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

About this entry:
First published 1971 (DOST Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

North cuntré, n. Also: northe, northt and contrie, cuntrie, cwntra, c(o)untrey. [ME. norþ contreie (1297), north cuntre (1338), norre contre (1458), e.m.E. north countrie, etc., the northern part of a country, esp. of England.] The north or north-east of Scotland, = North n. 3 b, Northland n., Norland n. Also plur. in same sense. b. Attrib. with -man, -gentleman. 1375 Barb. ix. 302.
The King than till his pes has tane The north cuntre (E. cuntreys] c1420 Wynt. viii. 4406.
How in the north cwntra [C. northe cuntre] ay The Erle Dawy wes sterand a1578 Pitsc. I. 352/16.
The King … had dantonitt the northt cuntrie and the yillis thairof Ib. II. 177 n.²
The boll of meill … gave in the north cuntrie four poundis the best chaip 1596 Crim. Trials I. ii. 363.
The troublit estate of the north cuntreyb. 1607 Craufurd Edinb. Univ. 28.
Mr. William King son to an north countrey gentleman 1666-7 Blakhall Narr. 148.
For he is a north contrie man and hath not gone in theise shippes which wer going to the north, to wit to Aberdeine and Dundye 1670 Glasgow Weavers 83.
A north cuntrie man