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

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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. X).
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Sumtime(s, Sometime(s, adv. Also: swm-, summe-, som- and -tym(e, -tymme, -tym(e)s, -tymis, -eis, symtyme. [ME and e.m.E. some tyme, -time (both 1297), sume time (a1325), som tyme (Manning), somtymes (1526), sometymes (1548), sometimes (1577); Sum(e adj. and Tym(e n.¹]

1. At one time or another, from time to time, occasionally.(a) a1400 Leg. S. xxxvi 984.
In the meyne-tyme com kingis th[r]e, That Magos sum-tyme cal we ?1438 Alex. ii 3860.
Quhen swete vmbethinking … partes my hart in tua, And thyrlis sumtyme with thochtis thra 1507–8 Treas. Acc. IV 106.
To Rothsey herald, sumtyme callit Blewmantill 1533 Gau 38/10.
The halie writ alsua callis our lord Jesus Christ commonlie God and swm time callis Hyme oder wis 1540 Lynd. Sat. 865.
I am sa full of sapience That sumtyme I will tak a trance 1549 Compl. 58/21.
Sum tyme it [sc. a comet] hes aperit lyik tua gait buckis iustand contrar vthirs 1551 Hamilton Cat. 236.
For ane man maryit mony wyffes, and sumtyme a man haffand displesure at his wife wald geve to hir a libel of partising and put hir fra him a1561 Q. Kennedy Breif Tract. (ed.) 140/3.
Albeit the scriptouris speakis sumtyme be ane similitude, it argumentes nocht that it speakis euer be ane similitude 1562-3 Winȝet II 15/15. a1570-86 Maitl. F. 160/30.
Ane man of meikle speiche may sum tyme lie 1576 Orkney Oppress. 43.
The Laird with his companie wald remane quhill he wald dreink halff ane last of beir, and sumtyme mair c1650 P. Gordon Brit. Dist. 62.
The sunne in diuerse partes was seene to shine with a fant beame … and sometyme did show lyke a deipe and large pound or leacke of blood(b) a1500 Henr. Fab. 2324.
Sumtymis ane hen haldis ane man in ane kow 1494 Loutfut MS 11b.
Pourpre … sum tymis is put in armorie 1529 Lynd. Complaynt 89.
I bure thy grace vpon my bak, And, sumtymes, strydlingis on my nek 1531 Bell. Boece I xxxix.
In Clydisdail is ane riche mine of gold and asure … sum times ar won in it … stanis of variant hewis a1578 Pitsc. I 57/27.
He spake sumtymes raschlie that the realme was ewill gydit 1592 St. A. Kirk S. 732.
He sum tymes hantis in the parrochin of Kelso 1593 Acts IV 43/1.
Thevis … sumtymes disagysit … in lynning claithis or in fuillis garmentis 1596 Dalr. I 6/23.
This drinke … nocht only is keipet for ane ȝeir, or twa ȝeirs, bot evin for fyue ȝeirs, or sum tymes vii ȝeirs 1597 James VI Dæmonol. (STS) 37/8.
That these abusing spirites, ceases not sensine at sometimes to appeare, dailie experience teaches vs c1616 Hume Orthog. 27.
Sum tymes it [sc. the plural] is noated be changing a letter; as, a man, men a1633 Hope Major Pract. I 15.
Nota somtyms I find the parliament proclaimed be ane precept for proclaiming therof under the quarter seall a1633 Hope Major Pract. II 23.
Sometyms 1666 Laing MSS 349.
In things of this kynd which it may chanc you may somtyms mit with 1681 Lauder Notices Affairs I 289.
He was hypocondriak, and a melancholy idiot, and sometymes furious

b. In various correlative constructions.(1) 1513 Doug. i Prol. 348.
Sum tyme the text mon haue ane expositioun, Sum tyme the collour will caus a litill additioun 1529 Lynd. Complaynt 495.
God hes haill at His command … Sum tyme of lauid men to mak lordis, And, sum tyme, lordis to bynd in cordis 1531 Bell. Boece (M) I 96.
Goddis … gaif the impire of erd … sum tyme to the Assirianis … and sum tyme to the Grekis, bot now instantlye to the Romanis 1535 Stewart 10694, 10695.
Sumtyme on hors thair gyding till assay, Sumtyme with bowmen for to mak ane bikker c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 904.
He … Sum tyme sat vp, and sumtyme turnit c1550-c1580 Art of Music 25a.
In proporcionis the mesur is to be strikin sumtym be the semebrew, and sumtym be the mynnym a1585 Maitl. Q. 2/31.
Sumtyme thay will beir vp their goun To schaw thair wylicot hingand doun, And sumtyme bayth thay will vp beir To schaw thair hois of blak or broun 1590-1 R. Bruce Serm. 7.
Somtime they tooke it for the hail actioun, … somtime they tooke it, not for the hail actioun(b) a1561 Q. Kennedy Breif Tract. (ed.) 136/27, 28.
Sume tymes ve resaue the bodye of the Lord spiritualye … , sum tymes boith spiritualye and reallye 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 64.
Thai began to bait the fyre, sometymes to his buttokes, sometymes to his leiges c1575 Balfour Pract. 517.
Assythment … sould be modifyit be the judge, sumtimes mair, sumtimes les, efter the state of the crime [etc.] a1578 Pitsc. I 386/4.
Sumtymeis c1641–54 J. Gordon in Macfarlane's Geog. Coll. II 510.
I do find a common myle of our countrey to hold of ellns sixteen hundreth, sumtyms they ar longer, somtyms they ar shorter 1650 Maxwell Mem. I 354.
Charmes wer given somtymes in meall, … sometymes in broathe a1699 Skene Agric. MS (ed.) 69.
Some tymis ky payis a full kean to their maister sometymes half a kean as they be nucle or forrow(2) 1551 Hamilton Cat. 101.
In the law of Moyses the punitioun of theiffis was restitution, sumtime of twyis als mekil, sum tymes of four tymes als mekle, sumtime v tymes as mekil, as was stowin 1597 Skene Verb. S. (1599) s.v. Serplaith.
Ane last of rye is some-time auchtene bolles and sometimes nineteene bolles in measure(3) 1661 Black Sc. Witches 43.
Schoe wawered in her ansr., some time saying he did blood at the nose and vtherwhilles swore that schoe kend nothing of it(b) 1629 Justiciary Cases I 132.
Being deludit be the devill thay beleave that thay sie sumtymes knawin and uther tymes unknawin persones

2. At a certain time, or on a particular occasion, in the past; once.(a) 1419 Wemyss Chart. 44.
We sum tyme bygane warre present in a consale amang vthyr prelatys, erlys, and baronys a1500 Henr. Fab. 64.
Ane cok sum tyme with feddram fresch and gay … Fleu furth [etc.] 1533 Boece 351b.
Florence, sum tyme euertit be fellony of barbaris, throw beneuolence of French men 1568 Lyndesay Pref. (STS) 397.
It cummis to my memorie ane prettie trik, quhilk sumtyme I haue hard reportit of him 1675 Cunningham Diary 5.
Sometime this winter I promised to my Uncle's William's wife … to bear half and half … of her son's boarding(b) 1572 Bann. Memor. 254.
That ones againe your voice mycht be hard amonges vs, and that thing reformed whilk sumtymes be you, vnder God, amonges vs was planted

b. In former times, formerly.(a) c1420 Wynt. i 1374.
Off langagis in Bretayne sere I fynd that sum tym fyff thare were c1420 Wynt. vi 1168.
As thow art now, I wes a man Sum tyme 14… Edinb. Univ. MS La.ii.318.
That toby wif … That had sumtym vii husbandis 1533 Bell. Livy I 167/5.
He ansuerit that he was sum tyme ane man of armes in the Sabyne weris a1538 Abell xvia.
King Arthuris body wes tane up at Glassinberrie … betuix twa pilleris sumtyme ane kirk 1535 Stewart 24903.
His lauchfull wyfe, sum tyme to him so deir a1570-86 Maitland in Maitl. F. 41/17.
Sum tyme the preistis thocht that thai did weill Quhone that thai [etc.] 1596 Dalr. I 4/18.
Cathnesse (quhilke sumtyme was called Carnau) 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. ii 86 (Table).
Libertines are they quha sometime were bondmen and now are frie 1633 Rutherford Lett. (1894) 88.
The visage of our Nazarites, sometime whiter than snow, is now become blacker than a coal 1672 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. MS 27 Nov.
To pay to Grissell Whythead sometyme ther servand fourtie aucht shilling(b) 1574 Dunferm. B. Rec. II 7.
Johne Westwatter allegit notar sumtyme ane of the munkis of Culros(c) ?1438 Alex. i 850.
Men war wont sum tymes heir to cheis me with the best to be c1641–54 J. Gordon in Macfarlane's Geog. Coll. II 510.
Ane old castell, sumtyms the residence of sum of the old kings 1650 Lamont Diary 18.
Mr. Robert Makgill sometymes ane aduocat bot now a lord of the session, leatlie chosen 1650 Lamont Diary 18.
Jhone Spotswoode, sometymes young Lairde of Darsie 1655 Blairs P. 87.
Lady Hadingtoune (summetymes Catholik)

c. quasi-adj. Former; deceased, (the) late. Cf. Umquhile adj.(a) 1379–80 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 2.
Till an michty lorde Thomas Stywarde som tyme Erle of Angous 1437 Reg. Panmure II 230.
A duoghter, the quhilk was marit witht Waltir Steuart knicht, Erl of Athol, sumtym 1450 Smit Bronnen I 880.
A kyste, perteninge to sumtyme Robert of Levingstonne 1454–5 Soc. Ant. Chart. (Reg. H.) No. 7.
The said Mergarete was nerast & lachful ayre to sumtyme the said Henry hir fadyr 1478 Acta Aud. 71/1.
Isabell Lady Kennedy and sum tyme Lady Glammys 1485 Liber Coll. Glasg. 196.
Sumtymme 1530 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 107.
Robin Hog sone and air to James Hog, sumtyme burges in Selkyrk 1542 Acts II 413/2.
Ane nobill and mychty man Andro sumtyme lord Avindale 1561–2 Dumfr. & Galloway Soc. XXXV 111.
Jon Rawlyng present for his interest as sometyme souerte to that effect 1568 Hosack Mary Q. of Scots I 523.
The said quenis inordinat affectioun borne to James sumtyme Erle Boithuile a1605 Montg. Sonn. iv 9.
Hou in short space that som tym peirles place Before my face in furious flammis did burne 1597–8 Crim. Trials II 34.
Johnne Wynȝettis, sumtyme kater to his Maiestie 1628 Justiciary Cases I 95.
George Sinclair sumtyme reidar at the kirk of Baith 1632 Cullen B. Ct. 10 Feb.
Merge Donald his relict and sumtyme spous 1688 Edinb. Test. LXXVIII 20.
Robert Bartoun, somtyme keipper of the coble of Cramond(b) 1632 Lithgow Trav. ii 70.
Sparta, where that sometimes famous citty of Lacedemon flourished

3. At some future time; sometime. Also (once), with (partial) specification of the time in question.(1) a1500 Henr. Fab. 1596.
Be this fabill ȝe lordis of prudence May considder … to remit sumtyme ane grit offence c1500-c1512 Dunb. (STS) xv 42.
Suppois the servand be lang vnquit The lord sumtyme rewaird will it 1513 Doug. iv Prol. 180 (Ruddim.).
God grant sum time ȝe turne ȝou to pennance 1533 Boece 33b.
The Grekis seing thare chiftane sa weill cherist, thai belevit him to be sa hie in consate of the king that sum tyme in Egipt thai mycht haue habitacioun c1600 Montg. Suppl. vii 36.
Bot sumtyme ȝe wald pitie my distres(2) 1695 Annandale Corr. 103.
I am to be called to speak with him sometime the morou

4. Of duration of time in the past: For some time, for a while. a1538 Abell 51a.
He come to Restanot & remanit sum tyme thare 1560 Rolland Seven S. 8947.
Howbeit sum time scho stude not all content a1586 Maitland Ho. Seytoun v.
This Balioll … efter quhais deprauatioun and expultioun the realme was gouernit sumtyme be William Wallace