Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Effere, Effeir, v.¹ Also: effeire, effiere, effire, effeer, effaire. [Var. of Affer(e v.]

1. intr. To belong or pertain to, to be appropriate to, to be fitting or proper for a person. = Affere v. 1. 1456 Hay I. 27/22.
To geve lycht to the small peple ilkane as thame efferis Ib. II. 72/1.
Quhat kynde of sapience effeiris to kingis, princis, and grete lordis a1500 Henr. Fab. 1433.
We … had greit aboundance Of alkin thingis, sic as to vs effeird 1513 Doug. v. iii. 54.
A mark … Quhar, for to turn agane, as thame efferis, … thai mycht knaw 15.. Clar. i. 670.
Fair Mandonet was lustilie beseine In clothing as effeirit to ane queine c1550 Rolland C. Venus ii. 537.
Kneling full law, as weill him culd effeir Id. Seven S. 610.
Sa at last come in the Empreour … And hir imbraist as culd him best effeir

b. With infinitive complement. 1456 Hay I. 113/14.
How he suld knaw quhat thing efferis till a gude knycht to do Ib. 113/16; etc.
Till a gude knycht efferis to kepe wele his athe 1473 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 26.
Sen it effaires to us … to declair the veritie 1513 Doug. v. vii. 40.
Quhy stand I thus, how lang efferis me duell?

2. To appertain, to belong properly or naturally, to answer or correspond, to a thing. = Affere v. 2. 1375 Barb. ii. 28.
God … wat quhat to all thing efferis a1400 Leg. S. xl. 1206.
Thai … mad hym thar a bed fut-hat As efferit til his estate 1456 Hay I. 302/11.
As efferis … to the ryaltee of him that sendis the writtis a1500 Henr. Fab. 1160.
The rauin, as to his office weill effeird, Indorsat hes the write 1547 Reg. Cupar A. II. 53.
Providing all wais that Jonet Fyndlayson … be honestlie sustenit … for hir lyftyme, as efferis to hir estait a1585 Maitl. Q. i. 46.
Quhy sould thay not haue honeist weidis To thair estait doand effeir a1585 Polwart Flyt. 593 (T).
Swa all his fowsome forme thairto effeiris

b. In the pres. pple. efferand or effering, freq. = corresponding or answering to.(a) 1480 Acta Conc. 71/2.
The said annuel efferand to the part of the land that ather of thaim has 1498 Dunferm. B. Rec. 84.
An faldin burde witht trestis and furmis efferand tharto 1511 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 134.
Thai sall pay for … the paks efferand to the raitt thairof and quantitie 1529 Ib. II. 5.
At the ij d. laif wey xviij vncis, and the brovne breid efferand tharto 1557 Conv. Burghs I. 525.
The … counsall hes extentit … vpoun all the burrowes, ilk ane efferand to thair pairt 1576 Edinb. Test. IV. 338 b.
Ane pair of schankis … with ane pair of buffenis efferand thairto 1599 Acts IV. 186/2.
He is … endewit with all vther princelie qualities efferand to his aige(b) a1578 Pitsc. I. 251/20.
All hir mastis and saillis … with towis and ankeris effeirand thairto 1581 Rep. Mar & Kellie MSS. 35.
Twa bombardis of iryne … with three chalmers of iryne effierant tharto 1622-6 Bisset I. 44/37.
The corps of deid men … salbe buryed effeirand to thair guidis c1650 Spalding I. 249.
The dew … pairt of the said soume, effeirand to the rate and quantitie of the said anuelrent 1665 Decis. Lords G. 94.
The lady was liferenter only of the annualrent effeirand to 8000 merks(c) 1493 Acta Conc. 296/2.
To distrenȝe the saidis persouns … ilkman effering to his parte of the said soume 1513 Doug. iii. vi. 221.
Syne to my fader, effering to his age, Rych rewardis he gaif 1531 Bell. Boece I. 189.
He … punist all crimes, effering to the offence thairof 1543 Reg. Cupar A. II. 25.
The said Andro salhaue ane gude hors with hernes, wapynnis, and gair effering to his maling 1578 Glasgow B. Rec. I. 66.
Ane hagbut, witht graitht, pulder and bullet effering thairto(d) 1558-66 Knox I. 323.
Thei … had … wyne, beare, and aill, besydis stoare of victuallis effeiring thare to 1596 Dalr. I. 125/2.
Thairfor our praedecessours … appoyntet sik magistratis effeiring to the lawis 1685 Decis. Lords F. 68.
The pursuer and defender ought to come in pari passu effeiring to their debts

c. In pres. pple. used absolutely or with as. 1528 Reg. Privy S. I. 577/1.
The said William paynd … to ony uther … efferand and siclik for the landis forsaidis 1556 Peebles B. Rec. 231.
The inqueist ordanis the breid to … beir the price and wecht effer and as the boll of quheit is sauld

3. To be appropriate, fitting, or suitable for some thing or person. 1375 Barb. xi. 77.
Wapnys and armouris purvayit thai, And all that efferis for fichting 1513 Doug. IV. 226/22 (Sm.).
No thing is myne quhilk sall not ȝouris be, Gyf it efferis for ȝour nobilite 1549 Compl. 7/18.
Sum gift or present … efferand for ther qualite 1568 Reg. Privy S. MS. XXXIV. 84.
To convoy … thame away with thair armour effeirand for coluerinaris on fute a1578 Pitsc. I. 358.
The Duike againe maid him dew reverence as effeirit for ane prince a1597-1617 Hist. James VI 114.
Becaus the mater was … greater then thay thoght was efferand for thair persons

4. To be suitable or fitting. = Affere v. 3. 1456 Hay I. 264/24.
He suld put a campioun for him sik as effert Ib. II. 63/12.
[Sa] that he have na langage … in tyme quhen it efferis 1458 Peebles B. Rec. 128.
The qwhilk sowm … lely to be payd to qwham and qwhen it efferis 1483 Reg. Brechin I. 205.
And this wndir all pane that ma effer ȝe lewe nocht wndon 1513 Doug. xiii. ix. 8.
With all habundans … As weill efferit in the hows of a kyng 15.. Clar. iii. 929.
The house scho swoupit and did all that effeirit 1553 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 180.
The said Dauid protestit … for remeid thairof quhen it efferit 1560 Rolland Seven S. 414.
The hous was biggit sone … , And weill compleit, as it best culd effeir 1622-6 Bisset I. 310/30.
To undergang … ane assyise of purprision … with the perrell, that effeiris of law 1681 Colvil Whig's Suppl. i. 96.
If that succeed not, it effeers That I be judged by my peers

b. With dependent infinitive. 1456 Hay II. 29/26.
Till hald it ever in honour and worschip, as wele efferis it to be 1461 Liber Plusc. 398.
Punis that weil, as it efferis to be a1500 Henr. Fab. 687.
I drew ane lytill by, For it effeiris nouthir to heir nor spy 1535 Stewart 53318.
Quhilk … brocht with him far mo … [than] to his stait efferit for to haif

c. In the formal phrase as efferis or efferit. (Common in 15–16th cent.) = Affere v. 3 b.(a) 1445 Misc. Spald. C. V. 283.
The said Walter … sendand his said brothirs resignation … as efferis 1456 Hay II. 9/3.
The maner how it suld be kepit, … in honour and worschip, as efferis 1461 Liber Plusc. 399.
Thi richtwis iugement, With wryt and wax confermit as efferis 1477 Edinb. Chart. 140.
The … brekaris of the said statutis … to be punyst thairefter as efferis 1506 Glasgow Dioc. Reg. II. 152.
With five cownis to ilk siloure, and anglis as efferis 1534 Misc. Spald. C. II. 188.
Thir oure letteris of gift … beand anys producit … and registrate in our rollis … as efferis 1552 Reg. Cupar A. II. 107.
Kepand the statutis of our courtis and ackis of parliament ondir the pane as efferis 1575 Edinb. Test. III. 384 b.
Scho … levis hir … body to be bureit as efferis 1614 Ayr Friars Pr. Chart. 113.
Gevin … in dew and competent forme as efferis(b) c1550 Rolland C. Venus iv. 538.
I will this court … continewit be To the same force, forme, effect as efeiris, As of befoir 1574 Antiq. Aberd. & B. II. 435.
The schireff deput … ordinis preceptis of poynding to be derect heirone in forme of law as effeiris 1588 Douglas Bequest (Reg. H.) 19 May.
Ane lettre of tak … conteynyng warrandyce and vther clausis necessar as effeiris 1618 Edinb. Test. L. 46.
His bodie to be buriet with the depairtit as effeiris 1687 Misc. Spald. C. V. 236.
The court lawfullie fenced and affermit as effeires(c) c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 3020.
Thai in Achaia him erde With kyngis honour, as efferde c1450-2 Howlat 320.
Geir falconnis … War deir dukis, and digne, to deme as efferd a1500 Henr. Fab. 943.
The panther … Fensit the court, as of the law effeirit 1502 Prestwick B. Rec. 37.
In falt of warnyn of the said cunnaris to pryis the aile as efferyt 1533 Bell. Livy I. 109/28.
He suld glaidiie vaik on thame the nixt morowe to dres all materis as efferit a1578 Pitsc. II. 86/14.
He … brocht witht him two great cannonis … with wther small artaillȝe as effeirit(d) 1535 Stewart 6287.
Of his quene agane to tak the cuir, And keip hir weill alway as did effeir c1550 Rolland C. Venus i. 282.
I nocht can … Hir name exalt with perfite eloquence, As sould effeir

5. tr. To concern (a person). = Affere v. 4. 1443 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III. 269.
This till all that it efferis or may effeir … we mak knawyne 1477 Edinb. Chart. 140.
Chargeing … in speciale the communitie and inhabitantis of our saide burgh quham it efferis 1488 Lanark B. Rec. 4.
Thai fyndand souerte to the town the arschip salbe furthcumande to quham that efferis 1507 Edinb. Chart. 191.
To all and sindri oure officiaris, liegis, and subditis quham it efferis 1556 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 247.
This our will to all and syndry quhome it efferis we mak knawn be thir presentis 1597 Skene Verb. S. s.v. Feodvm.
To command and charge the keipers of the signet, … and all vthers quhome it effeiris, to conforme themselues to the … direction of the saides commissioners