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

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

Erar(e, adv. Also: errar(e, erair, erer; eirar, earar. [ME. erer, ærer, erur, OE. ǽrur, ǽror.]

1. Sooner, rather, as a matter of preference or choice. 1375 Barb. iii. 266.
Giff that thaim war set in chos, To dey, or to leyff cowartly, Thai suld erar dey chewalrusly a1400 Leg. S. xxix. 387.
I treu deme cuth nane Quhilk of thai suld erare be tane 1456 Hay I. 128/12.
Quhethir a man aw erar to help his fader, or his lord naturale c1490 Irland Asl. MS. I. 36/27.
Thou suld sonere & erar geve to gud personis … that ar nerrest to thé in blude 1533 Bell. Livy I. 25/7.
It plesis me to applaud erare to the opinioun of thame, quhilkis haldis [etc.] 1548 Corr. M. Lorraine 218.
The Lorde Gray is rycht ill lowit off Ingland and therfor may erair be delt with 1562-3 Winȝet I. 15/21.
Sen ȝe renunce and estemis that ordinatioun null, or erar wickit

b. Bot erar(e, following upon a negative. a1400 Leg. S. i. 74.
Thare feile he wiste, That had nocht hard of Cristis layre, Bot erare in poynte war to forfare Ib. 258; etc.
For thi na pece it call, Bot batell erare and striff with all c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 1288.
Nought wonnyn was thrught thy wirtue The palladinar … But errar thrught my gret study 1456 Hay I. 237/23.
It is nane office of prelate to counsale were, bot erar to trete pes Ib. 270/20.
For that war na defens, bot erar assailing a1500 Prestis of Peblis 49.
I think nocht to presome To tell ane tale … , bot erar, I suppone [etc.] 1533 Gau 25/17.
Thay auail thé na thing befor God bot thay bring thé erer to condamnatione 1533 Bell. Livy I. 167/22.
He was nocht condampnit to seruice, bot erar to presoun & bouchery

c. The erar(e, the sooner; all the more readily. c1475 Wall. viii. 1115.
Scho trowit weill tharfor to speid the erar 1510 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 124.
This ye wil the erar do for our requeist and prayer 1533 Boece ix. i. 286.
The pepill amervelling this strange cais, and the erare that thai knewe the hert horne remede contrare the eddir stang c1540 Reg. Cupar A. II. 297.
Praying ȝow … that ȝe the erar for our saik … schew ȝow thankfull to our said cousing

2. Followed by than. a. With contrasted verb clauses. a1400 Leg. S. xxxvii. 209.
Erar ger hyme grane oft cyse, Thane he haf mycht ws til dispyse c1420 Wynt. iv. 1847.
Sum chesid errare to de Than than thai walde fra thare fredume fle ?1438 Alex. i. 805.
The stoutest of vs all … Sall sone ȝarne erar hame to be Than haue all France in his pouste c1475 Wall. ix. 1153.
Erar he wald bid chalans off the king, Than with Wallace to rakyn c1500 Fyve Bestis 360.
Erar speike nocht than speike and syne repent 1531 Bell. Boece I. 3.
Gathelus … tuk ferme purpos … erar to assailye the chance of fortoun … than to abide the manifest vengeance of Goddis 1551 Hamilton Cat. 30.
Eleazarus … chesit earar to thoile ane cruel deid than he wald transgress … the law

b. With contrasted nouns, adjectives, etc. 1375 Barb. i. 458.
Thai war sum tyme erar may then les c1400 Troy-bk. i. 85.
Sen hym lykis erare to be Carlyche thane curtase 1405 James of Douglas Letter to Henry IV in Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 59.
Yhe sulde erar put blame & punicioun to the doarys of the saide trespas … than me ?1438 Alex. ii. 2009.
To sic suld ladyes do honour, … Erar than to Clarus king c1450 Cr. Deyng 243.
Erar for the luf of God, than for dreid of ony payne 1531 Bell. Boece I. 12.
To invade thaim erar with fraudefull slichtis, than ony force of battall Id. Livy II. 202/3.
Erare be pace and amyte than ony weris 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 57.
Imputyng it erar to your new foly, than to ald wysdome

3. With na or nor, in similar use.a. 1456 Hay I. 87/6.
He suld erar ches to tak the aventure of dede … na to flee Ib. 196/2.
Law levis erar to sla na to be slayn c1460 Thewis Gud Women 47.
[She ought] erare lawar place to tak Na fra her place to put abak 1535 Stewart 142.
Mony man, Quhilk ar inclynit erar to lak nor ruse a1586 Lindsay MS. 85.
Fechtaris sould eirar stog nor straikb. 1456 Hay I. 48/29.
Sayand thai desyrit erar were na pes Ib. 203/24.
The preste suld erar will that na his awin lyf c1490 Irland Asl. MS. I. 49/21.
God heris sonere and erare the vrison maid in the kirk na in other placis c 1530 Reg. Morton I. i.
Off the quhilk [marriage] we ar hertlie wele content, and erar with him nor any uther 1548 Corr. M. Lorraine 218.
I belewe erair at thai sall cum in Lodyene nor upone me

4. With or (= before). c1420 Wynt. iv. 1845.
Sum chesyd errare thare pyth to prowe Or thai wald fra the se remowe a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 511.
Or thay be dantit with dreid, erar will thai de c1490 Irland Asl. MS. I. 54/18.
Erare displesand God … or thai wald … displeis the personis of the warld 1562-3 Winȝet I. 26/4.
Erar or I condemnit of idolatrie Hierome and Augustine as leand wytnesses