DSL - DOST Tavern, Tabern, n. Also: taverne, -irn, tawern(e, -arne, -orn, taveren, -ine, -on(e, -oun, (taverome), taweroun, -en, taberne, taberon. [ME and e.m.E. tauerne (1297), tawern (Cath. Angl.), tabyrn (15th c.), taverin (1583), tabern (Marlowe), tavern (1638), OF taverne, L. taberna.]
1. A tavern, inn or hostelry. Also to hald, kep, vs tavern, to keep or open an inn for the sale of wine, etc. (1) Owte off the erd thare sprang a well ... Quhare quhylum a famous tawerne [W. taverne] stude;Wynt. v 34. That na man in burghe be fundyn in tauernys at wyne, aile or beir efter the straik of ix houris and the bell that salbe rongyn in the said burghe; 1436 Acts II 24/1. Fra drunkyne folk and tawarne [Gud Wyf & D. taverne] flee; Thewis Gud Women 160. In the mornyng in the taveroun [for] ane pynt of wyne & ane mayne laif; 1518Mill Mediæv. Plays 232. To Isobell Harp keeper ofWalter Chepmannis taveroun for hir leveray claithis; 1526 Treas. Acc. V 312. Taverome; 1541 Edinb. Hammermen 159. Ther is diuerse men that can blason the veyris in the tauerne or at the fyir syde; Compl. 14/26. That thay put the samin [sc. wine] in thair commoun tauernis and woltis ... to be sauld indifferentlie to our souerane ladyis liegis; 1551-2 Acts II 483/2. He ... said that in ane taverne quhair he lay Ane messinger thair ludgit in the way; Clar. iii 443. That [on Sundays] fra the last jow of the bell to the saidis sermonis to the finall end thairfoir thair be nather meit nor drynk sauld in oppin tavernes or hostillareis; 1560 Edinb. B. Rec. III 86. For careing of tume pypis, pontionis and tume barrellis fra the taveronis to the packing hous of flour ... for carting of the samyn ... and sellering of thame in the munitioun hous withtin the castell ... for wescheing of ane part of the saidis pypis [etc.]; 1560 Treas. Acc. XI 30. The ... intrant ... to pas to the taweroun and pay the bancat and vther casualitiis; 1587 Dundee B. Laws 480. Tavirnis; 1590 Elgin Rec. II 14. Sik wines as ar sald in commoun tavernes [etc.]; Acts (1597) i 136. I haid my necessars honestlie aneuche of my father, bot nocht els; for archerie and goff, I haid bow, arrose, glub and bals; but nocht a purs for catchpull and tavern;Melvill 30. Some of thame passes to tawernes and ailhousses; 1625 Aberd. B. Rec. III 1. In beakinge of bunnes ... kaikis and bappes to the tawernis; 1643 Dundee B. Laws 350. That nane ... sall baik ony kynd of wastellis or caikis ... nather to taveren [marg. tawerenes], brouster, nor na wthar persone ... to sell againe; 1650 St. A. Baxter Bks. 120. An act discharging ministers to go to taverns ... their drunkenness ... being so notour;W. Row Blair 547.(b) For our part of the menstrelis lavingis in the taberon; 1529Mill Mediæv. Plays 233. James Nasmyth for the taberne wndir the tolboicht male of Mertymes and Vitsonday forsaid xxiiij s.; 1540 Linlithgow B. Ct. 5 Nov.(2) He ordanit at kirk men suld hald na taworn na sell na wyn;Abell 38b. That na maner of persoun hald oppin tavern bot thai that ar burgessis and gild brether and payis thair dewty to St. Anthones altare and for observing heirof ... the baillies ... to ... dischairge vtheris to vent wyne and to steik vp thair durris; 1548 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. II 142. That ... na ... personis ... vs tavern or went ony wynis in greit or small ... except thai be fre burgessis; 1556 Edinb. B. Rec. II 259. Margaret Mar ... to desist fra keping of taverine upon the Sabbat day; 1576-7 St. A. Kirk S. 421.b. attrib. and comb. Of the maner to mak tawarne aile & mede; Burgh Laws Index c. 51 (A). Tauerne ail; Burgh Laws c. 49 (A). --- Than thai to the taverne hous With meikle oly-prance; Peblis to Play 91. Twa taverone burdis that standis in his kychein; 1565 Prot. Bk. Gilbert Grote 68. Thai sall haif na libertie to tak in ane taverne woman fra thynce furth; 1608 Edinb. B. Rec. VI 38. The artisane proponeing the price of his wairis not according to the worth thairof ... bot answerable to his waistfull expensis in his taverne-drinking; 1613 Reg. Privy C. IX 552. The rest of the multitude ... were newly raised out of husbandmen, cow-herds, pedees, tavern-boyes and kitchin-boyes; Hist. King's Aff. Scotl. under Marques of Montrose (1648) 39. 2. A shop. Only in Bell. Livy. translating L. tabernas. He tuke hir ... asid to the tabernes [Adv. MS. buthis] besid the templis of the goddes Cloacyne & thar he pullit ane swerd fra ane buchour [etc.]; Bell. Livy II 321 (BM).