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

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First published 1971 (DOST Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Mino(u)r, a. and n.² Also: -ore, myno(u)r, -owr, (miniour), maner. [ME. minour, mynor (a 1325), e.m.E. minor, L. minor smaller, lesser, junior. ME. also had meno(u)r etc. (13–15th c.), OF. menour, not found in Sc.]

A. adj. 1. Frere minor, a Friar Minor, a Franciscan.In plur. as freir minouris, freris minoris and minor freers; also brethir minoris.sing. c1420 Wynt. viii. 7125.
A frere minoreplur. (a) c1420 Wynt. iv. 2622.
Thare in a kyrk off oure lady Frere mynowris [v.rr. freris minoris, mynoris] … Serwys God 1522 Dumfries B. Ct. 43 b.
Freyr Robert Litill wardan of the freyr minors of Drumfries 1528 Douglas Corr. 346. 1531 Bell. Boece II. 341.
Freir minouris of Sanct Francis ordour(b) 1533 Boece fol. 24.
How freris minouris & predicatouris come in Scotland 1549 Stirling B. Rec. I. 55. 1592 Acts III. 639/2.
The freiris minoris callit cordelires of Lanerk(c) 1619 Garden Elphinstoun 2164.
Preaching minor freers And Carmaleits(d) a1538 Abell 3* a.
Bretbir minoris of observans com in Scotland

2. Under age, below the age of legal majority. 1499–1500 Acta Conc. II. 388.
Earlier texts have the L. phrase minor annis ‘lesser in years’, under age, minor: He was minor annis and in his nonage 1543 Acts II. 433/1.
The quenis grace is minor annis and ane pupill 1563 Perth B. Ct. 6 b.
Becaus of the law he is minor annis viz. sewintene or xviij ȝeir auld or thairby 1552 Lochwinnoch Par. 49.
The said Johne is mynor and of his les aige and may nocht [etc.] 1563 Digest Justiciary Proc. E. 7.
The said John Johnsoun the tyme thairof wes miniour and of les aige not doli capex c1575 Balfour Pract. 335.
Ane minor within les age may not be … persewit [etc.] … befoir his perfeit age of xxi ȝeiris Ib. 331; etc. 1579–80 Reg. Privy C. III. 272.
We being yit minor within the aige of fourtene yeiris … annull [etc.] 1582 Burntisland B. Ct. 27 Mar.
Scho was minor with in the ȝeris off curatorie 1597 Skene Verb. S. s.v. Homagivm. 1621 Acts IV. 610/1. 1662 Sc. N. & Q. 2 Ser. IV. 135.
He was minor all the tyme of the troubells and so was not in the least ingaged 1684 Dingwall Presb. 354.
He excepted … against Murach Reildach as minor because clade with a husband

b. Minor age, minority. = Les age, Nonage. 1574 Edinb. Test. III. 119 b.
Johne Eschintour his oy of minor age 1591 Ib. XXIII. 326 b.
Tutour … to thame during thair minor aige 1609 Ib. XLV. 320.
Tutouris … during hir les and minor aige

3. a. ? Junior, younger (in age). b. Lesser, lower (in rank). 1596 Edinb. Test. XXIX. 305.
His spous & … his minor dochter to be his onlie executouris 1612 Inverness Rec. II. 88.
Giff the pairtie be all landit gentillman … , And giff the dissobeyar be of a maner degree [etc.]

B. absol. as n. 4. plur. The Friars Minor, the Franciscans. a1540 Freiris Berw. 25 (M).
The Carmelitis, Augustinianis and als the Minouris eik

5. A person below the age of legal majority, a minor.See also Les age n. for some further examples. 1526 Acta Conc. MS. XXXVI. 46.
In the making of the indentouris with the mynouris 1543 Acts II. 437/1.
Quhen minoris ar callit in jugement 1555 Ib. 493/2, 1563 Ib. 587/2. c1575 Balfour Pract. 179, 333, etc. 1584 Perth B. Ct. 29 Aug.
That minouris past the age of tutorie … suld haif curatouris electit and chosin to thame 1590 Prot. Bk. J. Inglis 25 Oct.
[The] messinger haid chargit the saidis barnis mynoris … to red & remowe thame selfis a 1600 Gowrie P. 2.
In respect that, at the time … , his Majesty was but a minor of age 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. i. 37, 60, etc. 1624 Black Bk. Taymouth 365.
Incais it salhappin aney puir minouris to depairt this mortall lyff … throw [etc.] a1633 Hope Major Pract. II. 155, 225, 226, etc. 1660 Rothesay B. Rec. 289.
Sieing the aires ware minours 1681 Stair Inst. (1832) iii. ii. 14. 1686 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. XIII. 79.

6. In logic: The minor premiss of a syllogism. 1562-3 Winȝet I. 139/15.
The minor, as I understand, is in this tractat be mony heidis sufficientlie prouin —a1633 Hope Major Pract. II. 235 (see Major a. 2).