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

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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Vinager, Venegyr, n. Also: vinagre, -agar, -agir, -agrer, -eger, -e(i)gar, -igar, -er, -acar, -acre, -aker, -ir, -icair, -ike(i)r, winaigre, -eger, -iger, -acar, -akar, -iker, vinnaker, winnigar, -acre, vynagre, -ager, -akir, wynager, -ega(i)r, -acar, -akar, vyne ager, -egre, wyneager, vynnakir, -eker, wynnakir, venegir, -iger, -aker, -ikar, -ykar, -atar, wenegar, veinakir, weinnayger, vanacar, wanikar. [ME and e.m.E. vinegre (Cursor M.), vynacre (a1400), vineger (1409), venegur (c1420), vynaygre (Caxton), vinacre (1497), winnegre (1502), vinegar (1577), vinneger (1612), OF vyn egre, vinaigre, L. vīnum and egre, aigre > Egir adj.] Vinegar. Also const. of the alcoholic source. Also attrib. b. specif. The vinegar given to Christ to drink on the cross. Chiefly, in collocation with gal(l. c. fig. Only attrib. Bitter.(1) c1420 Liber Calchou II 449.
The best drinkis war calde water mengyt with venegyr or tysane for that maner drynkis is rycht gud … to tham that ar colerici of compleccon 1495 Halyb. 22.
2 barellis of venikar, ic barell cost 5 s. 1495 Halyb. 22.
Venykar c1500 Makc. MS xiii 28.
Hoc asetum, venatar 1513 Treas. Acc. IV 511.
For ane quart of venaker … xvj d. 1594–5 Skipper's Acc. (Morton) 5a.
For wenegar to our fesche 1604 Dundonald Par. Rec. 51 (see (e) below).
Venegir 1707 Household Bk. Gr. Baillie 72.
For severall small things to the house … such as veniger, spice, gatt, same, etc. £6(b) 1456 Hay II 124/15.
Gif it hapnis thé ony hert wamblyng, egirly tak a vomyt of water and vinager, or othir wayis to ger thé cast 1460 Hay Alex. 15487.
For hete almaist his ene outbrist He had ane spounge with vyne egre in his hand And ay apoun his visage was strekand 1494 Deidis of Armorie 26.
The filth [of the lamb] confite with vin agre helis a seiknes of fir c1520-c1535 Nisbet John xix 29.
Vynagre 1536 Treas. Acc. VIII 156.
For ane tune vynager, iiij crounis sone 1571 Hawick Arch. Soc. (1878) Sept. meeting.
Ane barrikin of vinagrer contenand vi quartis 1586 Edinb. Test. XVI 355.
Wyneager 1589 Edinb. D. Guild Acc. 357.
For ane pynt of wynager to put in the flaikconis in the est and west kirk 1597 Household Bks. Jas. VI and Anne 27 March.
Vinagir 1598 Household Bks. Jas. VI and Anne 10 May.
Vinigar 1606 Edinb. Test. XLII 219b.
Ane knage of vyneager price [£8] 1607 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. II 20.
xxiiij s. for thre pyntis of wynegair bocht 1607 Misc. Maitl. C. I 167.
Winiger 1617 Edinb. Test. XLIX 300.
Ane knag of vinagar price thrie pundis 1633 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 365.
Ane punscheoun of winnigar 1636 Cochran-Patrick Coinage II 107.
The servands … boylls the haill peices [of metal] with salt and wynegar to cullor it 1641-8 Skipper's Acc. (Smettone) 3b.
Wineger 1655 Acts VI ii 828/2.
For every tun of wine-vinegar imported or to be imported, to be paid by the first buyer, forty shillings £2 1667 Edinb. B. Rec. X 26.
Burdeaux wyne viniger pruns lintseed and tallow the tun ten shilling 1697 Foulis Acc. Bk. 212.
For a chopin of vineger to the broun hors at Raevelst. 6 s. 1701 Acts X 279/1.
His Majestie … strictly prohibites and discharges the importation of all brandie and other strong waters … and also all beer-ager vine-ager and ale-ager … under the penalties forsaid(c) c1489 Liber Aberbr. II 262.
Wynnakir 1504 Treas. Acc. II 449.
viij rubbouris deliverit to Mosman for vinakir 1512 Household Bk. Jas. IV 25a.
For winacar & huny vi d. 1512 Facs. Nat. MSS III x.
Vinacar 1531 Treas. Acc. V 459.
Ane barell of vynakir xxxij s. 1544 Treas. Acc. VIII 288.
Ane sercell of vynneker c1550 Edinb. Univ. MS No. 553.
In vinikeir ane chopin for vi d. 1560 Treas. Acc. XI 27.
For ane puncheone of vinaker of the rose, x li. … for thre barrellis and ane half of vinaker, xiij li. xiiij s. viij d. 1567 Edinb. Test. I 12b.
Winnacre 1578–9 Perth Guildry 389 (5 Feb.).
The den of gild … ordanit the hail mesouris haid be merchandis in thair bothis for selling vynnakir tar oly hony and vther merchandis tobe mesorit be thame tobe conforme to the joyge mett ordanit be the counsell 1610 Brechin Test. II 57.
Vinnaker 1614 Wedderb. Compt Bk. 248.
Vinicair 1581-1623 James VI Poems II 153/50.
As by process of the tyme the uergus bitter grene Sueete uyne becummis, then stronger uyne, syne uiniker [v.r. winaigre] it bene 1691 Hawick Arch. Soc. (1905) 13.
Mor a p. of milk and winiker muster … 3 s. 4 d. … I for osters and winiker brandi and spis … 6 s.(d) 1512 Household Bk. Jas. IV 1a.
For i pynt of vanacar viii d.(e) 1601 Dundee Shipping P. 71.
For weinnayger and oyll dollei 1604 Dundonald Par. Rec. 51.
Scho causit him send for vyn, accavytie and venegir and half ane cap full of flour. Scho causit him drink first of the accavytie and than the vyn and buik twa bannokis of the flour with accavytie and veinakir and laid ane of the bannokis to his breist and the wyther to his foirheid(2) 1661 Acts VII 254/1.
The A B C of bullion … Vinegar of wine ilk tuo tuns tuo ounces. Vinegar of bear or ale ilk three tuns tuo ounces(3) attrib. 1632 Inv. Newark 6a.
Vineger laweris 1641 Edinb. Test. LIX 269.
Certane glasis … drinking glasis … paip glasis vineigar glasisb. (1) ?a1500 Remembr. Passion 492.
Think how thai gaif him winakar [MS wanikar] to drink a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 963.
A spowng … intill wynakar thai soupit it full sone; Syne till Jesu thai raikit it abone(2) a1500 Rois Garlandis 264.
Blist be his haly neis that feld the felloun flewoure of the mont Calwary and of the wynacar and gall and spitting of the wickit Jowis 1533 Gau 41/26.
Quhow … thay suld … giff to Hime vinakir and gal to drink a1550 Goldin Latany 195.
For the thrist, hunger, and drinking of the gall and winakar mengit with myr: … haue marcy 1551 Hamilton Cat. 152.
He tastit gall and vynakir, and finally dede for our redemptiounc. 1619 Calderwood VII 345.
I have beene God's prisoner these manie weeks by infirmitie of bodie; and the receate of a letter from an honourable barone yesterday has addit to my vinacre gall