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

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First published 2000 (DOST Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Savo(u)r, v. Also: savoer, sauer, sawor, -er, saur(e, sawr(e, sar(e, sair. [ME and e.m.E. sauur(e, sauir (both Cursor M.), sauyr(e (Rolle), sauer (Piers Plowman), sauour (Chaucer), sauowr(e (c1430), etc., OF sav(o)urer (c1112 and c1225 in Larousse), late L. saporare to savour.]

1. intr. To give off a (particular) smell or scent; to smell of something. c1420 Wynt. i 728.
A pupyll … lywand … But othir met than of ayre Savorand [C. saworande] off ane appyll fayre
Ib. viii 1477.
Wyth spycery welle savorand, And off kynd welle flevorand
c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 168/34.
Fy, quod the feynd, thow sairis [M. saris] of blek
proverb. a1598 Ferg. Prov. MS No. 800.
Its kyndly the pock savour [1641 sare; Carmichael No. 872 saure] of the herring

b. proverb. ? To taste or ? a further example of a above. a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 1140.
Manie wats not quhairof the wel sauris quhill it fall drie

c. fig. To show traces of, have (some of) the characteristics of. 1494 Loutfut MS 36b.
A man cummyn of noble vertueus … spekand of all gud sauorand of all suetnes
a1605 Montg. Flyt. 684 (T).
Thy reasonis sawres of reik
1651 Rec. Kirk Scotl. 641.
Utring wordes wich savor of disaffection
1655 Old-lore Misc. V iii 134.
Yit it savoering of sorcerie or superstition sche [etc.]

2. tr. To flavour (with a spice). c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyt. 192 (B).
Powderit with prymros sawrand [M. savorand] all with clowis

3. intr. To have the capacity to smell smells, to be able to smell things. 1567 G. Ball. 110.
Thair nois thirlis can nouther sauer nor smell

4. tr. To perceive, apprehend. a1400 Leg. S. iii 355.
Sathana, … thu miskennis, and saweris nocht The thinge he God will haf in thocht
1567 G. Ball. 146.
That we in hartis may sauour Thy mercy and thy fauour

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"Savor v.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 29 Mar 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/savour_v>

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