A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 1983 (DOST Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1432-1456, 1523-1586
[0,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0]
Out-horn, n. Also: oute- and -horne. [ME. (13–14th c.) and late north. ME. and e.m.E.; f. the 16th c. only Sc.; Horn n. 2.] A horn blown by the officers of the crown to give the alarm on various occasions, esp. to call out the lieges in pursuit of a fugitive or in defence of the realm. — 1432 Acts II. 21/2.
Gif it happynis the schiref to persew fugitouris with the Kingis horne … and the cuntre rise nocht … and folowis nocht the oute horn … ilk gentil man sal pay [etc.] 1456 Ib. 45/2.
That all maner of man … be redy for the defence of the realme at the commandment of the Kingis lettres be balys or ovt hornys 1523 Acta Conc. Publ. Aff. 171. 1546 Reg. Privy C. I. 61. a1570-86 Maitland Folio MS lxxvi. 24.
Fra I be semblit on my feit The outhorne is cryde. Thay rais me all with ane rout And chasis me the toun about
You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Out-horn n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 12 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/out_horn>
