A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1513, 1564-1699
[0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1]
Foster, n.1 Also: fostir(e, fostare, foister. [ME. foster, OE. fóstor, ON. fóstr.] a. A foster-child. b. Offspring; a child. c. A home-bred animal.a. 1513 Doug. vi. xv. 86.
Ne nevir, certis, the grund of the Romanys Of ony fostir [L. alumnus] sal him so avance 1564 Colquhoun Chart. II. 346.
To James Hammiltoun, hir foster, ane staig 16.. Hist. Kennedy 3.
The bairne being ane man-chyld, this laird … wald neidis heff him to be his foster 1655 Proceedings of Society of Antiquaries XXX. 18.
For the love and respect they both cari to the said Dowgald ther fostire 1671 Ib. 22.
The said Gillewon & Marie … dispones a bairnis pairt of gear to the said fostareb. 1567 Gude and Godlie Ballatis 205.
Thay feit ane freir, thair keyis to beir; The feind ressaue the foster [:closter] a1605 Montg. Flyt. 468 (H).
Ilk elffe … brought ane almous hous oster, … Sike food feid sike a foster [T. sick foisteris]c. 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. 108.
This horse, oxe, or kow, or other beast … is my … hamehalde cattell, or my inborne foister
You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Foster n.1". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 14 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/foster_n_1>
