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 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Assover, v. Also: assower, assou(u)er, assouir, assovire; assuffer, assufer. [Var. of Assure v. See Sover v.]

1. intr. To feel assurance, have confidence. a1400 Leg. S. xxvii. 989.
He socht to saw thare bare & ry, In Goddis larges assouerand That it suld grow weile in that land Brus xi. 309 (E).
In his noble gouernyng … Thai assoweryt rycht soueranly

2. tr. To make safe or secure. 1375 Barb. x. 187.
This ves in-till the harvist tyde, Quhen feldis … Chargit with corne assouerit var 1513 Doug. vii. v. 50.
Ar thai not stakit at rest … In the desirit sond of Tybris bay, Assoverit of the sey? Ib. x. xii. 65.
[The hunter] standand far on dreich with dart and speir, Assoverit of hys reik, the beste assayis

3. To guarantee the safety of; to grant protection or a safe-conduct to (a person). c1420 Wynt. vii. 3073.
Fourty dayis assuffryd ware thai Thame for that passage to purway Ib. viii. 4971–3 (W).
The Ramsay … said him that he suld … cum to that place, With thi that thai assouerit ware … The erll assouerit thaim sekerly 1436 Acts II. 23/2.
That na man be assouerit of Inglismen na tak proteccion of thaim for landis nor gudis 1471 Acta Aud. 15/2.
The gudis takin be thaim out of Netherpule quhilk was assouerit be the Wardane 1479 Acta Conc. 21/1.
The Erle of Buchan … and Williame Erle of Erole … assouerit ilkain vther quhil the fyrst day of May next tocum 1509 Reg. Privy S. I. 286/2.
To be assuferit and have protectioun of Inglismen for wele and savite of thair place Ib.
With power … to assouer Inglismen … to cum als oft as neid beys to … Caldstreme 1531-2 Ib. II. 156/1.