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.
Quotation dates: 1375-1437, 1543-1591
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Contrer, n. [OF. contrere, var. of contraire Contrar n.] Opposition; contrariness; (the) contrary, opposite. 1375 Barb. i. 461.
God … Preserwyt thaim … To weng the harme and the contrer, At that fele folk and pautener Dyd till sympill folk 1405 James of Douglas Letter to Henry IV in Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 59.
Yhour men … had takyne befor that tym certayne Scottis schippis … in the contrer of the sayde trewis 1437 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 5.
Quhat maister dois or tholes the contrer to be done sall tyne the fraucht of the gudis c1420 Wynt. iv. 1396 (W).
For till haue wonnyng thaim of weire, Thocht thai had bene in the contrere 1543 Corr. M. Lorraine 13.
Quhair your grace wes informit that I departit … to saw discord … amangis gret men, veraly, Madame, the contrer is trew 1548 Reg. Soltre 217.
That nothir I nor my frendis sall requiest forthyr in the premissis nor cum in contrer 1591 Edinb. B. Rec. V. 45.
[The council] fynds that Clement Edyear aucht to pay … unfriemennes customes, nochtwithstanding his allegances in the contrer
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"Contrer n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 12 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/contrer>
