sow i 193.
Thus wer thay fro the meit skerrit [: merrit] a1500 Seven S. 2622.
To … skere thaim quyte Fra me that thai cum neuer agane c1536 Lynd. Compl. Bagsche 115.
Na dog durst fra my denner sker me Quhen I was tender with the king 15.. Lichtoun Dreme 43 (M).
I thocht I wald nocht sker thame of that place 1578 Glenartney Doc.
Be daylie hanting reparing [etc.] … within our said forrest scarris fleis and banesis the … wyld bestes furth of the samin 1651 Nicoll Diary 41.
I being … skarrit and chaisit fra my familie

b. To deter (from (fra) a place, action or proposed action) by arousing fear of danger, suffering, etc.; to daunt.(1) a1500 Prestis of Peblis 1254.
Is neyther castell, torret nor ȝit tour May scar him(2) c1568 Lauder Minor P. i 414.
Ȝe skar the wayklings from the wourd receauyng, Throw ȝour vngodlie and vicius behauyng c1610 Melville Mem. 221.
[Such actions] wald dasche and skar his ennemys fra all ther desperat enterpryses 1612 Reg. Privy C. IX 323.
The liegis wer scarrit fra expeiding of thair richtis and securiteis by reasoun of the extraordinarie extortioun foirsaid 1615 Crim. Trials III 312.
Albeit skarrit and hindreit, throw the fidelitie of ȝour keiperis, fra doing thairof 1623 Aberd. Council Lett. I 211.
Thes … are now upoun this preconsaivit fear scarrit thairfra [sc. buying land] 1638 Rec. Kirk Scotl. 148.
If they came, it might scarr people from hearing of them 1639 Baillie I 229.
Thir … would scarre any man from imbraceing your violent and tumultuarie invitation a1659 W. Guthrie Christians Gt. Interest (1776) 103.
The third great end is to deter and scar people from sin 1688 Elegie Death James Renwick 5.
No fear of danger could him ever scar From diligence 1701 Strathendrick 109.
By which means the people were scarred from the ordinances(3) 1590 Burel Pilgr. i 44.
The Lyon and the Leopard From louping and scouping war skard 1664 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. I 573.
Some indirect course was taken to scarr the fishes from coming that way

3. intr. To be frightened; to take fright; to feel fear, terror, etc.; to fear (to do something).(1) c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 156/194 (Asl.).
The sowtaris hors scarrit [B. start or scart, M. stert] with the rattill Ib. 165/6.
With him [sc. Saint Francis] and with his abbeit bayth I skarrit 1513 Doug. ii ii 126.
This Calcas … Skars at the last, throu … slycht Of Vlixes constrenyt a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 1415 (Wr.).
Quoth Courage, ‘Scourge him first that skars’ 1596 Highland P. I 181.
First I employed Duncan Campbell [to carry out a murder] quho scarred with it and refusit it a1605 Montg. Sonn. xlviii 8.
So neir in skaith, suppose thou skantly skarris 1622 D. Lindesey Heavenly Chariot 11.
Scarre, scarre o my soule, with sinne c1630 Scot Narr. 105.
Many brethren who had assented to the maine point begann to scarr 1635 Dickson Wr. 95.
Let none scaur because they see some fall away 1674–6 Kirk in Il Cappellano delle Fate 159.
But it is the strangeness & unusualness of these apparitions maks you scare(2) 1570 Sat. P. xxiii 121.
Quhat neids ye skar … To puneis sic as proudly dois rebell? a1605 Montg. Devot. P. vi 62.
Then prayers, almesdeids, and tearis, Vhilks ȝit to skorne ȝee skantly skar, Sall mair availl than jaks and spearis 1608 Craven Argyll Diocese 55.
For in time past I never scarred, without scruple to wrap myself … in the involucre of your highness' will 1613 Stirlings of Keir 481.
And that thair is no cause to skar to deale with him 1611-57 Mure True Crucifixe 1775.
Thou must not skarre vpon thy soares to looke a1634 Forbes Rec. 492.
How farr their hearts did scarr to convict 1637 Rutherford Lett. (1894) 240.
I find that great men, especially old friends, scaur to speak for me 1650 Comm. Gen. Assembly III 149.
Heartless fears … scaring to apply Christ and to make use of the promises a1658 Durham Subtile Self 117.
To be very loath, shy and scarring to meet with the Cross Id. Comm. Rev. 25.
Many of you now skars to hear tell of Christ's coming to judgement 1672 M. Bruce Rattling Dry Bones 35.
Our dry bones starts throw the skin of it, that men and women scarrs to own it

b. To draw back, as in fear, from an action or activity; to withdraw in alarm. c1590 J. Stewart 149 §9.
Than of ȝow I haid sik dout, That from my sleip soon did I skar 1622 D. Lindesey Heavenly Chariot 22.
Even the deboashedest amongst us, might learne to scarre from attempting … vanitie a1651 Calderwood VII 298.
The bishope forbade the people to scarre from communicating for the offering that they were to give, seing these that offered little were notwithstanding accepted

4. To scar at, in the above senses: To take fright at, feel fear of, be alarmed by; to turn away from, as in apprehension, disgust or rejection; to be deterred from or put off by.(a) a1500 Henr. Fab. 1971.
‘Schir,’ said the foxe,‘ … at my figure beist and bird will skar' 1513 Doug. vii xii 180.
For sa mekil as thai at the sey monstreis skarrit 1568–9 Hist. Fam. Kennedy App. 20.
Yit be nocht discouragit nor skar nocht thairat 1572 Sat. P. xxxi 218.
Bot gif that thay grow proud and heich And skar at ȝow as thay wer skeich And on na wayis will bow thame 1581 Burne Disput. 96b.
Ȝe suld nocht skar at the mater, becaus ȝe haue ane scho Paip besyd ȝou for head of the Kirk of Ingland 1607 W. Cowper in Scot Narr. 195.
You skarr at them whom you were blyth to see 1627 Misc. Hist. Soc. I 101.
So ye deuyd the losse betuix yow … But if my lord sal scar at this your lordschip may wrytt that [etc.] 1637 Rutherford Lett. (1671) 230.
Scar not at suffering for Christ 1638 Henderson Serm. 30.
Skarre 1638 Fugitive Poetry II xvi 4/11.
But scars at gnatts, least swallowing those, Be tymes I greatest camels eat 1661 R. Brown Paisley I 353.
Finding the people there to scar at my company, so that none would give me a lesson 1666 in Naphtali (1693) 341.
Be not afraid … neither scar ye at His cross 1678 Brodie Diary 393.
Mr. Jhon Stewart preachd and baptizd two children … yesterday. I scarr at thes things 1688 A. Shields Some Notes or Heads of a Preface, Lecture and Sermon preached at the Lothers in Crafoord Moor 16.
We should not scarr nor weary at the sufferings for Christ 1691 Sel. Biog. I 502.
Scarr 1710 in Calderwood Dying Testim. (1806) 157.
What ails poor harlot Scotland to scar so much at that noble gift?(b) 1605-6 Welsh Forty-eight Serm. 59.
Therefore let none of you scare at the greatness of your sins a1658 Durham Comm. Rev. 44.
When folks scares at Christ, and discourages and faints through their mistaking of Him [etc.] Id. Scandal (1659) 138.
Men should not scare at the sacrament because of the profanity of others 1699 T. Boston Art of Man-fishing (1900) 52.
Every parish will scare at thee as a monster of men(c) c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 165/11 (M).
Quhy skerris thow at this holy weid?