Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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.

Couper, Cowper, n. Also: coupper, cowpier. [e.m.E. and ME. couper, MDu. cuper, MLG. kuper. Cf. Cuper and Coupar.] A cooper.Early examples in personal names are Cristiane Couper (1275 Liber Dryburgh 109) and Alanus Couper (1337 Rotuli Sc. 492/1).(a) 1554–5 Ayr Common Good Acc.
To ane cowper for four rubbovris to tak herene to Ed[inburgh] 1560–1 Edinb. Old Acc. I. 350.
To ane cowper for twa bukatts 1579 Conv. Burghs I. 100.
The … falset committit … be the cowperis, pakkaris of salmound, throuche pakking of roustie … salmound fische 1595 Edinb. D. Guild Acc. 570.
To ane cowper for mending of the irne bucket … off the kirkȝand 1618 Montgomery Mem. 282.
Robert Wylie, cowper 1646 Irvine Mun. II. 64.
Joyners, carpenters, squarmen, and cowpers(b) 1558 Rentale Dunkeld. 353.
To ane couper … for makin xxviii punschuns 1570 Conv. Burghs I. 23.
That … euer ilk couper mark his barrell with his awin birning yrne 1618 M. Works Acc. XV. ii. 51.
To a couper for dressing the scaffels rounges to a leder 1641 Acts V. 505/2.
That na barrellis be soner maid and blawin bot the couperis birne be set … on the tapone staff thairof 1651 Aberd. B. Rec. IV. 119.
The … counsell giues libertie … to the couperis of the brughe of Abirdein to reedifie … the couperis dask within the auld kirk in forme of pewes 1680 Foulis Acc. Bk. 51.
To … Joⁿ Cuningham, couper in Dean, for helping the brewing loomes