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

Tar, Ter(r, n. Also: tarr(e, tare, tere, teir. [ME and e.m.E. ter (c1250), terr (Cursor M.), tarr (1355-6), tar (1573), OE teru, teoru.]

1. Tar; also, ? sometimes put for bitumen. Freq. in collocations with pik (see Pik n.¹ for further examples).For instances of bot (without) cot and tar, see Cot n.¹ (wool matted together in the fleece).(a) a1400 Leg. S. xlix 74.
Tha mad a caf, & put thar-in Bath pyk & tere, to ger it bryne 14.. Acts I 336/2.
Thai vse gilde merchandise … tappand wyne, walx, terr and sape 1460 Hay Alex. 767.
King Nicolas than brint as fyre in ter 1482–3 Acta Conc. II cxxiv.
A barell of ter, price xx s. 1494 Treas. Acc. I 252.
For ane rubbour to the ter xiiij d. a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 335.
Thou salbe brynt Wyth pik, fire, ter, gun puldre or lynt 1511 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III 107.
Ilk stane vij schillingis and that is ane gud price for Buchane woll considering the ter that is in it 1518 Edinb. B. Rec. I 180.
Pik, ter and all vther staple gudis cummand to the said port of Leith 1552 Soc. Ant. II 414.
I … sall nocht furnis ane venerable fader … of the said abbay with ony merchandis … except wyne teir irn salmund 1555–6 Edinb. Old Acc. I 189.
Ane quart of ter to the tre nalis ij s. 15… Balcarres P. MS V 73.
Tere 1661 Edinb. Test. LXX 112b.
Thrie tries of small tobacco … (ter being deduced) … Thrie barrell of cutt tobacco, the net or clean wecht quhairof (the ter being defalked) did extend to [etc.](b) 1428 Irons Leith I (App.) 541.
Of the lest of tarr, iiij d. 1507 Treas. Acc. III 298.
For iiij barrellis tar to the schip in Dunbertane 1529 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 10.
For creische and tar to the cart quhelis 1542 Treas. Acc. VIII 129.
xxx pair small quhelis for slangis … ourlaid witht tar 1542 Treas. Acc. VIII 131.
For the cariage of ane troche and ane pott to seithe the tar in c1552 Lynd. Mon. 1715.
With syment maid of pyk and tar, Thay vsit none vther mortar 1553–4 Edinb. B. Rec. II 345.
The calffotting of Sanct John's isle … with pik, tar, coffing hards, olie, collis, and warkmanschip tharof 1559 Rentale Dunkeld. (SHS) 357.
Tare a1570-86 Balnaves in Maitl. F. 357/51.
To tig with tar, syne get the war It is ewill merchandyce 1577 Douglas of Morton (App. B) 719.
[He leaves to Hector his son this year's crop of work for his bairn's part of goods] he findand tar to the scheip and irne for this yeir 1587 Carmichael Etym. 17.
Bitumen, tar 1632–3 Misc. Spald. C. V 103.
For tarre, to tarre the women's plaidis, 8 s. a1689 Cleland 13.
[Highlanders] they're smeared with tar, Which doth defend them heel and neck, Just as it doth their sheep protect 1689 Edinb. B. Rec. XII 22.
The ruber or barrel of tarr … to containe twentie eight pynts large 1691 Kirkcudbr. Test. (Reg. H.) 22 May.
Tare

2. attrib. a. With containers for tar. Also fig.Tar barrell, also used as a combustible material and, hence, as a type of something bright.(1) a1500 Colk. Sow i 233.
Schiphirdis schowit to schore And Fergy Flitsy ȝeid befoir … A ter stowp on his bak 1513 Treas. Acc. IV 514.
For the caryage of ane tar trouch and ane tar kettill to the castell furth of Leith 1534 Treas. Acc. VI 235.
For the lane of ane tar troch viij d. 1566–7 Treas. Acc. XII 406.
To ane man for fetching afeild and bearing haym of ane borrowit tar trough quhairin was tarrit the cransis 1644 Army of the Covenant I 33.
Tarre stoupes for the canon fortiefig. 1692 Presb. Eloq. (1693) 76.
The Bible will be my tar-bottle, for I will mark you with it(2) c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 106/12.
Quhen schou is claid in reche apparrall Schou blinkis als brycht as ane tar barrell 1514 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I 150.
All persouns haveand … pik or tar barrellis … lyand apoun the hiegaitt that thai be devoydit and tane away on Setterday at evin 1534–5 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 124.
For four ter barrellis to be mortar tubbis 1605 Dunferm. Hammermen 50.
For the furnishing her to get players on the play day, etc., and for tarr-barrels, ferns, etc. 1623–4 Peebles B. Rec. I 413.
For tua tere barrellis to burne in the Wainlaw 1698 Black Cal. Witchcraft 54/2.
[The bill of expenses for execution of a condemned witch included:] Twa pecks of colls … ane tarr barle — 1542 Edinb. B. Rec. II 111.
Thair tar barrell heidis [salbe] strikin vp

b. With objects marked, covered or smeared with tar. See also tarr reiking s.v. Reking n. 2 (1).Tar torch, tre, with reference to the combustible properties of tar. 1578 Mill Mediæv. Plays 278.
Thai passitt aboutt the toun on S Toberttis Ewin disagasatt in pyping and dansin and tar torchis bering 1595 Skipper's Acc. (Morton) 9b.
For making ane tar sall x s. 1609 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. II 46.
To deliuer him a tar claithe als sufficient as quhen he gat it 1633 Aberd. B. Rec. III 59.
That na wemen … resort to kirk or mercat with thair plaidis about thair heidis … [or] not onlie sall thair plaidis be shamfullie markit with a tar stik to thair disgrace, bot lyikwayis confiscat 1649 Black Sc. Witches 59/1.
For twa tare treis [for the burning of a witch] [40 s.]