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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

NOTOUR, adj. Also nottour (Gsw. 1716 Burgh Rec. Gsw. (B.R.S.) 551), -ur (Sc. 1712 Rec. Conv. Burghs (1885) 69), notur(e). Notorious, well-known (Sc. 1782 J. Sinclair Ob. Sc. Dial. 213, 1808 Jam.); openly avowed (Sc. 1946 A. D. Gibb Legal Terms 59), now only in Sc. Law in phrs.: notour adultery, -bankrupt(cy). [′notər]Sc. 1705 Morison Decisions 4828:
The practice of England was notour, that if any Scotsman were found in Wooler, or any other part of the English border, any of their Justices of Peace put them under arrest.Gall. 1725 Session Bk. Minnigaff (1939) 462:
If the Session pleased they might represent to the Quarter Session the confessed noture adultery of the said John Dunbar.Abd. p.1768 A. Ross Fortunate Shep. MS. 138:
Who for his nephew me acknowledged, Frae anes the truth to him was notour made.Sc. 1797 D. Hume Criminal Law II. 304:
Adultery is thus distinguished in our practice, into that which is simple, and that which is manifest, or incorrigible, and notour.Sc. 1821 Scott Letters (Cent. ed.) VII. 21:
You throw the literary interest of your party into the hands of a notour idiot like Peter Walker.Ayr. 1822 Galt Provost vii.:
The bailie . . . had been guilty of some notour thing.Kcb. 1895 Crockett Moss-Hags xxxvi.:
Her children . . . were well kenned and notour rebels.Sc. 1896 W. K. Morton Manual 358:
Sequestration . . . being an extraordinary remedy, the law does not allow it, except after due warning to the debtor, but it holds the debtor to have had sufficient warning by the action and diligence by which the creditor has made him notour bankrupt.Arg. 1901 N. Munro Doom Castle xiii.:
My Grace is a little more judicious than to treat the casual pedestrian like a notour thief.Sc. 1962 Scotsman (13 Jan.) 5:
A notour bankrupt who had paid nothing to his wife for the aliment of their child since 1954.

Hence (1) notourity, the fact of being commonly known, notoriety; (2) not(t)ourly, nottarly (Sc. 1747 Lyon in Mourning (S.H.S.) III. 180), noturely (Sc. 1715 R. Wodrow Corresp. (1843) II. 93), notoriously, in a manner known to all, publicly (Gsw. 1704 Burgh Rec. Gsw. (B.R.S.) 373).(1) Bnff. 1726 Annals Bnff. (S.C.) II. 220:
Several testimonies of undoubted credit besides the notourity thereof to the whole country thereabout.(2) Sc. 1702 Rec. Conv. Burghs (1880) 341:
It is nottourly knowen that they have been thir ten yeares bypast a head of the misive for supply to help the reparatione of ther tolbooth.Sc. 1747 Caled. Mercury (15 Jan.):
A religious and extensively charitable Lady, not only to the notourly Indigent, but also to many Families, whose Straits were not publickly known.Ayr. 1890 J. Service Notandums 105:
He was nottourly kent through a' the kintra-side as ane sicker warlock man.