Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Statur(e, n. Also: statwre, statuire, statuyr, statour, steture. [ME and e.m.E. statur (Cursor M.), stature (Rolle), statoure (a1400-50), OF estature, stature (1155 and 1493 in Larousse), L. statūra, f. stāre to stand.]

1. The height of a person.(a) 1375 Barb. x 285.
He wes of mesurabill statur And weile porturat at mesur c1420 Wynt. i 306.
Geawndys … That lyk tyll men ware in fygure, Bot thai war largear of stature 1456 Hay I 169/33.
David, … was bot of lyitill stature to grete Goulyas 1460 Hay Alex. 1836.
Supois he be of strenth stature and elde Hiear than I c1475 Wall. ix 1916.
Wallace statur off gretnes and off hycht, Was jugyt thus … ix quartaris large he was in lenth indeid c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 297.
Syne maryt I a merchand … a man … of mene statur [M. statour] 1513 Doug. i xi 117.
Quhou large of statur was fers Achillis 1531 Bell. Boece I 129.
This Dardannus wes of sa large stature, that he wes callit the gros king 1531 Bell. Boece II 249.
Mair like giandis than common stature of men 1535 Stewart 60548.
The Bruce … wes … Manlike, weill maid, and of ane large stature c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 79.
Proportionat weill, of mid stature 1600 Crim. Trials II 113.
And the said Adame being bot ane ȝoung mane and of a mein statur, slew the said James Carmichaell, he being als abill a lyik man as wes leiweing c1610 Melville Mem. 70.
He [sc. James V] wes … of a midle statour 1611 Reg. Panmure I xcv.
Statwre 1691 Kirk Secr. Commonw. (1964) 436.
Elves, a tribe of the fayries, that use not to exceed an ell in stature(b) 1603 Reg. Privy C. VI 580.
All his brethren ar tauld of steture

b. The height or size of a horse. 1596 Dalr. I 14/8.
Bot nathir thay mekle gret horse … ar haldne sa nobil … as horse of midway stature a1597-1617 Hist. Jas. VI (1825) 158.
He was of a meyner stature than uther horsis

c. The size of an artefact. 1513 Doug. ii iii 11.
This huge hors … Of sa gret statur beldit vp on hie a1578 Pitsc. I 251/6.
This schip [sc. The Great Michael] was of so greit statur and tuik so mekill timber that [etc.]

2. Bodily form or build, also, in contrasts between the human form and that of other creatures.Wall. and Lynd. quots. may belong in sense 1. a1400 Leg. S. ix 54.
He Is of stature lufly to se c1420 Wynt. i 59 (E).
Michaell, Gabriell and syne Raphaell. Of angellis statur [W. nature, R. nature] and thar state 1456 Hay I 7/34.
Nabugodonosor … gert thame mak ane ymage of gold of his awne stature and efter his awin figure 1460 Hay Alex. 473.
Lerd he him to knaw a phisnomy And quhow he suld be visage or stature And be the pairtis of manis portrature Tak … knawleg Off thair conditioun c1475 Wall. ix 357.
That ryoll roy … Wesyit thaim weill, bathe statur and curage 1494 Loutfut MS 131a.
The chiftane that is put to the fut host suld be forssy in strenth fair of statur c1500 Rowll Cursing 143 (M).
All thair saulis beis transformit Sum in beitchis and sum in beiris Sum in mulis and sum in meiris Aganis the statour that thai war in For vengeance of thair deidlie syn 1513 Doug. vii xiii 4.
Turnus him self … With corps of statur eligant 1533 Boece 295b. 1533 Bell. Livy I 23/29.
Of mare devyne and hevinlie stature than was sene with erdlie creaturis c1552 Lynd. Mon. 1646.
Utheris clerkis … Discryuis Nemrod at more lenth, Boith of his stature and his strenth 1567 Sat. P. iv 110.
O wickit wemen … Serpentis of kynde, thocht cumlie seme ȝour statuire a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 127 (Wr.).
His [sc. Cupid's] ȝouth and stature made mee stout c1615 Chron. Kings 101.
Statour

3. The social or moral state, or condition (of a person); (a person's) quality (in regard to skill, etc.). a1500 Henr. Fab. 1499.
For oft is sene ane man off small stature Reskewit hes ane lord off hie honour a1570-86 Dunb. in Maitl. F. 213/41.
Sic vantar voustouris sic men of sindrie staturis Braillaris and boistouris degenerit fra thair naturis c1500-c1512 Dunb. (STS) xiv 41.
Sic vant of wostouris with hairtis in sinfull staturis a1538 Abell 3*b.
Charlys manerys & statuyr heyr considir a1538 Abell 112a.
Of manlynes in iusting or fechting … he had few lik him in Scotland of his statuyr

4. A likeness, effigy, statue.Cf. Hay I 7/34 in sense 2. c1420 Wynt. v 190 (AE²) (see Statu n.).
Stature 1513 Doug. vi xv 3.
To forge and kerf lyflyke staturis of bras 1513 Doug. vii iii 69.
Janus statur eyk with dowbill face, With other pryncis porturyt in that place