A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1483-1585
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Boster, n. Also: bostar; boister, boyster. [Variant of Bolster and Bouster n.]
1. A bolster.(a) 1483 Acts Lords of Council II. p. cxxiii.
A doun bed with a boster 1484 Ib. I. *90/1.
Thre pare of schetis, … five bosteris 1511 Treasurer's Accounts IV. 246.
At his maredge ane fedder bede with bostar 1512 Ib. 202.
vj fedder beddis and vj bosteris fillit with federis 1522 Dunferm. B. Rec. 209.
Ane feddir bed, … ane boster, cod, and blanketis 1538 Treasurer's Accounts VII. 11.
Ane bostar and tua coddis 1565 Protocol Book of Thomas Johnsoun 97.
10 bostaris with polyeis of cannos a1585 Maitland Quarto MS iii. 42.
Thay leif not … boster [Fol. boustar] , … sark nor scheit(b) 1540 Acts Lords of Council MS. XIII. 119.
Ane stand and bed … furnest with fedder bed … boister [etc.] 1541 Treasurer's Accounts VIII. 42.
Deliverit … to be ane boyster … ix elnis … quhite fustiane 1541 Ib.
To cover the said boister … v elnis … holland 1582 Grant Chart. 156.
xxiiij coidis, … xij boisteris
b. A padded protection for horses on shipboard. 1537 Treasurer's Accounts VI. 463.
Given … to by canwes to be stallis and bosteris to the Kingis hors in the schip
2. A piece of timber used to prevent chafing. 1541 Treasurer's Accounts VIII. 161.
For twa treis to be gunvalis … For ane tre to be bostaris
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"Boster n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 11 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/boster_n>
