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

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First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Favour, n. Also: favowr, -oure (falvour), favore, -oir, favir, -yr, -eur; fawour(e, -or(e, -ur, -ar, -ir, -yr. [ME. favour (a 1340), favor, favyr, -er, etc., OF. favour, favor, L. favor.]

1. Good will or friendly feeling felt or displayed to others.(a) a1400 Leg. S. xxxvi. 775.
Thru fauoure of that gud king then A kirk biggit the cristine men c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 2655.
In schort tyme throw his favour He governede his hie estate 1456 Hay I. 221/8.
Gif the king had … privilegit him specialy of his grace and favour c1475 Wall. vi. 53.
Luff … so ewynly held be fauour the ballance c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 324.
I had sic favour to that freke, and feid syne for euer 1513 Doug. iii. vi. 33.
Helenus … Purchesyng favour of goddis to stanch thar fed 1533 Bell. Livy II. 28/19.
Seand the said consullis gevin sa afaldlie to the favoure of the pepill 1556 Lauder Off. Kings 296.
Ȝe … for no fauour suld promoue thame a1585 Maitl. Q. xciv. 6.
Quhy doe we not his glorious praise resound … Qhase fauour hes surmounted our desert?(b) c1420 Wynt. i. 90.
Off thare grace and thaire fawoure I wes, but meryt, made Priowre Off the Ynche within Lochlewyne Ib. vii. 2676.
In na kyn help, na cownsalle, Fawoure, rede, na suppowale 1456 Peebles B. Rec. 116.
That thai wald for fawir of hym ressayf the sayd frer Iohn … to the plas c1475 Wall. x. 1083.
A prewa fawour the bischop till him bar 1531 Prestwick B. Rec. 53.
To be enterit be ane breue of fawore, as wse of burght ys a1578 Pitsc. I. 57/21.
Schir William Crichtoun was ressawit againe to the kingis fawour 1607 Highland P. III. 105.
I hawe depended vpon your fawor, befoir I was put to this miserie c 1630 Ib. II. 271.
All the inhabitants woulde sturre in his fawour(c) c1420 Ratis R. 943.
Leid hir wysly with fauore, Gyf thow wyll haf es and honore 1549 Compl. 13/2.
Ane prince can nocht schau hym mair nobil, … as quhen he resauis in his fauoir ane desolat prince 1600 Hamilton Facile Tr. Ep. 1.
Ȝour accoustumet faueur

b. In phrases in contrast with fede, fraud, etc. 1425 Liber Melrose 544.
The qwylke sayd personis swor … that thai suld … bute fraude or fauour tyle owthyre party … mak perambulacion … of the sayd marchis 1456 Hay I. 262/13.
And [= if] thai … in thair deposiciouns ar fundyn variable ony of thame for favour or fede a1500 Henr. Fab. 530.
He … comptit not for Goddis fauour nor feid Ib. 1948.
Outher for fauour or feid 1516 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 163.
To … exerce … the said office nother for fere nor fauour, luf nor hatrent [etc.] 1560 Rolland Seven S. 21.
Thay tuke na cure of na mannis fauour nor feid a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. clxxiii. 44.
Ȝe that hes the lawe to leid Without fauour, frenschipe, or feid 1615 Highland P. III. 201.
Willing you withoute fauour feede or respecte of any person … to try and examyne him

c. pl. Indications or instances of good will. In favouris, in favour. c1420 Wynt. vii. 37.
Off my mysdedys now forthi Forgyve me, for youre curtasy And favowrys 1463 Lennox Mun. 76.
I trastit to haue had his fauouris and expedicioun in all my richtwis querel and erandis 1479 Acta Aud. 85/2.
Scho to remove and red the sammyn, without scho optene the fauoris of the said Dauide c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 364.
He … thoght my favoris to fynd through his feill giftis 1513 Doug. iii. vi. 160.
On sik wys quhen thou hir favouris hes get 1560 Rolland Seven S. 9086.
With the Empreour in fauouris ȝe do stand a1578 Pitsc. I. 83/17.
Albeit he tuik sindrie in his favouris efter they war randerit to his will

2. In favour or favouris of, to the advantage of.(1) c1420 Wynt. vii. 1876.
The Kyng Willame … Heyly yhit stud thaim agayne In fawoure hale off this chapillayne 1450 Edinb. Chart. etc. 70.
We have in favour of thame … grauntit to thaim full licence [etc.] 1526 Reg. Privy S. 541/1.
George and Hendry … hes dischargeit and gevin our the samyn [ward, etc.] in favour of the said Andro(2) 1466 Lindores Abbey 161.
The lands … quhilk Jonet Kay gaff … in fawars of the forsaid Angus 1492 Dunferm. B. Rec. 40.
Kathryne Wilsoune … ourgiffis all rycht and titill … in fauores of the said Jonet 1508 Reg. Privy S. I. 253/1.
For keping of his heretage … unsparpalit and unanalyt in favouris of his sone 1555 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 224.
We ar informit that Patrik Barroun … intendis to resigne … his office of watter bailyeschip in fauouris of sum vther nychtbour 1607 Melrose R. Rec. I. 38.
Ane act of court of this bailliere in favouris of the Abbay mylne of Melrose 1651 Acts VI. ii. 649/2.
Act in favouris of the bonnett makeris of Dundie 1696 Glasgow Chart. II. 267.
The said town councell should purchase the said lands … and thereftir denude in favouris of the saids three houssis

3. An act or display of good will or kindness done or received. c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 3025.
Thelamocus … to his brothir in-to gret thing … did gret fauoure 1456 Hay I. 148/2.
The evill end that he maid of his service gerris him tyne the favouris that he had of before a1500 Rauf C. 902.
Thow faindis to haue fauour with thy fleichingis c1515 Asl. MS. I. 188/22.
Sa the Pictis gat enteres and fauouris in this cuntre c1500-c1512 Dunb. xlii. 71.
I ȝow requeir, Soft and fair and do fawour 1533 Boece xiv. viii. 555 b.
Bruce … quham sa sone fortoune fra favour had destitute 1581 Sat. P. xliii. 61.
Quha findis hir freindship of fauour hes eneuch 1607 Highland P. III. 105.
I will beseik your grace … thatt your grace will gett me thatt fawor as to be bainished, rather or I be in this miserie

b. In the phrase but (= without) favour(is. 1458 Peebles B. Rec. 129.
John Portus … sal pay for his fredom xl s., thwenti but fauyr to pay Ib.
John Morchanson … sal pay for his fredom v nobelis, forty s. to pay but fawar 1474 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 29.
For … the secund falt a pund of wax but fauour to the reparatioun of the said alter 1506 Ib. 111.
Vnder the payne … of ane vnlaw of viij s. … but favouris 1515 Ib. 157.
Vnder the payne of escheting of the samyn [meal] and to be delt to the pure folkis but favouris

4. Appearance, aspect, look. a1500 Henr. Fab. 967.
The phisnomie, the fauour of thy face, … is foull and disfigurate c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 26.
Off ferlifull fyne favour war thair faceis meik 1513 Doug. i. ix. 16.
Hys favour gudly, full of fresch bewte c1552 Lynd. Mon. 2490.
In sik fyguris, quhat fauour can ȝe fynd? 1560 Rolland Seven S. 7187.
This woman is in fassoun and fauour … sa done lyke my awin Quene

5. A knot of ribbons or other badge. 1584 Edinb. Test. XIV. 133 b.
Thrie dosane ane half of boultis rubbanes for fauouris