Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

(Upbere,) Up-, Wpber, v. Also: upbear(e. P.t. upbar(e, -bair, wpba(i)r. P.p. upborn(e, -bor(e, wpborn. [ME and e.m.E. vp bere (Manning), vpbeare (Spenser), p.t. vpbare (Cursor M.), p.p. vpbore (Gower), vp-born (Lydgate); Bere v.¹] tr.

1. To lift up, raise.p.t. c1420 Ratis R. 523.
How treuth the god [= good] in hart vpbar … Quhill scho com to the hiest hevynep.p. c1400 Troy-bk. i 372.
Braid burdis war wpborn [L. sternuntur] and sete

2. To hold up, carry; to support, sustain (a weight, burden, etc.).pres. c1475 Wall. vii 546.
Quhethir will yhe the byschoppys taill wpber, Or pas befor, and tak his benysone? a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 1150.
The bob it helpis, for it the branche vp berisp.t. c1475 Wall. ix 1632.
A thourtour bande, that all the drawcht wpbar, He cuttyt it 1513 Doug. vi iii 127.
Sum on thar schulderis the gret beir vpbair [Sm. wpbair, Ruddim. vpbare]p.p. 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 1476.
Ane fair mirrour be thame quentlie vpborne [L. vpborn] c1540 Lynd. Syde Taillis 23.
Thocht thare Rob Royallis be vpborne

b. fig. With non-material object. 1513 Doug. xii ii 19 (Sm.).
Hys hous and famill, now like to declyne, In thé remanys, and is by thé vpbore a1649 Drummond II 10/6.
A virgine maide A weakling did Him beare, who all vpbeares