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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.

Ire, Yr(e, n. Also: ir, iyre, iyir, yire, aire. [ME. (a 1300) and OF. (11th c.) ire, yre, L. īra.]

1. Anger, rage, resentful wrath; also a fit of anger or rage.(1) a1400 Leg. S. l. 213.
Ire distroblis sa the thocht 1456 Hay I. 257/5.
The ire of man schawis nocht the rychtwis jugement of God Ib. II. 62/17.
The unresonable passiouns of ire a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 183.
Mars, the god of ire c1475 Wall. vi. 224.
It slakis ire off wrang thai suld radres 1533 Gau 15/12.
Thay quhilk sais to thair broder wordis of ir 1531 Bell. Boece I. 199.
Doing ilk thing mair be ire … than be benivolence(b) a1400 Leg. S. vii. 622.
Syke yre in his hart he had a1570-86 Arbuthnot Maitl. F. xxx. 43.
Feirsness and yre is callit kene curage a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 717.
He fand na thing in age, Bot anger, yre and grudgepersonified. c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxvi. 31.
Than Yre [v.r. Ir] come in with sturt and stryfe(2) 1456 Hay I. 287/16.
[To] stand in his purpos efter that the ire salbe past a1500 Henr. Fab. 1497.
The lyoun … Gart mercie his cruell ire asswage c1475 Wall. i. 268.
Part of thar ire me think we suld gaynstand 1513 Doug. ii. ix. 48.
Priamus than … Mycht nocht conteyn his ire a1578 Pitsc. II. 57/2.
Thair great ire and malice towart this innocent man 1600-1610 Melville 201.
Giff force and powar answerit to thair incensit aire and blondie appetit(3) 1456 Hay I. 301/11.
Tharfore suld a prince tak gude hede Quhat he dois in his … ire 1535 Stewart 45239.
Greit wrang he wrocht in his crabing and ire c1552 Lynd. Mon. 4048.
Thay … sett, in tyll thare furious yre, Sancta Sanctorum in to fyre 1596 Dalr. I. 29/28.
This Oxx … in his yre … walde … ouircum horsmen

b. The righteous wrath (of God). 1456 Hay II. 113/4.
All may be changit, His ire in pitee, merci and grace 1490 Irland Mir. I. 18/14.
Oure orisoune … that we may … offere to oure hevinly fader to meis his jre … agane ws c1520-c1535 Nisbet Matthew iii. 7.
To fle fra ire [P. wraththe] that is to cum 1533 Gau 50/6.
The greit ir of God … quhilk He haid to wz for our sine 1584 Sat. P. xlv. 57.
Blind Baals bischops, provocking God to yire

2. In phrases with in (into), and with.(a) 1375 Barb. ii. 66.
He … swour in ire … That he suld … hangit be a1400 Leg. S. ii. 112.
Nero thane in gret ire Sad [= said] … c1475 Wall. viii. 1135.
The king … Halff in to yr, has giffyn consent thar till a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 84.
Than dynnit the duergh, in angir and yre, With raris 1549 Compl. 153/13.
Cresus, persanand Cirus in collere and ire, said [etc.] c1615 Chron. Kings 39.
His wyff … caussit slay him in the nycht and that in grit iyir(b) c1420 Wynt. i. 176.
[Who] makis hys excusatyone Wyth ire and indignatyowne c1475 Wall. iv. 661.
Wallas … with ire him straik 1535 Stewart 34495.
He … suddanelie with grit anger and yre, … Greit slanchter maid 15.. Christis Kirk 122.
Ane ȝaip ȝoung man … Lousit of ane shot with ire a1578 Pitsc. I. 55/10.
They war sa curragit thai suddenlie ruschit wpoun thair enemies witht greit iyre

b. The phrase in, into, gret ire, applied to something burning, = furiously, fiercely. a1400 Leg. S. xlix. 80.
Vith bellyse thai blew the fyre, To gere it bryne in-to gret yre c1475 Wall. viii. 768.
Arowys thai schot, als fers as ony fyr Atour the wall, that flawmyt in gret ire