Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

Mirro(u)r, n. Also: -oure, -ouer, miro(u)r, myr(r)o(u)r(e, -owre; merrour(e; mur(r)our, -ur, mwrrowr. [ME. mir(o)ur, myr(o)ur (c 1225), myrrour(e, merrowre (15th c.), OF. mirour, -eor. Cf. also Merour.]

1. A mirror.In some instances a magic mirror or one used in divination or the like.Mirk mirrour, see Mirk a. 3.(a) 1456 Hay II. 75/20.
As myrour schawis the faultis and the suthfastnes 1492 Myll Spectakle of Luf 272/30.
As the … spottis of the face schawis in the myrrour of glas a1500 Buke of the Sevyne Sagis 1781.
The myrour … That warnis ws of our enemys 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. iii. 208. 1502–3 Treasurer's Accounts II. 357. 1531 Bell. Boece I. v.
Quhen we may cleir as in ane mirroure se The furius end … of tirannie 1551 Hamilton Catechism 26. 1571 Edinburgh Testaments II. 192.
Foure faulding myrrouris 1597 Bk. Rates 7 b.
Lytill keking mirrouris the dosane, ix s. 1630 Drummond II. 91/774.
Like vnto a mirrouer(b) 1493 Acts Lords of Council I. 282/2.
Twa pare of barbouris syssouris a kame a mvrrour 1533 Gau 12/8.
Thay that wsis corsis christal murrur bukis … to find hwid hurdis in the ȝeird 1540 Maxwell Mem. I. 409.
Ane cais of camis … with ane mwrrowr c1550-c1580 Art of Music 8.
As in ane visibill murour 1586 Edinburgh Testaments XVI. 126.
Sevin cristellene murrours les and mair

b. Attrib. and comb. 1583 Edinburgh Testaments XII. 332 b.
Sex myrror glasis price iij s. 1586 Ib. XV. 142 b.
Ane mirrour glas price [13/4 d.] 1593 Ib. XXV. 187 b. 1610 Ib. XLVI. 176.
The grit mirrour glas that is hanging abone the littel dressour 1624 Ib. LII. 256. 1627 Brechin Testaments IV. 291.
Tua myror glaisis, pryce xv lib. 1638 Elphinstone Mun. 26. 1695 Acts IX. 523/1. — 1685 Bk. Old Edinb. C. XI. 34.
Cabinett and miror maker 1695 Acts IX. 523/1.
Cabinet and mirror glassmaker

2. fig. a. An example to be followed, a pattern or model.(a) a1400 Legends of the Saints xxvii. 945.
For he to thaim was sic myrroure That he gert thaim leif thare erroure c1420 Wynt. vii. 1219.
Hys awyn oys … May myrrowre and ensawmpill be Till alkyn statis c1420 Ib. vi. 684. c1450-2 Howlat 970.
Now mark ȝour mirour be me 1456 Hay II. 79/6.
Remember thé of this that I say here and mak thé a myrour of it c1460 Regimine Principum 209 (M).
Thow suld thame schaw ane gud myrrour c1490 Porteous Noblenes 175/5.
Hie honour is … the werray myrrour quharin he suld addres all his werkis c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxv. 20. a1538 Abell 48 a.
Religioun … florist sa in Scotland … at it wes ane mirrour to wthir kinrikis 1562-3 Winȝet I. 13/27.
We … beseikis … euery ane … quha vnfenȝetlie lufis God … to luke in the mirrour underwryttin 1567 Gude and Godlie Ballatis 234. a1605 Montg. Son. ix. 3.(b) a1400 Legends of the Saints Prol. 26.
Storysse … That as merroure ar vs to, To kene ws how we suld do(c) 1531 Bell. Boece I. cix.
Schaw how the kingis … governance, The murrour of leving to his peple bene

b. A shining example, a paragon. 1513 Doug. i. Prol. 8.
Maist reuerend Virgill … Lantarn, laid stern, myrrour and A per se a1605 Montg. Misc. P. l. 24.
Mirrour of madinis, Margareit

c. A cautionary example, a ‘warning’. 1549 Complaynte of Scotland 94/32.
The onfaithful cruel act … suld be mirrour and ane exempil til al Scotland 1573 Davidson Satirical Poems xli. 76.
It is ane mirrour manifest Of dule and dolour to be dred

d. A supreme example, the acme (of the trait or quality specified).(a) 1461 Liber Pluscardensis I. 383.
The mirroure of vertu and warldis glore c1515 Asloan MS I. 172/12.
Him self is the myrrour & example of velany 15.. Clariodus i. 1428; etc. 1549 Complaynte of Scotland 14/3.
Thy philosophour … maye be callit the mirrour of folye 1560 Rolland Seven Sages 4068. 1562-3 Winȝet II. 9/13.
Ȝour grace's excellence … is sik a mirrour of al godlines, constance and continence 1614 Mure Misc. P. vi. 6.
Loue's most machles mirrour(b) a1450 Fifteen Ois iii.
O Jesu, of cleynnes the merroure