Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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About this entry:
First published 1976 (SND Vol. X).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

YARE, adj., int. Also yair. [jer]

I. adj. Ready, alert, prepared, prompt (Sc. 1825 Jam.); eager, keen; agile, nimble (Knr. 1949). Also used adv. Adv. yarely. Chiefly in liter. usage. Obs. or dial. in Eng.Wgt. 1804 R. Couper Poems II. 99:
But whare's thy spirit, yare and young?Sc. 1806 R. Jamieson Pop. Ballads I. 165:
Ye ha'e your bow weel bent And a' your arrows yare.Fif. 1812 W. Tennant Anster Fair 49, 77:
The younker Curtius of devoted soul Down headlong yarely gallop'd, horse and all . . . A thousand fiddles squeak and squeel it yare.Bnff. 1852 A. Harper Solitary Hours 75:
Weel pang'd wi' thee, how stark an' yare Her sons aye wielded broad-swords bare.Rxb. 1871 H. S. Riddell Poet. Wks. I. 283:
Yeoman yare and baron bold.Abd. 1880 G. Webster Crim. Officer 26:
He was aye rael yare an' active.Abd. 1882 W. Forsyth Writings 11:
Noo they're up an' at it yarely .Sc. 1913 H. P. Cameron Imit. Christ i. xi.:
Hislane is yare tae thae wha warsle an' lippen tae His tenner luve.

II. int. As a command to get ready quickly: hurry! make haste!Sc. 1822 Hogg Perils of Man (1972) xxvii.:
Yare, yare! Lord sauff us! Here they come!