A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1493, 1558-1626
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Hafar, Haif(f)ar, n. Also: haiffer. [Hafe v. Cf. Havar(e, n.] A holder, possessor or occupier. — 1493 Acts II. 233/2.
The haifar of the said money sall … schaw the said money 1558–9 Edinb. B. Rec. III. 27.
Jhone … to ressaue the jowallis … fra Schir Henrye … , now hafar of the same 1559 Rec. Earld. Orkney 112.
Ay and quhill the heritable titill haiffaris of the landis … produce ane bettir titill 1592 Digest Justiciary Proc. P. 26.
The said Mr John Prestoun & … his spous, haifferis and deteinaris of the foirsaid kist 1592 Ib. 29. 1594 Paisley B. Rec. 154.
The said peits to be haulden as stollin, ... and the persoun or persouns, haifaris of thame in thair houssis, to be punischit 1596 Ib. 178. 1611 Glasgow B. Rec. I. 322.
All haifaris of fals firlottis to be pwnist 1622-6 Bisset I. 196/28.
Incident diligence … against all haifaris and possessouris of the saidis evidentis 1622-6 Ib. II. 254/33.
Gif … this awner dies … the tennent and haifare … sall sit quhill the nixt terme
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"Hafar n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 14 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/hafar>
