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

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First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Lourd, Lowrd(e, Lurd, a. Also: lourde, lowryd(e, (lowr'd). [ME. (Gower) and e.m.E. lourd(e, e.m.E. also lurde (1564), loord (Spenser), dull, sottish, stupid, F. lourd heavy, clumsy, stupid.]

1. Of persons and animals and their intellect or conduct: Sluggish, dull, oafish, stupid.Also, Befitting a dull or oafish person. c1420 Wynt. ii. 1282.
That best off kynd sa lowrde Wyst rycht noucht quhat scho wald meyne Ib. viii. 1670.
Set this Abbot wes messyngere, This Kyng made hym bot lowryd chere, Nowthir to mete na mawngery Callyd thai this Abbot Ib. v. 2249.
This Phylip yhong ay was sa lowryde That men mycht newyre for play na bowryd … Ger hym blenk na lauch na smyle 1585 Calderwood IV. 306.
It is … mater of rejoicing to the enemies of the truthe that sall object so lurd ignorance and inconstancie 1586 Ib. 526.
How lurd ignorance lurked under that lap of learning

2. Of things: Sluggish, inert, heavy and clumsy. 1581-1623 James VI Poems II 148/3.
The masse confused of all this round, This chaos lowrde 1587-99 Hume 19/86.
How far the … saull … dois surpas The mortall … corps, a lowrd and brukill mas 1613 Forbes Comm. Rev. 150.
The earth is the lowest and lourdest of elements

3. Of an error or fault: Stupid, clumsy; gross, palpable, flagrant, deplorable. 1585 Warrender P. (S.H.S.) I. 194.
I mon most humblie imploir your lordshipis pardon for my so lourd and inexcusibill erreur 1587-99 Hume 85/173.
Consider how lowrd & grose thine awin imperfectlones ar 1596 Lett. & St. P. Jas. VI 16.
Exquisse my roidnes lowrd falt c1610 Melville Mem. 126.
Not to imput unto him [the Earl of Leicester] that lourd falt [his proposal of marriage to Queen Mary] bot unto the malice of his ennemys 1600-1610 Melvill 21.
I never get a strak of his hand, whowbeit I comitted twa lurd faultes 1614 Forbes To a Recusant 22 (Jam.).
These wordes … might … have freed me from all suspicion of so lourd an absurditie Id. Eubulus (1627) 23. 1615 Melrose P. 202.
Gif I had committed sua lourde ane faulte againis a prince, … after sua lang apprentisage … in your sacred maiesties schoolle of honour 1627 Bk. Carlaverock II. 96.
He resolues now not to suffer him selff to be abused in such ane lurd maner 1660 Baillie III. 403.
I was so much offended with your former book … that I have not read any of your writs in patience since nor … will, till, for these two lourd escapes, yow give great satisfaction 1681 Colvil Whig's Suppl. ii. 4.
When The lowr'd mistakings of some men Made several great wits … Blame what they did not understand