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

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

Cover, Cower, v.¹ Also: covr-, covir(e, -yre, cowir, covar, covur. [ME. cover(e, covir(e, etc., OF. covrir. Cf. Cuver v. ¹]

1. tr. To place a covering over or on (a person or thing). Also absol. 1375 Barb. iv. 123.
Thair may no man fire sa covir, Bot low or reyk sall it discovir a1400 Leg. S. xviii. 283.
Scho tuk it or scho reste, & hyr coueryt c1420 Wynt. iii. 93.
Scho … coweryd [him] syne, and gert hym ly Wndyr a tapyte ?1438 Alex. ii. 2691.
He couth … Stryke with sword and couer with shield c1475 Wall. iii. 355.
Schir Ranald … couerit his face, that no man mycht him knaw a1500 Seven S. 1542.
The fylit clathis away thai drewe, And with clene napry cowerit newe 1562-3 Winȝet I. 84/15.
Quhy couer ȝe ȝour table with a quhyte clayth at ȝour communioun? 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 4.
He coverrit never his heid in the kirk 1596 Dalr. I. 36/16.
[It] can nocht be thocht … that the ground growing sa thick abone culde haue couiret thik wodis as we sie

b. fig. To cover up, cloak, hide. ?1438 Alex. ii. 2345.
Scho … wittandly couth couer hir will 1456 Hay I. 214/4.
Thus wald thai cover thair malicious tyranny c1460 Consail Wys Man 168.
Couer neuer thí hecht with slycht 1568 Buch. Indict. 43.
To lat the varld vnderstand quhat a cloke mask wes wsit to cover sa vicket a cryme a1585 Maitl. Q. xcv. 46.
Couer my ignorance and tak it in guid pairt

2. To serve as a covering to. c1420 Wynt. viii. 5702.
[They had] royd frogis on thare armyng, To covyre thame for persaywyng 1473 Treas. Acc. I. 31.
j elne of fustiane to covir a cod 1474 Ib. 22.
j eln of veluous to cowir a smale harnessing to the Kingis sadill c1475 Wall. i. 240.
A roussat goun of hir awn scho him gaif Apon his weyd, at coueryt all the layff 1513 Doug. vii. xiii. 67.
A ballen pavys coverys thar left sydis 1533 Treas. Acc. VI. 275.
For … tanny velvet to covar the colar of the Kingis abiriowne 1549 Compl. 69/1.
The … clethyng of this dolorus lady vas ane syde mantill that couurit al hyr body

3. In p.p. coverit, covered (with something). 1375 Barb. viii. 332.
The feld wes weill neir couerit all Bath with slayn hors and vith men c1420 Wynt. viii. 5696.
A payr of coil crelis … That covryt welle wyth clathis are a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 320.
The king cumly in kith, couerit with croune a1500 Rauf C. 681.
The flure carpit and cled and couerit full clene 1513 Doug. ii. viii. 12.
Coverit with scheildis agane the dartis c1552 Lynd. Mon. 2.
Weil auchtest thou couerit to be with sabyl 1558 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. I. 154.
Twa oist crelis cowirt with ledder 1562-3 Winȝet I. 83/12.
The baptizit to be couerit with a quhyte clayth 1585 James VI Ess. 25.
Her corps is couured with an asure gowne 1600-1610 Melville 707.
Quhill our buird was coverit, and the meitt put thairon 1630 Bamff Chart. 223.
Ane coffer cowered withlader

b. Provided, furnished with a husband.After AF. (hence in e.m.E. and later legal use) feme coverte. Cf. also Cled ppl. a. 3. 1497 Acta Conc. II. 56.
It was allegit be the procuratouris of the said Duncane that he aucht nocht til ansuere to the sade Marione because scho was coveryt with ane husband