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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1971 (SND Vol. VIII). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

SHORE, n.¹ Also †shoar; ¶shuir (Sh. 1834 Old-Lore Misc. X. iii. 131). Sc. usages:

1. With the def. art. or some defining place-name attrib.: a quay, landing-place, harbour (Sc. 1782 J. Sinclair Ob. Sc. Dial. 127: n.Sc., Ags., Fif. 1970). Deriv. ‡shoreock, see 1900 quot. Also dim. shorie (Bnff. 1980s).Abd. 1716 Abd. Burgh Records (B.R.S.) 359:
The said four cannons, to be put aboard two boats at the shore.Edb. 1725 D. Robertson Bailies of Leith (1915) 168:
The Shoare and other streets are keeped foull and nesty by the inhabitants and their servants throwing out ashes and other filth.Sc. 1754 J. Erskine Principles i. ii. § 11:
Where the party to be sued resides in another kingdom, and has an estate in this, the Court of Session is the only proper court, as tne commune forum to all persons residing abroad; and the defender, if his estate be heritable, is considered as lawfully summoned to that court, by a citation at the market-cross of Edinburgh, and pier and shore of Leith.Ayr. 1822 Galt Provost xxiv.:
On board the Louping Meg, (as the Lovely Peggy was nicknamed at the shore).Sc. 1809 Faculty Decisions 127:
The barley to be delivered at Stirling shore at the mast.Sc. 1831 Fife Herald (2 June):
Between thirty and forty individuals, chiefly from Logiealmond, went off from Perth shore last week, for Dundee, to embark there for the Canadas.Ork. 1900:
Shoreocks — Dwellers near the shore and harbour in Kirkwall, hence the east-enders, the proletarian element in the population. Used rather contemptuously.Fif. 1961 St. Andrews Cit. (8 April) 3:
We enclose plans of suggested housing development down at the Shore.Abd. 1965:
Fat's the herrin sellin at this mornin at the shore?

2. Sc. Combs. (1) shore-bretsh, the breaking of waves on the shore, surf. See Bretsh; (2) shore due(s), a levy or toll made on ships making use of a harbour, a harbour-due; (3) shore-head, the ground lying at the upper or land side of a quay or harbour (Fif. 1970); (4) shore-lumper, a longshoreman or stevedore; †(5) shore-master, a harbour-master; (6) shore porter, = (4), in Aberdeen specif. applied to a member of an incorporated society of porters founded in 1498 and still in business. See Piner; (7) shore snipe, the common sandpiper, Tringa hypoleucos, “from its fondness for the sandy margin of lakes and rivers” (Per. 1885 C. Swainson Brit. Birds 196); (8) shore-sparrow, the rock-pipit, Anthus spinoletta petrosus (Ork. 1929 Marw.); (9) shore-teetan, — teeting, id. (Ork. 1877 Sc. Naturalist (Jan.) 9, 1929 Marw.).(1) Sh. 1969 New Shetlander No. 88. 6:
As they were coming in on the shore-bretsh.(2) Edb. 1709 D. Robertson Bailies of Leith (1915) 84:
To make payment to the good touns taxmen of the shoar dues.Edb. 1800 Edb. Weekly Jnl. (15 Jan.) 22:
No shore dues should be taken from vessels bringing in coals to Leith.Per. 1830 Per. Advertiser (11 March):
The present Perth Shore-dues are not nearly sufficient for the purposes of supporting the Shores, and keeping the channels clear.Ags. 1876 G. Hay Hist. Arbroath 328:
The revenue of the Harbour Trust . . . £4325, 1s. 6d. was shore dues.(3) Fif. 1831 Fife Herald (13 Jan.):
The property lying at the Shore-head of West Wemyss.Fif. 1961 St. Andrews Cit. (8 April) 3:
A proposed reconstruction of houses at the Shorehead.(4) Ags. 1894 J. B. Salmond Bawbee Bowden (1922) 98:
Boxer Samson the shorelumper.(5) Abd. 1700 Fountainhall Decisions (1761) II. 97:
George Cheyne Shore-master [Fraserburgh].Ayr. 1715 J. Paterson Hist. Ayr. and Wgt. I. 88:
The shore-master was ordered to remove all stones from the harbour that might be prejudicial to the shipping.Rnf. 1751 Burgh Rec. Gsw. (1911) 341:
John Willieson, late ship mate and now teacher of mathematicks, to be shoarmaster in Portglasgow.Abd. 1880 Bon-Accord (11 Dec.) 6:
The Shoremaster gave a very good specimen of his facetious doric.(6) Abd. 1834 J. Bulloch Pynours (1887) 78:
The Rates chargeable by the Shore Porters.Abd. 1868 G. MacDonald R. Falconer ii. v:
Borne to the grave by twelve stalwart men in black, with broad round bonnets on their heads, the one-half relieving the other — a privilege of the company of Shore-porters.Abd. 1887 J. Bulloch Pynours 26:
The Society of Shore Porters is as a rule entrusted by the merchants of the town with the keys, giving access to the bonded stores where their goods are lying.