Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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.

Aventure, Aventour, v. Also: aventur, awentour. [ME. aventure (1330), OF. aventurer. Cf. Adventure and Aunter.]

1. refl. and tr. To venture (onself or one's person). Brus xix. 761 (C).
Aventur [E. awntyr] thame thar-to durst nane 1456 Hay II. 4/18.
[He] had aventurit his persone to … manetene justis 1513 Doug. vi. i. 16.
Dedalus … Sa bald was … To aventur hym self heich in the sky 15.. Clar. ii. 1070.
I dar my bodie againis him aventour 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 27.
The king wes … reddy to aventure him self to all hazard

b. To risk; to take the chance of. 1523 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 106.
Ane pece of artellery … to be send hame and auentourit one the tounis awentour 1560 Rolland Seven S. 68/4.
Aventure gude and haue ay gude

2. intr. To take a risk or hazard. a1500 Colk. Sow ii. 199.
The danger passit, thow art als sure … To aventure agane 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. iii. 42.
To discend … I durst not auenture 1531 Acta Conc. MS. XLIII. 140.
Thai suld juperde and aventour of thar lyvis c1530-40 Stewart Maitl. F. lxxxi. 39.
To ryd or ryn our rakleslie, Or aventure to go on yce