thorter, adv., prep., a., n. Sc.
(ˈθɔːtə(r), Sc. ˈθortər)
Forms: 5 thwortour, thuortour, thourtour, 5–6 thortour, 6 -oure, -yr, -ir, -ar, (thortwart), 7 thorture, 6– thorter.
[In early forms thwortour, thuortour, thortour, Sc. forms of thwartover: cf. Sc. a-thort = a-thwart. The second element has been so weakened as to appear a mere suffix, as in easter, wester, etc. Thortwart is a deformation.]
† A. adv. Athwart, across, crosswise. Obs. rare.
| c 1470 Henry Wallace v. 1110 Feill off thaim dede fell thwortour in [= into] in fyr. |
B. prep. Athwart, across, overthwart.
| 1533 Bellenden Livy i. vi. (S.T.S.) I. 39 Incontinent þe buschment foresaid come thortoure þare gate. 1609 Sc. Acts Jas. VI (1816) IV. 443/2 Landis..beginnand at þe watter of Tarress..To rowaneburne and thorter Ingreis ȝeattis by the fute of magilwod. 1897 E. W. Hamilton Outlaws xviii. 209 You daurna show your face thorter the water. |
C. adj. Crossing, lying athwart, transverse.
thorter land, land lying across or beyond a certain area, outer land;
thorter way, a cross-way; so
thorter lane,
thorter road, etc.
| c 1470 Henry Wallace iv. 540 A cleuch thar was, quharoff a strenth thai maid With thuortour treis. Ibid. ix. 1632 A thourtour bande, that all the drawcht wpbar, He cuttyt it. c 1475 Rauf Coilȝear 569 In ane thourtour way, Seir gaitis pas thay,..Thus partit thay twa. 1533 Bellenden Livy ii. xvi. (S.T.S.) I. 194 Sic thingis done, he past fordwart with thortoure passage in [= into] þe latyne way. 1535 Aberd. Reg. XV. (Jam.), To remoif, red, & flit out of the said inland thortyrland, yard, & forentres. 1580 Burgh Rec. Edinb. (1882) IV. 185 To caus mak sufficient thorter barris of irne, and infix thaim in the window of the mid hous. 1814 North Antiq. 404 (Jam.) To look through an elf-bore in wood, where a thorter-knot..has been taken out. Mod. Forming part of local names: there is in Dundee a ‘Thorter Row’, which ‘crosses’ between the Nethergate and Overgate; in Hawick ‘Thorter Dykes’, beyond the Loan-head, etc. |
† b. Coming athwart; obstructing, opposing.
| 1533 Bellenden Livy i. v. (S.T.S.) I. 35 The sabyne ladyis..be preiss of þair thortwart cuming devidit & put sindry þe armit oistis. 1536 ― Cron. Scot. iii. iv. (1541) 27/1 Sa agill of thair bodyis, that thay may dant all thortour and difficill gatis. |
† D. n. Opposition, obstruction, resistance.
| 1581 J. Melvill Diary (Wodrow Soc.) 124 The thrid thortar and debat quhilk he haid was with the provist, bailyies, and counsall..about their ministerie. 1598 Ibid. 532 Anent quhatsoevir the thorteris and accidentis fallin out. |
Hence
ˈthorter v. trans. and intr., to cross the path or way of; to thwart or oppose (a person); hence
ˈthortering vbl. n., thwarting, resisting;
† ˈthortersome a., tending to thwart, obstructive.
| 1608 Jas. VI Let. in Calderwood Hist. Ch. Scot. (1678) 581 Their willingness..hath been ever *thortered and impeded by too many..Advocations. 1671 M. Bruce Gd. News in Evil Times (1708) 46 There is much Thortering with, and Murdering of Light in Scotland now, but Thortering of Light shall be the drearysomest Sin that ever Scotland had. 1890 J. Service Thir Notandums xiv. 101 They [witches] made wee maiks oot o' clay..of them that had thortered them, stappin' the maiks fu o' preens. |
| 1606 W. Birnie Kirk-Buriall (1833) 30 The passage so impeshed with *thortersome throughes. |