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

Upstairs, -stares, adv. [e.m.E. vp-staires (Shakespeare), up stairs (1658); Stair n.] (To go, etc.) up a flight of stairs. Also fig. — 1661 Mercurius Caledonius (January) 8.
Where before a peevish nurse would been seen tripping up stares and down stares with a posset … for the laird or lady —fig. 1635 Dickson Wr. 223.
And in the circle of these three duties, let us wind ourselves up stairs toward heaven