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

Summar, adj. and n. Also: summare, summer, -air, sumar(e, som(m)air. [F. sommaire (1538 in Larousse), L. summārium a summary, epitome, abstract. Cf. late ME and e.m.E. summary adj. (a1450), n. (1509).]

A. adj. 1. Of a statement, etc.: That summarises the main points of the argument; that restricts itself to essentials.(a) 1570 Knox VI 581.
And this for summar answer to this whole complent; referring the particularis to farther opportunitie 1570-3 Bann. Trans. 217.
Sumare 1585 Acts III 389/1.
Summar lettres to be direct to that effect 1640 Maister George Blacke His Masterlesse Men 4.
To refricat the memories of the wel affected good Christians … anent a certaine summer dispute, and discourse uttered by me(b) 1581-1623 James VI Poems I 69/2.
Ane rype ingyne, ane quick and walkned witt, With sommair reasons, suddenlie applyit 1588 Events Q. Mary & Jas. VI 52.
Mr. Jaimis, … put the sommair discours of ther conference in writ

b. Of a person as speaker, preacher, or the like: Concise, brief in exposition. 1621 Ellon Presb. 108.
[Mr. Rattray … was reproved] for unnecessar prolixitie and ordanit to be mair sumar and schort in tyme cuming

2. Of a, chiefly legal, process, etc.: Performed without delay, expeditious, esp. in legal contexts, rapidly executed by the omission of some formalities or procedures. Passing into b. Precipitate, hasty. c. Taking effect immediately, without more ado.attrib. a1500 Henr. Fab. 1225 (Bann.).
Schortly to mak ane end of this debait The arbitrouris summar and [Bass., Harl., sweirand, Ch. did sweir full] plane The sentens gaif and proces fulminat 1555 Acts II 495/1.
Summar cognitioun to be takin of the slauchter 1563 Reg. Privy C. I 252.
That the saidis caussis may haif the maist summar proces and schortar end hir Hienes … hes thocht gude that jurisdictionis be erectit in sindrie partis of this realme for discussing of the saidis caussis 1569 Reg. Privy C. I 651.
[He] mon pay the said bill of his awin propir gudis, without, be taking of summar tryall, sum remeid be providit 1576 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. I 273.
Na term aucht to be assignit in this proces as is desyrit be the defenderis becaus it is and suld be ane summer proces of removing and suld byd no delay 1583 Perth B. Ct. 22 Oct.
To sicht & considder the samin & to tak summar ordour & do iustice thairintill 1587 Calderwood V 432.
That the quantitie of the locall … stipend sould be equallie tane from everie one of the saids persons proportionallie … at the discretioun and summar cognitioun of the said modifiers 1595 Bk. Univ. Kirk III 852.
That … the forme of summar excommunicatioun, without any citatioun, be alluterlie abolischit 1595–6 Reg. Privy C. V 285.
To allow of this his Hienes summair and extraordinair proceding 1596 Bk. Univ. Kirk III 883.
Whatsomever party … please to complain thereupon, shall have most summar remeed 1600-1610 Melvill 51.
He haid maried his sone … in a summar and hastie maner 1609 Reg. Privy C. VIII 598.
That it may pleis your Lordshipis to grant unto him summar, favourable and reddy justice 1610 Reg. Privy C. IX 17.
You ar to direct summair chairges aganis the present keipairis and detenaris of that house that they mak present deliverie of the same to the said bischop 1620 Kinghorn Kirk S. 19.
It is a very summar and peremptorie sentence 1622-6 Bisset II 191/29.
King Alexander the first surnamed ferce be ressone of his … fortitude in summare iustice 1637 Lanark Presb. 11.
The best and most summar way for furnishing themselves with two service bookes 1637 Rothes Affairs Kirk 49.
We ar … charged … to depart … within 24 hours … by which peremptorie unlawfull charge our feares of a more summar and strict proceiding in thir maters are augmented 1648 Dumfries Kirk S. 19 Dec.
For the first dayes absence a shilling for the second half ane crowne, for the thrid a publick rebuke, and for the fourt summar deprivatione c1650 Spalding II 369.
To compeir … the 24th of May to ansuer to sic pointis [etc.] … whiche wes thocht over schort and summar ane charge 1655 Ellon Par. 119.
Upon ane order and command from the Presbytery, the minister did excommunicate … Helen Murray … and that with sumar excommunicatione 1659 Glasgow B. Rec. II 419.
Occasioning their meeting sua extraordinarlie … to wnderstand this so summar and unhard of procedour 1681 Lauder Notices Affairs I 286.
The officers nominat by the King ware certainly fred from all summar arreistments, ather of ther persons or horses and armes 1683 Fountainhall Decis. I 212.
The Chancellor and Privy Council granted the like summar warrand for securing Alexander Tait in Leith 1684 Lauder Notices Affairs II 583.
But they alledged Sir Andrew Ramsay practised this summar method in deposing Sir William Thomsone; and that masters neid not use all formalities in removing ther servants 1686 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. XIII 27.
The summar removeall of the said M^r Farquhar can nowayes be considered illegall 1687 Shields Hind Let Loose 241.
They can accuse whom they will, of what they please; and if by summar citation, he will not, may be, because he cannot, compear; if once his name be in their porteous' rolls, that is sufficient to render him convict 1692 Acts Sederunt ii 197.
Processes of sale of bankrupts estates to have summar dispatch 1694 Misc. Spald. C. II lxxi.
The saids Lords having made summar charging at this time(b) 1565 Edinb. Univ. MS La.iii.388a, 13b.
Item anent the somair causis persewit be quhatsumevir persone … Sic as geving of tutoris, curatouris to minoris, … and siclyke bydis na tabillpredic. 1586 Calderwood IV 535.
In order taiking with the publict haynous crimes, the processe is summar without anie admonitiouns a1600 Liturgy John Knox (1886) 39.
Aganis such opin malefactoris, the processe may be summar 1638 Baillie I 154.
The most agreed that the present excommunication of the Bishops, was not summar

B. noun. Summary; substance; gist. 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 22.
Of the quhilk aduertisement the summar is this 1622-6 Bisset II 216/4, etc.
The summaris of all actis and statutes pertening to the office of admiralitie