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

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Fare, Fair, n. Also: far, fayr(e. [ME. fare, far, OE. faru f., fær n.]

1. A journey or voyage. 1375 Barb. iv. 627 (E).
God furthyr ws in till our far [C. fair] 1375 Ib. xv. 273.
To Tarbart thai held thair way In galayis ordanyt for thair far [C. fair] 1375 Ib. xx. 308 (C).
He … fast him bownyt for his fare a1400 Legends of the Saints xvi. 420.
Althinge, that nedfull ware To serwe & ese thame in thare fare c1420 Wynt. vi. 2497.
All the weddrys in thair fayre Wes to thare purpos all contrayre 1513 Doug. x. iv. 90.
He … with hys lang and lusty ballyngar Ourslydis the deip fludis in thar fair

b. Passage by sea. c1420 Wynt. vi. 2070.
Thare suld nane pay mare Than foure pennys for thare fare

2. Display or show; pomp or ceremony. 1375 Barb. ix. 137 (E).
The Erlys men ner cummand war Trumpand and makand mekill far 1375 Ib. 253.
Thai abaid, makand gret fayr, Till thai ner at assembling wayr 1375 Ib. xx. 100.
The queyn hes left hyr douchtre thar, With gret riches and reale far 1375 Ib. 126.
At that parleament swa did he [crown them] With gret fayr and solemnyte

3. What has happened to one; one's experiences or fortunes. 1375 Barb. xvi. 21 (E).
He … speryt of his brodyr fayr, And of journayis that thai had thar 1375 Ib. 905 (C).
Quhen the kyng had sperit tithand How thai had faryne in-till Ingland, And thai haf tald hym all thar fair a1400 Legends of the Saints xxi. 684.
As his wyf saw thai sa fure, … Sare rewit scho thare fare

4. A course of action or activity; an affair or matter. 1375 Barb. xvii. 905 (E).
Quhen … thai had tauld him all hale the far a1400 Legends of the Saints vii. 774.
I was thare, & beheld to thare fellone fare a1500 Golagros and Gawane 731.
Wthir four of the folk foundis to the fair a1500 Ib. 1259.
All effrayt of that fair wes the fresch king a1500 Prestis Peblis 1042.
Allace, how now, this is ane haisty fare 1513 Doug. xiii. viii. 111.
Thai fut it so that lang war to devys Thair hasty fair, thar revellyng and deray 1573 Satirical Poems xl. 73.
Think weill my freindis, this is na fenȝeit fair

b. Manner of acting; conduct or behaviour. c1420 Wynt. iv. 502.
All tyme thai nere thaim ware, And saw thare manere and thare fayre c1420 Ib. vi. 464 (C).
Scho was to wanton of hire fayr ?1438 Alex. ii. 2641.
Speke courtesly and leif sic fare c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace vi. 459.
The man lewch at his fair a1570-86 Kennedy Maitland Folio MS cxxxi. 12.
Quhill eild said, fule, lat be thi fair

5. Bearing or demeanour; personal appearance or look. 1375 Barb. xix. 208 (E).
His iwill ay woux mar and mar, Quhill men persawit be his far That [etc.] ?1438 Alex. i. 2937.
He was … sueit and debonare, Of courtis speking and of fare ?1438 Ib. ii. 3414.
And sone persauit he be his fare That Caulus wald richt blythly ga c1450-2 Howlat 55.
Quhy is my far … fassonit so foule? c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace ii. 396.
A felloune freik thow semys in thy fair

b. With qualifying adjectives.(a) 1375 Barb. xi. 256 (E).
He welcummyt thaim with glaidsum far a1400 Legends of the Saints ii. 341.
Thai turnyt agane with ioyfull fare a1400 Ib. xi. 304; etc.
Athre of thame with stut fare But rednes schot thai edryse til ?1438 Alex. ii. 3628.
I haue lemman and luffare, Fare and fetas and of gude fare c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 225.
On syde scho lukit wyth ane fremyt fare(b) a1400 Legends of the Saints xxxviii. 351.
Adryane with blitht fair Sad [etc.] c1460 Thewis Gud Women 20.
A woman suld … With fenȝeand fair nocht mak our moy c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace xi. 118.
The thrid he met with a rycht awfull fayr a1500 Golagros and Gawane 576.
The feght sa felly thai fang, with ane fresch fair 1535 Stewart 39493.
With feinȝeit fair he gart him trow … That he no langar mycht that seig sustene 15.. Clariodus ii. 1546.
The lordis … maid him for to licht with freindlie fair 15.. Ib. v. 1530.
Minstrellis playit with ane mirrie fayre a1568 Bannatyne MS 217 b/38.
Suppois ane fremmit fair thow feill, Ȝit in hir serwice perseveir 1567 Satirical Poems iv. 63.
With feinȝeit fair and wylie wordis discreit Scho come to me

6. Entertainment; provision or supply of food and drink; (good or bad) cheer. 1375 Barb. xvi. 46 (E).
Thai … maid thaim mekill fest and far c1460 Thewis Gud Women 150.
Thar is na thing thai cowet mare Na fredome, fauore, and gud fair a1500 Henr. Fab. 272 (A).
A lordis fair thus can thai counterfeit, Except a thing; thai drank the watter cleir In steid of wyne a1500 Taill of Rauf Coilȝear 208.
The King him self hes bene fane, Sum tyme, of sic fair c1590 J. Stewart 105 § 7.
Sum croms of grace … Fals from thy childrins fair 1596 Dalr. I. 90/13.
Sik sobrietie in meit and drink, and sik maner of fair and cheir c1614 Mure Dido i. 920.
Whil Dido doth her ghuests entreat, With choisest cowrses and deliciows faire

7. A load or stock of goods. a1500 Taill of Rauf Coilȝear 417.
Sa saw he quhair the coilȝear come with all his fair, With ywa creillis on ane capill