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

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First published 1983 (DOST Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Pair, Payr, Par(e, v. Also: paire, payre; pear. [ME. paire, payre, peire, peyre, pere, tr. (Cursor M.), intr. (c 1320), aphetic f. apeyre, Appair v. Cf. Empair v., Impair v.]

1. tr. a. To make worse; to weaken; to harm, damage. b. To make less; to diminish.Also, once, const. dative pron. and direct obj.To eke or (and, etc.) pair (to, unto), to alter (a text, also an amount, etc.) by addition, subtraction, or deletion, etc.: see Eke v. 1 d for further examples.Also absol.(1) c1420 Wynt. v. 1136.
Off thi successoure the deyd May nothir payre na mend thi meyd 14.. Reg. Maj. c. i 13.
Gif that thing … be tynt or payrit [etc.] a1500 Henr. III. 114/22 (Makc.).
No grume one ground … of my pytht may pair wyrtht half a prene a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 1093.
How may I succour thé … and pair noght thy pris? 1513 Doug. ix. x. 51.
Nor of our strenth to altyr ocht or pair c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus iii. 573.
That greit vengeance scho culd not quenche nor pair Id. Seven S. 10615.
The Sonnis greit honour Can na way pair the Fathers micht and gloir 1581 Glasg. Univ. Mun. I. 133.
That the samyn [college] suld in na wayis be pairit or hurt [etc.] 1584 James VI Poems I. 62/20.
Yet not theles that could him nowise pair [: mair, cair, hair] c1590 Fowler I. 146/5.
Nor yet do I forsee how tyme may paire … my griefe(b) 1444–5 Peebles B. Rec. I. 10.
Gif it hapynnis ony of the anowrnments to be analyit stollyn or paryt [etc.] 1478 Acts II. 118/2.
That his realme is parit & wastit of money 1529 St. P. Henry VIII IV. iv. 547.
That the rowtit kyndnes … betuix us suld in ony sorte be violate or parit, bot rather daly incresit 1533 Bell. Livy I. 263/15.
The ȝoung faderis … nowthir parit nor ȝit mynyst thare curage 1535 Stewart 22809. Ib. 38739.
Or ellis ȝour power parit is so far That ȝe are lichleit 1596 Dalr. II. 61/23. Ib. I. 83/10.
Offendet that ony thing … suld be deminisset and paret of his authoritie(2) c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus ii. 559.
And pair ȝow sum part of ȝour greit dispair(3) 1556 Lauder Off. Kings 224.
Itt [sc. God's word] nother suld be paird nor ekit 1558-66 Knox II. 198.
[The amounts] to be eikkit and pared at the discretioun of the prince and counsall of the realme 1561 Reg. Privy C. I. 180. 1568–9 Anderson Collect. Mary IV. ii. 186.
We refer to ȝour discretions to eik and pair the said lettre 1588 Boyd Fam. P. No. 72.
This is the just copie of the principall reuersioun … nather eikit nor pairit that may alter the substance therof 1602 Reg. Great S. 474/1.
Quhilk balk is … not to be eikit nor pairit in tymes cuming 1609 Garden Garden 38.
I nether eik nor pairs my trynde(4) c1575 Balfour Pract. 506. 1589 Douglas Corr. 241.
Derek the clerk … to eik and pair to the premisses as is neidfull 1581-1623 James VI Poems I. 200/41.
Like a painter … I eike or paire to the circumstaunces of the actions 1604-31 Craig i. 15. 1683 Kirkcudbr. Test. (Reg. H.) 10 July.
With protestatione to eek or pair unto the abon wryttin testament [etc.](5) absol. c1420 Ratis R. 1219.
Quhat may help and quhat may pare 1563–4 Perth B. Ct. 49.
Ane copy of the persewaris ansris to the effect that he may eik & pair 1586 Edinb. Test. XVI. .
Hir saidis executouris to eik and pair as thai thocht gude 1590 Waus Corr. 455.
Eik or paire at your L plessor 1650 Glasgow B. Rec. II. 190. 1681 Strathallan Geneal. Drummond 277.

c. To subtract, delete (part of a text). — 1573 Tyrie in Cath. Tr. (S.T.S.) 10.
Nother eikand nor pearand ane word 1581 Burne Disput. 161.
In the quhilk monie thingis ar bayth eikit to the lau of Moyses, and parit from it a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 772 (Wr.).

d. To lose, suffer loss of. — a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 1085.
Or 1 pair of pris ane pennyworth in this place

2. intr. a. To become less, to diminish. b. To grow worse; to deteriorate. c1420 Wynt. i. 471.
In [this] prys begowth to payre c1475 Wall. i. 14.
Bot God abuff has maid thar mycht to par [: euirmar] 1513 Doug. Conscience 12.
Syn eftir that sciens began to payr [: mair, layre] … The sci away fast can thay rub and scraip 1535 Stewart 16537.
And weill he wist … That it [the King's army] wald grow and his awin power pair 1625 Ellon Par. 121.
Ather pair or mend in … God's name

c. Of a ship: To suffer damage; to undergo shipwreck. — ?14.. Ship Laws c. 4 (A).
A schip passis fra Burdus … & hapnis at that tym to payr [H. it happin the weddir to pair] Ib. c. 22 (B).
And it [sc. the ship] hapnys to payre and ryve, thai sauf thaim … the beste wyse at thai may

d. ? To cause a shipwreck. But perh. a specialised use of 1 a above, in absol. use. —?14.. Ship Laws c. 4 (H) (see c above).