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

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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Spur(e, Spurre, v. Also: spwrr-, (spurne). [ME and e.m.E. spure(n (Layamon), spore(n (Manning), spurre (1530), spur (Shakespeare); Spur(e n.¹]

1. tr. To drive (a horse) to activity by the use of spurs. Also absol. 1460 Hay Alex. 3199.
[He] Spurrit his steide the duke till haue ouir-tane c1475 Wall. x 417.
To fle he tuk no taryage, Spuryt the hors c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 503.
Thay twa campiounis egeirlie … spurrit thair hors 1560 Rolland Seven S. 3026.
To the palice he spurrit his gude palfray a1578 Pitsc. I 92/14.
Schir Patrick … spurred his hors bot he was cheissit nar to Edinburghe or thay left him 1604-31 Craig i 19.
He … shall … vnto Parise spurre the postproverb. 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 191/3.
Tyme spurris a free & fast aneuch rinning horse a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 119.
A gentil horse sould not be over sair spurredabsol. 1513 Doug. xi xvii 48.
Sum … Sclakis thar brydillys, spurrand in all thar mycht

2. intr. To ride (quickly) (to a place). 1513 Doug. ii xi 31.
Fell … A fayr brycht starn, … Markand the way quhidder at we suld spur [Ruddim. spure] c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 389.
Fordward said this campioun, … And spedilie spurrit ouir the bent a1578 Pitsc. I 293/13.
Androw Forman … spuritt haistalie to Glasgow 1596 Dalr. II 142/22.
The Harrat with speid spuris to Flandiris to ship in

b. tr. To make a journey to a place on horseback. a1578 Pitsc. I 325/11.
[He] spurit haistalie his ioyrnay to Stirling

3. intr., transf. To take action (to do (something)). 1513 Doug. vii iii 19.
He … fast can spur … With a smal sewch, or a litill fur, To mark the fundment of his new cite c1590 Fowler I 204/11.
In inconstancyie my dedes consists … As I wald go als sone I wald returne … I bakward stey with bitt, and fordword spurne

4. tr., fig. To urge, incite, stimulate, put pressure on (someone) (to do, aganis, to something).(1) c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 127/42.
The court hes done my curage cuill And maid me ane forriddin muill Ȝett to weir trapperis at the Ȝuill I wald be spurrit at everie spald 1513 Doug. iv x 101.
The god agane is send, … spurrand [Ruthv. spurnand] ws to haist and fle away 1549 Corr. M. Lorraine 314.
That thay salbe spwrrit sic sort to serwe that the affarris and cummerris salbe … releyffit of yowr grace 1554 Facs. Nat. MSS III xxxvi.
The noyse … of such instrumentes … spurre me forwarde, to endeauoure [etc.] 1562-3 Winȝet I 8/31.
Thay cry out fast vpon ydolatrie … spurrande fast vtheris to reformatioun, bot in deid neuir reformand thaim selfis a1597-1617 Hist. Jas. VI (1825) 186.
The Erle was spurrit a litill to this purpose be sum of the ecclesiasticall sort 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 184/3.
Gif youre engyne spurre you to uryte any uorkes ather in uerse or prose [etc.](2) a1538 Abell 49b.
King … Edelfred … spurrit Brud, the King of Pichtis aganis the Scottis 1667 Butler Leighton 379.
I am forced to spurre and dryve up myself against all these retardmentes(3) c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 181/13.
Oft falsett rydis with ane rowt Quhen trewth gois on his fute abowt And lak of spending dois him spur 1594 Colville Lett. 117.
Becaus I knaw you do your faythfull diligence, I will not spure a running man

b. Const. on: To encourage (an enterprise). 1615 Misc. Abbotsf. C. 284.
He … did att both tymes spurre on this enterprize

5. To kick, strike out with the foot or, perhaps more probably, erron. for spurn. In fig. context. a1500 Henr. Abbay Walk 30.
Spur [B. spurn; BD, M. spur] nocht thy fute aganis the wall, Bot with meik hairt … Obey

6. Const. out. ? To scratch, scrape. [Cf. mod. dial. (Jam. 1825) to scrape as of a fowl.] 1615 Aberd. B. Rec. II 325.
Johne Gordoun … had teillit, rewin out, and distroyit ane great pairt of the said chopman rod, and had earit and spurrit out be southe the samen