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

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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Som(m)er, Sum(m)er, Sumptar, Symmer, n. Also: somir, swmmer, summyr(e, sumpter, -ur, sympter, sumter, symmar, simmer. [ME and e.m.E. somer (1324), sumer (1398-9), sommer (1404), summer(e (c1470), also sumpter (1320), sompter- (1392-3), sometour (c1420), somptur- (15th c.) OF sumer, somier, sommier (1080, c1155 and 1273 in Larousse), also sometier (1306 in Greimas), late L. sagmarius, pop. L. *sagmatarius a pack-horse, f. sagma a pack-saddle (cf. Soum n.³).]

1. A pack-horse. Also, ? coll. sing. 1375 Barb. xix 746.
[They] tynt bot litill of thar ger, Bot gif it war ony swmmer That in the mos wes left liand 1530 Balmerino and L. Chart. ii 33.
Twa summeris with twa sadills & all wder graith ganand for tham 15.. Clar. v 611.
He sent thrie sommeris chargit richliecoll. sing. c1475 Wall. iv 53.
The hors thai tuk … Laid on thar sowme … Thar tyryt sowmir so left thai in to playne

b. attrib.(1) 1685 Soc. Ant. LVIII 357.
2 sumpter chists with a sadle belonging therto 1685 Soc. Ant. LVIII 357.
In the sadlehous … A pair of hachamis belonging to the sumpter chest(b) 1663–6 Household Bks. Archb. Sharp 19b.
For a cairt to Leith with the sympter chistis(2) 1640 Bk. Carlaverock II 502.
A sumter clote(3) 1503 Treas. Acc. II 375.
To by him ane somir nag 1639 Pittenweem Ann. 30.
Thomas Lyall is ordained to goe with ane sumptar horse for careing of vivars in case of necessitie(4) 1526 Treas. Acc. V 295 (see Sommer-man n.). 1695 Edinb. Test. LXXX 136b.
Three sumpter sadles worth [£7 4 s. 3 d.] sumpter trunks worth [£18](5) 1691 Brechin Test. VIII 41b.
Tuo sumptur trunks with strong leather for carrieing them 1695 Edinb. Test. LXXX 136b (see 4 above).

2. a. The, or a, main beam in a structure. b. The central beam in the drying-floor of a kiln.For the sense-development from 1 to 2, cf. OED Horse n. I and II.a. 1375 Barb. xvii 696.
The stane … hyt the sow in sic maner, That it that wes the mast summer And starkast for till stynt a strak, In-swndir with that dusche he brak(b) 1533 Crim. Trials I i 163.
[In breaking their] dooks [and fishing in the water of Dee, under silence of night, and destruction of the] symmeris [and] hekkis [thereof] 1616 Aberd. B. Rec. II 338.
Twa pilleris and thrie bowis fynelie wrocht with chapture heidis at the beginning of the symmeris of the pendisb. 1462 Peebles B. Rec. I 148.
The sayd Dic Bulle sal gef a aktre tyll be a summer tyl the kyll 1623 Prot. Bk. J. Scott MS Loose leaf.
The litle kill is sufficientlie timberit and the meikle kill is onlie with the bear someris(b) c1650 Spalding I 53.
The symmaris of this kill wes first overcoverit with dovetis and syne weill coverit with stray 1662 Lamont Diary 143.
The whole roofe and symmers of the said kill were consumed 1680 Stirling Common Good 142.
For drawing of a great trie from the shoar to the bridge kill to be tuo simmers