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.
Quotation dates: 1597-1633, 1685
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Phary, Pharie, Phairie, Pharrie, n. [Varr. of Fary n., q.v. for further examples.] a. The fairy folk; fairy-land. b. A single fairy.a. (1) a1605 Montg. Flyt. 496 (T).
Fude … from the feild of pharie [H. furth fra the pharrie] 1597 James VI Dæmonol. 73.
The description of the fourth kinde of spirites called the phairie 1618 Trial Isobel Inch 12.
She demandit quhat ways ar these of yours and … he answerit, It is to go with the pharie as he did 1633 Orkney Bishopric Court Book 85.
Shoe hath bein contralled with the pharie(2) 1618 Trial Isobel Inch 9.
The said Johne confest that … he forgetherit with the king of pharie and his company 1685 Sinclair Satan's Inv. World 214.
A king and queen of pharieb. 1618 Trial Isobel Inch 12.
First he spak with the pharie with quhom … he met ilk Seterday at evin 1685 Sinclair Satan's Inv. World 214.
Brownies and pharies commonly called our good-neighbours
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"Phary n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 13 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/phary>
