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

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First published 1983 (DOST Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Out of, prep. Also: oute, outt, owt(e, owtte, owit, outhe, ut, and off, (toff). [ME. out(e, ut of, e.m.E. out of, freq. comb. of Out adv. and Of prep.] Out of, from.

1. From within (something which contains or encloses).Also out of court and with duplication of out.(1) 1375 Barb. xvi. 166 (E).
The red blud out off mony a wound Ruschyt a1400 Leg. S. x. 388.
Uithe that the Kinge … Owte of the kyrk went in gret ire c1420 Wynt. iv. 2361.
He than in affray Stert owte off his bed wytht that Ib. vi. 1984.
Bot prewaly owt off the thrang Wyth slycht he gat 14.. Burgh Laws c. 41 (A).
Gif fyr passis out of ony hous [etc.] c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxvi. 68 (M).
Syne Swernes … Com lyk ane sow owt off a midding 1589 Reg. Privy C. IV. 821.
A rowpe … by the which he conveyed himselve owt of a wyndow a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 1233.
Out of the peit pot in on the myre 1602 Dundonald Par. Rec. 20.
Away false lown owt of the kirkyaird a1658 Durham Comm. Rev. 48.
Devils will not winn out of the pit till He open the door(2) 1448 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 17.
John Voket … avisetly oute of courte yheide to the merkate cors 1452 Melville Chart. 36.
Than the saide Scher Andro removit out of curt(3) c1420 Wynt. iv. 2082.
Apon the burde owte off thare breyde Thare brystyd owt the blud all rede 1533 Boece xi. ii. 403 b.
Out of the side of ane litil knowe … blude bryst oute(4) 1487 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III. 102.
To freth … the landis … out of the handis of James of Panton

b. From (the air or sky). c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 441 (C).
One herne out of the ayer fleand 1456 Hay I. 43/23.
With the thonder that fell sudaynly out of the hevin a1578 Pitsc. II. 81/5.
So great ane clude of raine out of the heavnis

c. Without notion of containing or enclosing: From. a1500 Henr. Fab. 852 (Ch.).
Out of his breiste ane bill sone can he braid c 1614 Laing MSS. 139.
To taik skellis owt of Oncies heid 1642 Aberd. B. Rec. III. 286.
Convict for taking ane helter out of Wm. Anderson hors heid

2. Indicating departure or expulsion from (a place).Also fra out of and of out of (for which see Of prep. 29 b) and with duplication of out.(1) 1375 Barb. IV. 521 (E).
How we are owt off ourcuntre Banyst Ib. x. 617, xvii. 427, etc. a1400 Leg. S. x. 198.
Quhen men wes castine owte Of it [Paradise] & lewit in to dowte 1388 Douglas Chart. 32.
So sal nocht be removyt ovt toff na innys na ezis that so had befor 1393 Chart. T. Dunbar.
Al vthir thingis that gais be schipe owte of wre hafinis c1420 Wynt. ii. 1020 (W) (see Cum v. 1 (b) (b)) vii. 781 (see Flit v. 1), etc. c1450-2 Howlat 150.
All the statis of the kirk out of steid steris 1456 Hay I. 55/26. c1475 Wall. ix. 1858. a1508 Kynd Kittok 29.
And out of hevin the hie gait cowth the wyfe gang 1539 Misc. Hist. Soc. X. 30.
Gevin to Wille Bell out of Melros to Falkland with wyld mete a1578 Pitsc. II. 210/35.
Ovtt of 1579 Misc. Spald. C. II. 51.
Owit of 1596 Dalr. I. 283/3. 1604 Breadalbane Lett. 24 June.
Eftir my hame cuming out of the lawland 1641 Falkirk Baron Ct. 18 Feb.
That he sould transport himselff outhe of the burgh(2) a1400 Leg. S. ii. 400.
Fra owt of Grece com mony men To Rowme(3) c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 2397.
How Acastrus … put out Peleus, His granschir, out of Thesaly

b. transf. 14.. Edinb. Univ. MS. La.ii.318.
That puttis Gode out of thare thocht 1490 Irland Mir. I. 40/2.
The licht of the haly spreit … puttis away all … myrknes out of oure consciens c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 277.
Draw thé out of sicht 1535 Stewart 48817, 48821.
[He] for to put out of rememberance Quha biggit it … Baith write and image … Hes gart distroy and put all out of ken 1562-3 Winȝet I. 12/2.

3. Indicating a thing, place or literary source from which something is removed, dispatched or derived.For further examples see Have v.¹ 4.(1) c1475 Wall. iv. 507.
Out off wyndowis stanssouris all thai drew 1490 Acta Conc. I. 129/1.
Twa chalder of mele … out of a boce, thre chalder of mele out of his girnale c1500-c1512 Dunb. xl. 26.
Off wyne owt of ane choppyne stowp They drank twa quartis 1587-99 Hume 32/209.
The salmon out of cruifs and creils Up hailed into skowts(2) a1400 Leg. S. v. 310.
Tharto the maste part … gert remow all Ovt of the tempil gret and smal c1420 Wynt. v. 2069.
Owt off hys cowrt he send a knycht 1471 Acta Aud. 12/1.
The spoliacion of twa kye and ane ox out of the landis of Brounside c1475 Wall. ii. 140.
Out off the garth be fors thai haff him born 1493–4 Crim. Trials I. i. 98.
For the refe of certane halkis out of Dundranane 1560 Rentale Dunkeld. (S.H.S.) 357.
Quhan tha lakit furnesing ut of the place of Dunkeld 1561 Inverness Rec. I. 62.
The said Johne Merschell … tuk our commone fyrlat out of ane Orkna boyt quhar it wes consignit 1632 Linlithgow B. Rec. 20 Jan.
Lenning the samein [peck measures] owt of the towne 1643 Lanark Presb. 33.
Books borrowed out of their liberarie 1697 Foulis Acc. Bk. 212.
To a wife at Colingtoune for putting the stanes out of the gate(3) a1400 Leg. S. v. 184.
The fyrste skil to preve it He tuk vt of haly vryte c1515 Asl. MS. I. 245 h.
Ane tractat drawin owt of the Scottis cronikle 1561 Q. Kennedy Compendious Ressonyng (ed.) 167/31.
Chrisostome, oute of quhais wordis mony notable lessouns may be collectit 1590-1 R. Bruce Serm. 74.
Instead thereof they select and pyks out of his institution four or five words c1600 Montg. Suppl. xxx. 15.

4. a. Indicating the collective body from which some particular is drawn.See also Levy v. 1 for further examples. 1492 Acta Conc. I. 252/1.
To deliuer to thaim four sekkis of woll & xiiij stane out of a last a1568 Bann. MS. p. 41/76.
Quhen thow wald beg ane hour owt of ane ȝeir 1524–5 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 75.
And ȝour waich to vaik four men out of the town and anes in the woik 1640 Aberd. B. Rec. III. 233.
The magistrattis of this burghe to furnishe out of oure toune ane of the companyes of the said regiment 1668 Lauder Jrnl. 190.
That the wery stones and beams ut of the wall shall exclaime against them

b. Indicating the fund from which a payment is provided. 1590 Fraser P. 153.
It is the dayle custum that ane may gif anuell out of his landis 1642 Orkney Rentals iii. 15.
The minister of Saint Olla hes payit him out off the bishopric thrie last off victuall and thrie hundred merks off money yeirlie c1650 Spalding II. 19.
He and his doeris … had receavit no more out of Abirdein bot 9000 merkis of fynes 1653 Argyll Synod II. 62.
That at lest a dolour may be had for his use out of everie kirk box 1680 Rothesay Par. Rec. 53.
The said Mr. Duncan to gett 4 of the 5 s. of the merks land payable out of the landward 1682 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. MS. 26 June.
Rent due be him out of the said mill houses and yaird

c. Indicating the thing out of which something else is made or fashioned.Also to mak sens out of. c1552 Lynd. Mon. 2302.
Imageis maid with mennis hand … Sanct Duthow, boird out of ane bloke 1682 Cochran-Patrick Coinage II. 198.
A pound out of ane English six pence comes out eleven deniers two graines and a half 1666 Laing MSS. I. 354.
To maik sens out of my skriblen

5. Indicating origin or direction of origin, source or agency, instrumentality or means.Out of one's hands, by one's agency or means, from one.(1) c1420 Wynt. i. 129.
Out of that welle cummys fludis foure Ib. viii. 4373. a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 676.
Freschly thai fure as fyre out of flynt Ib. 978. c1475 Wall. vii. 643.
And mony off thaim was out off Irland brocht a1500 K. Hart 56.
Out of quhat airt that ever the wyndis blew c1500-c1512 Dunb. liii. 2.
He was new cum owt of France —1535 Stewart 53018 (see Grow v.¹ 3 b).(2) 1562-3 Winȝet I. 6/23.
He … sall require the blude out of ȝour handis 1594 Misc. Spald. C. II. 125.
Vnto sic tyme as he gat ane mischiefe out of your handis

b. Connecting two nouns, the first of which has the second as its place of origin. ?1438 Alex. ii. 170.
My neuoyis tua out of Effesoun c1450-2 Howlat 795 (A).
A bard owt of Irland with banachadee c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxv. 55.
To drynk with ws … Fresche fragrant clairettis out of France Of Angers and of Orliance

c. Indicating the source from which speech or information comes. a1500 Seven S. 2545.
Ane word to speike owt of my hed 1600 Prestwick B. Rec. 84.
Johne Mertene canceller chosin for him self and out of the mouthe of the haill inquest 1620 Ritchie Ch. S. Baldred 186.
Intimation maid out of pulpite to the peple c 1630 Macfarlane's Geog. Coll. II. 151.
It was out of all men and woemen that was dwelling of ancient in that toune but that the saids fishes [etc.]

6. Of translation from one language or medium into (in) another. 1456 Hay II. 74/19.
Ane othir grete clerk callit Philippus translatit it out of Arabyk in lang Latin c1460 Alex. (Taym.) 281 b.
This great storie … Was neuir befoir translaittit … out of the Frensche leid a1500 Henr. Orph. 42 (Ch. & M.). 1560 Rolland Seven S. Schort Schawing h.
At quhais requeist this buik was translatit out of prois in Scottis meter 1622-6 Bisset I. 10/8.

7. Indicating privation or separation, in material and non-material senses. 1375 Barb. vi. 650.
His fostir brothir eftir soyn The fift has out of dawis doyn Ib. 652.
And quhen the Kyng saw that all fiff War … broucht out of lif Ib. xviii. 156. 1461 Liber Plusc. 336. c1500-c1512 Dunb. xiii. 33 (B).
Sum is put owt of his possessioun 1555–6 Edinb. Old Acc. II. 60.
Quhilk he forȝet out of this present compt throu negligence 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 53.
In all directionis to put the King out of his estait 1569 Cal. Sc. P. III. 16.
Thair is sum lynis [pr. lyins] cuttit out off thame [sc. the letters] 1637 Rutherford Lett. (1891) 511.
The devil hath … bought us out of our kindly heritage 1666-74 Fraser Polichron. 157.
For that name [sc. Simon] was almost worn out of the famely

8. Of position. a. Not within, beyond the confines of, outside. b. At a distance from, away from. 14.. Burgh Laws c. 7 (B).
A burges sal nocht mute oute of burgh Ib. c. 10.
And he hafe bene in that ilk kynryke and of elde and oute of prysoune c1420 Ratis R. 1511.
God sall … thé out of his hous defend 14.. Statut. Sc. Ch. 6.
Cursit be thai syttand, standand [etc.] … in hows and owt of hows a1540 Freiris Berw. 49 (B).
To luge owt of the toun 15.. Clar. iii. 774.
Hir bricht hairis wyde wavelling out of lace a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 352.
Be his fute wes out of the stirrop 1614 Crim. Trials III. 298.
That his fader wes in missing and oute of the castell of Dunbartane 1650 Glasgow Wrights Acts 12.
All seruandis bot speciallie these that ar prenteise out of toune 1674 Cochran-Patrick Coinage II. 164.
The saids commissioners faund the said haill lignett to be of the fynnes of eleven deneirs and half a graine out of the fyre

c. In various transf. and fig. applications.(1) 1456 Hay II. 109/19.
Kepe thé … out of the handis of a medicinaire 1492 Misc. Bann. C. II. 139.
That … thow may kepe thé out of the nettis & gyronys of … adultre(2) 1460–88 Facs. Nat. MSS. II. 61.
The King traistis it is nocht owt of his mynde how that [etc.] 1513 Doug. iv. x. 12.
Quhar … All irksum laubour forȝet and owt of hart Ib. x. x. 129 (Ruddim.).(3) a1500 Seven S. 1581.
My hart is haile out of my brest(4) c1590 Fowler II. 37/18. Ib. /9.
If thair is na saluatioun out of the Catholik Kirk [etc.]

9. From or not in (a situation, condition or physical state).See also Lif(e. n. 1 c. (5).(1) 1375 Barb. i. 352.
[To] wyn … his men out of all thryllage Ib. ii. 283.
Sen thai come owt off trawelling a1400 Leg. S. xii. 475.
Ovte of this lyf that I may twyne 1456 Hay I. 104/5.
Thame that ar out of the faith of Jhesu Crist c1475 Wall. xi. 619.
Thai grippyt him … Than out off slepe he braid a1500 Rauf C. 378.
I spak not out of ressoun a1500 Bk. Chess 1764.
Thir folk suld kepe thaim out of glotony c1500-c1512 Dunb. xlviii. 13. 1513 Doug. xiii. iii. 136.
That thou was degenerit owt of kynd Ib. ix. Prol. 70. 1515 Douglas Corr. 318.
To bryng [them] owt of the kepping of suspeccioun 1528 Aberd. B. Rec. in Mill Mediæv. Plays 142.
Thair abbatis out of ressoun 15.. Clar. iii. 1532.
Still he lay [there] deid as out of lyfe a1568 Scott xxxv. 28.
Owt of ken 1566 Inverness Rec. I. 139.
To depairt out of ward 1620 Dumbarton B. Rec. App. 3.
Becaus sche was out of service(2) 1584 Misc. Bann. C. I. 119.
I was altogether out of credit and was brocht in malgrace of the courteours(3) 1375 Barb. xix. 709 (E).
Quhill we be out off thar daunger(4) c1568 Lauder Minor P. iv. 14.
Thoucht thow be weked I put thé out of dout 1572 Buch. Detect. (1727) 142.
He rejoysis and is out of dout 1687 Shields Hind Let Loose (1797) 104.
Out of doors and out of doubt(5) c1650 Spalding II. 3.
Both Aberdeines wes blyth to be quyte of him, being troublesom out of drink(6) 1456 Hay I. 192/1.
Out of my presence 1581 Prot. Bk. W. Cumming MS. 272.
Out of the presens of hir husband(7) c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyt. 154.
In till ane glen thow hes owt of repair Ane laithly luge(8) 1644 Cochran-Patrick Coinage II. 126.
Manie [commodities] ar altogether out of request(9) 1670–87 J. Fraser in Sel. Biog. II. 350.
And we, being out of the road of field-meetings, could never fall into it again(10) 1561–2 Reg. Privy C. I. 200.
That in the spring of the yeir callit Lentryne all kyndis of flesche … growis out of seasoun(11) c1475 Wall. vi. 627.
Full law thai crap quhill thai war out off sicht a1585 Polwart Flyt. 816 (T).
Pudding wricht out of sicht thowse be dicht lyk a draik 1627 E. Melville in Sel. Biog. I. 352.
Out of sicht out of thocht 1649 Ruthven Corr. 114.
Out of sight out of langer 1650 Maxwell Mem. I. 358.
Bidding them keepe themselfes therafter out of the sight of ill neighboris(12) 1571 Sat. P. xxix. 10.
And all things to misrewlit be, owte of all tyme and tyde

b. Out of (one's) (richt) mind, resoun, wit (wittis): see these nouns.

c. Forming adverbial phrases expressing disorder or malfunction. a1400 Leg. S. v. 485.
Thi bow … suld hafe bene sone out of pyth To schot ony takil vith ?1438 Alex. ii. 3056.
Thay will … gar vs ishe out of array c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyt. 170.
Thy pure pynit thrott pelit and owt of ply 1513 Doug. ix. Prol. 70.
Quhar ocht is bad, gays mys or owt of gre 1571 Sat. P. xxix. 15.
All is owtte of tone 1576 Orkney Oppress. 48.
For feir thairoff thai slew thair haill swyne quhen thai war out of ply 1579, 1617 Despauter (1579).
Anormis, out of reule 1590-1 R. Bruce Serm. 374.
Men may work and work out of frame and … men [may] labour diligently and out of order 1638 Henderson Serm. 514.
When ane army is marching and some begins to lie behind [etc.] … they will soon go out of order 1674 Cunningham Diary 3.
And because the houses are out of case [etc.]

d. In other adverbial or adjectival phrases.Out of dout, drede, question, were, without doubt, doubtless. Out of hand: see Hand n. 4 f,  also, ? without hesitation. Out of mesure, immeasurably; out of nummer, innumerable. Out of ressoun, ? without good reason.(1) c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 2089.
[He] bad hir trow it out of dreide a1500 Rauf C. 228.
‘Out of weir,’ said the King, ‘I wayndit neuer to tell’ 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 376.
Bot out of dout na fische in water heiris 1590-1 R. Bruce Serm. 59.
Out of question ye sall soone come to the understanding of it a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xxxiv. 50.
For out of doubt about vs ar aneu Quha deadly hatred haith(2) 1596 Dalr. I. 123/13.
Slay out of hand a swyne that eites the corne(3) 1375 Barb. i. 570.
He was angry out of mesur Ib. x. 454 (E).
That owt off [C. out-our] mesure ded gane dreid c1500-c1512 Dunb. xiv. 2.
How that this realme with nobillis owt of nummer … provydit … hes bene(4) a1500 Rauf C. 378.
I spak not out of ressoun