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

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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.

Swire, Swyr(e, n. Also: suyr, swyar, swyere, scwire, swar(e, suare, swair, square, squire. [ME sweore (c1175), swiere (c1200), swire (c1216), swyer (Manning), swyre (c1380), swere (Gower), north. e.m.E. sweere (?a1600), OE swéora, swíora, Northumb. swíra, ON svíri. Also in the later dial.]

1. The neck. Also swete ( … ) of swire (Swet(e adj. 5 b).(1) 1460 Hay Alex. 1643.
Leomyne … sic ane straik vpoun the schoulder him tuke That neir ane span braid cleave doun on his swyre c1475 Wall. iv 316.
Vpon the hede he straik with so gret ire, Throu bayne and brayn in sondyr schar the swyr 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 280.
Vp be the swire My self I hangit(2) c1450-2 Howlat 171 (A).
Swannis suowchand full swyth, swetest of sware [B. suare] In quhyte rocatis arrayd a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 1053.
Mony sweit thing of sware swownit full oft a1500 Peblis to Play 239.
Scho … swownit that sweit of swair 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 214.
A Quene, as lyllie sweit of swair [: gair] 1513 Doug. i ii 37.
In ferm wedlok I sal coniune to thé … that lilly quite of swar

2. A level area or pass near the top of a valley, between two summits. Freq. in place-names, chiefly in the Borders.(1) 1200–2 Liber Calchou 115.
Quatuor acras prati subtus persouh-scwire 1214–49 Liber Melros I 267.
Ab orientali parte de aildunesfot sursum vsque ad Hethouswyre 1327 Reg. Neubotle 34, 35.
The little burn of the Buchswyre 1375 Barb. xvii 13.
Fra Redis swyr till Orkynnay Wes nocht of Scotland fra his fay 1467 Reg. Neubotle in Orig. Par. I 169.
Leglencapilswyr 1575 Reg. Privy C. II 459.
The lait troubill and disordour happynning at the meting at the Reid Swyre in the Middle Marche upoun the sevint day of Julii last 1577 Prot. Bk. J. Scott 38.
The saidis nychtbouris to hawe frie passage … to the sie and fra the sie throicht the woister buithlatt to the row bow faldis … with frie libertie to mak ane passage and paith vpoun the bak of Brokinswair vpoun thair awin expens a1598 Ferg. Prov. No. 600.
Little kens the wife that sits by the fire how the winde blowes cold in Hurle Burle [Carmichael Hurle Brough] Swyre [between Clydesdale and Nithsdale](b) c1578 Reid Swire title.
The song of the rid square fought one the 7 of Jully 1576. The seventh of July … At the rid square the tryst was sett c1578 Reid Swire 40.
He rew'd the raid of the rid squire [: fire](2) c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 519.
Berdis schoutit in schaw … The soft sowch of the swyr and soune of the stremys … Myght confort ony creatur of the kyn of Adam 1513 Doug. iv iv 50.
Lo! thar the rays, rynnyng swyft as fyre, Drevyn from the hyghtis, brekkis out at the swyre [L. decurrere iugis] 1513 Doug. vi x 111.
Pas vp ȝone swyre [L. hoc superate iugum; Ruthv. swyar] fut het 1513 Doug. viii viii 57.
Thir folkis all in lykyng at thar willis This land inhabyt, vale, mont, and swyre [Sm. suyr] 1513 Doug. xi xvii 83.
Ene … Hes … passyt throu the glen, And our the swyre 1542 Prot. Bk. Sir Wm. Corbet 2.
Swyere 15.. Clar. iv 1776.
The bukis go bak then in the swyre Be two and thrie, endlong the water syd 1567 Reg. Privy C. I 585.
Quhen ony cumpanyis of thevis or brokin men cummis ower the swyris within the incuntre that all our … liegis … raise the fray and follow thame [etc.] 1573 Sempill in Sat. P. xxxix 350.
He raid throw montanes many, mose, and myre … Then wes he worsland our ane wondie swyre 1574 Reg. Privy C. II 371.
[Borderers] to … transport thame selffis, thair wyffis, cornis and guidis outwith the swyris … on conditioun that thai never returnit agane to dwell within the saidis swyris