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: 1420-1599
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Butour(e, n. Also: bovtour(e, bwtor, buttir, butter. [ME. butor (e.m.E. buture, buttour) and botor(e, botur(e, OF. butor.] The bittern. Also attrib. with fute. c1420 Wynt. i. 1622.
Goshawke he dawntyde and fawcownys To tak bathe boytoure and herrownys c1450-2 Howlat 703.
The boytour callit was cuke, that him weile kend, In craftis of the ketchyne 1488 Treasurer's Accounts I. 94.
Til fallowis to seik bwtoris at Bathcatbog, ix s. 1533 Ib. VI. 96.
For the feding of ij crannis, of [ij] heronnis, and ij butouris 1578 Inv. Wardrobe 239.
Ane butour fute coverit with gold and round perllis 1599 Acts IV. 180/2.
They discharge ony persone … to sell or by ony … herroun, buttir, or ony sic kynd of foullis commounlie vsit to be chaisit with halkis
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"Butour n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 5 Apr 2026 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/butoure>
