Only Sc. exc. in Ormin. Forms: 3 (Orm.) burrȝhess tun, 4 burwis toun, 5–8 borrows-town, 6 buroustoun, borous-, borroustoun, burrowistown, 9 burrows-town (cf. proper name Borrowston-ness or Bo’ness). = BOROUGH-TOWN. Also attrib.

1

c. 1200.  Ormin, 6538. Þatt illke burrȝhess tun þatt Crist wass borenn inne.

2

c. 1325.  Metr. Hom., 107. Burwis tounes war tharinne.

3

c. 1450.  Henryson, Twa Mice. The elder dwelt in borrows town.

4

1548.  Compl. Scot., 87. Ȝour feildis, villagis and buroustounis.

5

a. 1649.  Sc. Acts Charles I. (1814), VI. 142 (Jam.). Borrowstoun kirks being alwayes excepted.

6

1724.  Ramsay, Tea-T. Misc. (1733), I. 92. The brawest beau in borrows-town.

7

1816.  Scott, Antiq., xxvi. ‘Ou ay, hinny—thae’s your landward and burrows-town notions.’

8