Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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Dyvour, n. Also: dyour, dyowr; dyvoure, divour, dyvor, dyvar, -er, diver, divyr. [Of obscure origin. The early but rare dyour may be the original form.] A debtor, bankrupt. Also fig.(a) 14.. Acts I. 372/2.
Of dyour or barman. Giff ony man grantis dett and has nocht to pay he salbe kepit be his chalanger .xl. dayis c1500-c1512 Dunb. lx. 19.
Druncartis, dysouris, dyowris, drewellis 1571 Inverness B. Rec. I. 208.
Katte Hendre … said to me, false commond auld theiff and dyour that I was, quhy slew I hir husband(b) c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 410.
Deid is now that dyvour and dollin in erd c1500-c1512 Id. lxvi. 39.
The sone disheris wald the fader, And as ane dyvour wald him demane a1570-86 Maitland Maitland Folio MS xv. 69.
All vane waistouris tak away, … Dyvouris that drinkis all the day 1580 Edinb. B. Rec. IV. 173.
The saidis persounis … sall be declairet dyvouris, and in syne thairof thair beltis to be cuttet a1585 Polwart Flyt. 30 (T).
Quhilkis doytit dyvouris [v.r. dyvors] gart thé dyt thame 1602 Shetland Sheriff Ct. MS. 8 b.
Richert Forbes being accuseit for the sclandering of the haill personis within the yle of Wnst, calling thame all dyuouris 1623 Rec. Convention of Royal Burghs III. 147.
Quhairas be protectiounes and cessioun of guides maid be diuours, the lieges ar michtelie preiudgit 1637 Baillie I. 24.
I wrote to yow for some books, … some of them ye have sent, the rest it is no marvell ye have not sent, I am so great a dyvour a 1653 Binning Serm. (1743) 607.
Would not dyvours & prisoners be content of a deliverance? 1688 Acts Sederunt 22.
That they cause take the dyvour to the Marcat Cross … with the foresaid habit(c) 1622-6 Bisset I. 269/30.
Ane seat … quhairupon in tyme cuming salbe set all dyvoris 1622-6 Ib. 270/9.
Sa lang as they remane and abydis dyvoris 1638 Baillie I. 76.
It is very scandalous that clergymen should be avowed dyvors, and troublers of the countrey beside 1710 Coll. Dying Test. (1806) 151.
To bring back broken dyvors from the thraldom of sin(d) (a1570-86 Dunb.) Maitland Folio MS xxxviii. 410.
Deid is now that divyr 1583 Sempill Sat. P. xlv. 278.
The pure man … Maid sayle syne to the Easter sees, And lyk ane dyver thair he deis 1600 Edinb. B. Rec. V. 264.
[The council] ordanis the thesaurer to caus prepair and mak ane piller to be sett at the mercait croce for placeing of the dyvers thairupoun 1611 Criminal Trials III. 154.
The knaverie and complote of ane socieatie of malefactouris and dyverse a1598 Ferg. Prov. (1641).
Of weasters and divers: … He hes cryed himself diver 1645 S. Leith Rec. 55.
Robert Traill complained upon Wm Herdman … for … making a fooll of him calling him papist and dyver 1692 Presbyterian Eloquence (1693) 70.
The saints in heaven are nothing but Christ's … beggarly dyvars, apack of redeem'd sinners

b. Attrib. with coffe, dog, loun; act, book, stone.(1) a1568 Peder Coffeis 45.
Ane dyvour coffe … brekis his obligatioun Quhilk dois the marchandis defamatioun 1614 Glasgow Weavers 65.
Allexander Gemmill being accuisit … for blaspheming of his deikin, … in calling him dyvour loun 1678 Dysart Rec. 53.
She called me a diver dog(2) 1637 Rutherford Lett. (1671) 170.
Let me stand in black and white in the dyvour-book before Christ 1656 Baillie III. 317.
The dyvour act of lands for creditors at 20 years purchase 1688 Acts Sederunt 22.
That they cause take the dyvour to the Marcat Cross, … where he is to sit upon the Dyvour Stone, the space of an hour