A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1400-1420, 1499-1568
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Austern, a. Also: au-, awsterne, astern; austrene, austrun; astryng. [ME. austerne (Wyclif), alteration of austere, prob. after stern.] = Austere. c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 1655.
Wyntir … with his austrene wyndis blast c1420 Wynt. v. 278 (W).
He wes weill pert and eloquent, And full astryng in iugement a1500 Henr. Fab. 923.
My micht is … Angrie, austerne, and als vnamyabill a1500 Ib. 1688.
Austerne Eolus c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyt. 540.
Marciane, Machomete, … and austern Olibrius 1513 Doug. x. xii. 59.
The bustuus swyne … Grasland hys tuskis with astern fyry eyn 1513 Ib. xii. ix. 87.
Fers of muyd and austern of curage 1535 Stewart 31302.
With drawin swordis and with austrun face Tha boistit him scharplie a1568 Peder Coffeis 21.
Lyk Rome rakaris with awsterne granis Speikand curlyk ilk ane till vder
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"Austern adj.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 14 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/austern>
