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

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First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Figour, n. Also: Figoure, -owr, -or, fygowre, -our, fegour. [ME. figour (a 1400), occas. var. of figure Figure n.]

1. Form, shape, appearance (esp. of persons).(a) c1420 Wynt. vi. 1912.
A fayr man, … Off lym and lyth a fayre fygowre c1450-2 Howlat 260.
To … se gif that nature Mycht reforme his figour In a fair schape a1500 Bk. Chess 1714.
He was a stok in figour of a man 1513 Doug. xii. x. 16.
Of a grettar bargane … the figour 1535 Stewart 28926.
Tha fand thre bodies … [alike] Of forme, and figour c1552 Lynd. Mon. 2089.
One ymage … Moist lyke his father of figoure(b) a1568 Bann. MS. 74 b/9.
Quhen faid sall thy fegur Ib. 106 b/207.
Of thair fowle fegouris na man can tell c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxxxvii. 17.
Of thi fair fegour natur micht reioiys a1578 Pitsc. II. 176/14.
Conforme to the fegour of the seige of Leytht

2. An image or other representation. c1420 Wynt. i. 1671.
The men off that land dyd honoure To that figoure Ib. v. 47.
A fygowre Off hewys fyne and fayre payntoure c1475 Wall. x. 822.
A flud he beris apon his cot armour, … so payntyt in figour a1500 Bk. Chess 1917.
His figour with two jugis thair he set c1500-c1512 Dunb. ix. 3.
Befoir thy bludy figor dolorus I repent my synnys 1542 Treas. Acc. VIII. 143.
For the fygour of ane lyoune c1552 Lynd. Mon. 3129.
Those fals figouris with hir scho careis 1587-99 Hume vii. 80.
So sall be seen the figoures of the flots

3. A symbol; a figure of speech. a1500 Bk. Chess 143.
I maid … This sport of ches in figour to correct Thy vicious lyf Ib. 2041. a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 309.
The seramonis of the ald testiament And vthir figouris tuke end a1568 Scott xxvi. 69.
This figour, Quhilk clippit is antiphratis

4. A numerical figure. 1622-6 Bisset II. 182/15.
Quhilk nynt figoure of numer includis … all the rest of the figouris without sipheris