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

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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XI).
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Twa, Tua, num. Also: tway(e, twae, twai, twe(y, two(e, twy, tw, tuay(e, tuaie, tuae, tue(y, tuo(e, tu, thua(y, thwa, thowa, tow(e, too, tou, ta. [ME and e.m.E. twa, to (both 1154), twæȝe (c1175), two (c1200), twey (c1275), tua(i, tuay, tuo (all Cursor M.), tow (14th c.), too (c1400), thow (1422), towe (1536), OE twá, tú, MDu. twee, MLG twô, twu, twê.] The cardinal number two. Also denoted by 2 or ii.

A. adj. 1. Qualifying a noun. Also in post-position in verse.(1) 1375 Barb. iii 93.
Twa brethir … That war the hardiest off hand 1386 Rot. Sc. II 85/2.
The space of twa myle 1405 Lennox Mun. 57.
Twelf penys of syluyr, … to be payd as male at twa termys of the yheir 1441 Aberd. B. Rec. I 7.
Twa men of gude cunnyng and knawlage [to be] masteres of the commoune werk a1500 Seven S. 829.
Thar duelt twa knychtis nere hand the tovne c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 270.
Twa husbandis haif I had, thai held me baith deir c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 110.
Twa men of weir wer hir beforne, Quhilk wer richt cruell men and kene 1560 Rolland Seven S. 330.
In cunning he salbe within twa ȝeir That he sall haue na peregall nor peir 1587 Carmichael Etym. 33.
Gemini, twa twins 1602 Shetland Sheriff Ct. (ed.) 63.
Twa leispund spick 1640 Dumbarton B. Rec. 62.
The burgh is liabill to furnish twa horsmen(b) ?1438 Alex. ii 2479.
Quhat tua thingis dois ȝow to dre Sorrow and pane … In the mister of lufing Or ellis in the following? 1460 Hay Alex. 3025.
The salt contenewit tua dayis or thre 1497 Dunferm. B. Rec. I 77.
Thar salbe tua men chosyn … to keip the common gud 1507 Treas. Acc. III 402.
To ane Irland man brocht tua halkis to the king 1538 Acta Conc. Publ. Aff. 473.
Tua pare bellysis, ane grate and ane les 1611 Inverness Rec. II 79.
The said George McConil Reoche … on the tua conditionis foirsaidis and na vther vayes, remittis [etc.] 1617 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 34.
To aucht wemen for bearing tua locht lyme and sevin locht sand at xx s. ilk locht 1643 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 1.
Be payment of tua merkis money 1683 Melrose Reg. Rec. III 9.
[William Mosse] hes … houked ane seugh … tua ells deip and more(c) 1415 (1430) Reg. Great S. 39/1.
This indentur made … betuyx thua nobil lordis 1456 Peebles B. Rec. I 113.
x s. at thwa termis, that is to say Beltain the ta half and Bartylmes the tothir half 1509–10 Alloway Baron Ct. 29 Jan.
Thua peckis haittis 1522 Fam. Rose 197.
Tuay bollis of ry … thuay bollis malt c1600 Medical Recipes 87b.
Thowa(d) 1440 Cop. St. A. 135.
Thai are oblyst … to pay … yherly xij merkis for the sayd tway millis be ewynly proportiownis at tuay termis in the ȝer 1500 Hist. Pluscardyn 117.
Tway bollis of victuall 1547 Glasgow Test. I 8b.
Mariory Maxwell and Agnes Maxwell my tuay eldest dochteris 1557 Reg. Cupar A. II 165.
The tway talis of land last maid to ws be the last peramble 1584 Inverness Rec. I 295.
That tuaye kistis salbe maid, … ane on euerilk syde of the wattir wark 1597 Warrender P. (SHS) II 325.
To remember the bischop of Abirdins twaye varandis c1616 Hume Orthog. 9.
Af this voual ryseth tuae diphthonges 1668 M. Works Acc. MS Ptfl. xi.
The tuaie pyck head of the touer 1687 Kirkcudbr. Test. (Reg. H.) 7 Oct.
The sawing of twae peks of bearre(e) c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 9/81.
Betuix tuo theiffis the spreit he gaif On to the Fader most of micht 1533 Bell. Livy II 37/10.
Thai chesit two men of the lynnage patriciane 1570 Leslie 212.
The Inglismen began to appeir aloft in the hill devydet in two bandis c1616 Hume Orthog. 33.
Conjunction is a word impersonal serving to cople diverse senses … of it ther be tuoe sortes, the one enunciative, and the other ratiocinative 1664 Brechin Test. VI 289b.
Ane kow … tuo koyes 1698 Edinb. Test. LXXX 312b.
Two aixes and four hocks worth j lib.(f) 1517 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 44.
The balyeis causit Allan Keyn … pas to the said tenement with ta [ed. tua] wotnes to se geiff it was as was allegit 1521 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 62.
Ane mer of graye color … apprisit to ta merkis(g) 1600 Montgomery Mem. 250.
For too vyrs to Frenc rebatis 11 s.(h) 1558–9 Inverness Rec. I 28.
Twe 1618 Haddington Corr. 138.
Thir tue yeiris bygane ?c1635 Black Bk. Taymouth xx.
Send to me … Duncan Archibald and tuey horse with him 1647 Misc. Spald. C. III 196.
Twey bollis quhyt aits(i) 1589–1600 Skipper's Acc. (Morton) 66a.
To tw Engellis mene 2 barellis tar 1614 Laing MSS 138.
Ane quhyt saten picadell withe tu leffit bandis of the newest fasone(j) 1603 Montgomery Mem. 245.
For tou par of gloufes, v s. 1603 Montgomery Mem. 251.
For tow par of shouis to my pag, iiii s. 1610 Hist. Kinloss A. xi.
Towe copburdis of wallnut trie 1695 Douglas Corr. 286.
This tow years bygon(2) 1375 Barb. xiv 369 (C).
For thai betuix thai riveris tway War set, and mycht pas nane of thai a1400 Leg. S. Prol. 153.
Blesit be thai brethir twa! Philip … and Bertholomow c1420 Wynt. i 814.
Wormys … Lyk to partanys her ar thai, And on thare cors has armys twai a1500 Henr. Fab. 2053.
The quhyte he turnit vp off his ene tuay 1513 Doug. viii viii 18.
Bustuus hundis two That haldis thar lordis pays quhar evir he go 1567 Sat. P. iii 231.
‘My bony boy’ quod I ‘fair mot thé fa'! With that he … tuik gude nycht and shuik our handis twa

b. As part of a higher cardinal number. Cf. Inverness Sheriff Ct. quot. in d below and B f below. 1398 MacRae Early Sc. Texts No. 5.
Twa scoyre oxen ?1438 Alex. i 1376.
Tua thousand knichtis 1472 Misc. Spald. C. II 252.
The yer of God a thowsand four hundreth sevynty and tway yeris 1478 Charter (Reg. H.) C.O. No. 70.
The twa & twente day of November 1488 Treas. Acc. I 80.
In a box … the grete bedis of gold contenand sex score twa bedis and a knop 1532–3 Bk. Dunvegan 69.
In the ȝeir of God one thousand fiff hundred thretty and thuay ȝeiris 1561 Exch. R. XIX 483.
The soume of tuay hundreth ten pundis 16 s. 1584 Edinb. Test. XIV 106b.
Tua dosane of lokkis c1590 Fowler I 16.
The barbar grosnes of boyth thair translationis, whiche I culd sett doun by prwif … in twoe hundreth passages and moe 1627 Brechin Test. IV 296b.
In ane loft tuentie tua bollis 1670 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. MS 26 Feb.
Twa thowsand aughteine pundis aughteine shillingis two pennies Scottis 1673 Kirkintilloch B. Ct. 52.
And ordaines everie mailling in Gartclosche to hauld twa sowme of kye and ilke a twa mailling a horse

c. Qualifying another number = two times, twice. 1675 Glasgow B. Rec. III 203.
That grund be given aff … to any of the burgessis … who hes a mynd to build houssis ther, whilk houssis sall belong to them their aires and assynayes for the space of twa nyntine yeares

d. Describing the extent or rental value of a piece of land. Cf. B i below. c1379 MacRae Early Sc. Texts No. 1.
The twa plewland of Nortoun in the barony of Rathov 1439 Charter (Reg. H.) C.O. No. 49.
Tva oxgang of land 1551 Prot. Bk. R. Lumsdane MS 18b.
Twa merk land 1558 Inverness Sheriff Ct. 39.
Landis lyand within our scherefdome of Invernis efferand to the rait and quantite of tuay hundreth pundis land of auld extent 1567 Stewart Mem. 102.
That the … tuay-merk land of Killebrochtquhane be possessit be James Stewart

e. Expressing time. Cf. B h below: Two o'clock, two in the afternoon. 1501 Acta Conc. MS X 117.
The saide instrumentis war done … be twa houris eftir noune 1572 Buch. Detect. (1727) 139.
I wrocht this day quhill it was twa houris upon this bracelet 1630 Dumbarton B. Rec. 34.
That nae beif or tallow be sold to unfreemen befoir tua hours efternooun 1645 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 50.
Ilk Thursday at twa houres efternoon

2. Twa part(is), two-thirds, chiefly in reference to land; see Part n. 6 a for further examples. 1375 Barb. v 369.
Than dang thai on swa hardyly That in schort tyme men mycht se ly The twa part dede 1425 Coll. Aberd. & B. 525.
Til haf wedsett al my landis … of Perth alsweil be the thride as the twa partis a1500 Rauf C. 123.
He tyt the king be the nek, twa part in tene 1498 Reg. Morton II 248.
I haue deliuerit to the said lord a letter of reuersion of the thua partis of the saidis landis 1513 Doug. i Prol. 170.
The ferd buke of Eneadon, Twichand the lufe and ded of Dido queyn, The twa part of his [sc. Caxton's] volume doith conteyn That in the text of Virgill, trastis me, The twelt part scars contenys 1531 Treas. Acc. VI 18.
Tway elnis and ane tway-part elne gray weluet to begarye the said goune 1553 Perth Guildry 521 (12 Sept.).
To haue sett and for maill lattin … the haill tuaparte of ane nett of our tuelf nettis apon Tay 1570 Inverness Rec. I 195.
The said dekin sall haif for his … laubouris the thred pairt of all escheittis and accidentis, the tuay pairt incumand to the common weill of this burcht a1595 Descr. Isles 429.
The salmond and uther fishes … will appear twa pairt dry for fault of water to cover thame ?1549 Monro W. Isles (1961) 52.
Ane ile callit Luyng, 3 myle lang, lyand from the south-west to the north-eist 2 part myle breid 1630 Antiq. Aberd. & B. IV 459.
A two parte of the poore estate … being allotted for his sonne and his family and a thyrde parte for himselfe 1678 Mackenzie Laws & C. i xxiii 7 (1699) 118.
The two part thereof belongs to the king, and the third to the sheriffs 1684 Wamphray Baron Ct. 26 April.
Margaret Glendoneing … payes ane hundreth merk & 12 pound quhairof Bessie Gibsone possesses a tuo part & Margaret Glendoneing a 3d part

3. Twasum, two people (in company); a couple, freq. without article. 1375 Barb. vi 633.
The king … saw the twa-some sturdely Agane his man gret melle ma a1400 Leg. S. l 691.
Full ioyfull thane thire twasum war Of the swet sicht that thai saw thar 14.. Reg. Maj. c. 39.
It is to wyt quhether the sentence of ii arbitouris is of valour … for gif of the tother part thai sulde discorde than war the thing for outyn ische … bot forsuth it is wont to be put arbutry in demying of twasome c1500 Harl. MS 4700 299b.
In lik maner quhar tuasum takis thame to battell & fechtis in listis he that is ourcumin tynis for euir & the tothir wynnis 1560 Rolland Seven S. 7292.
As is the auld fassoun, Vnto wedlok quhen twasum makis them boun a1578 Pitsc. I 276/3.
Thair was nane left onslaine bot himsellff his brother and twasum with thame 1600-1610 Melvill 70.
A … gentleman, wha, unbeset be twasum, haid defendit him selff notablie, being weill fensed a1658 Durham Commandments (1675) 278.
A natural man is wholly one … the believer is tuosome (as they use to say) he hath too parties or sides, and when corruption prevaileth, grace will be saying, ‘O that it were otherwayes’

4. Twa month, a period of two months. Chiefly used adverbially. 1526 Selkirk B. Ct. MS 119b.
Jhone of Lumisden [etc.] … suld pay … twa merkis or this day twomont a1538 Abell 3a.
The sam day twamont he passit on land out of the arch 1577–8 Waus Corr. 176.
Robart Schot hes dreffin me this tway monyth for [etc.]

5. Put for the ordinal second. Only after Twenty num. 1505 Lennox Mun. 171.
The twenty twa day of Julij 1531 Reg. Soltre 100.
The tuenti-thua daye of Aprile 1573-1600 Burne Disput. in Cath. Tr. 165/11.
In the tuentie tua buke of the Citie of God, in the aucht chapteur ?1615 Lett. & St. P. Jas. VI 265.
The … tuentye-tua day of September last

B. ellipt. and absol. Passing into noun. Freq. following a pronoun. Also, pleonastically, baith tway, = both, appar. only in Doug. See Bathe adj. 1 for a further example.(1) 1375 Barb. vi 632.
The twa that saw sa sudanly Thar falow fall effrayit war 1375 Barb. vii 12 (C).
Thai ar fele aganis twa ?1438 Alex. ii 2789.
Quhen lord of hart is large and fre … Hardy, lele and luffand baith, Than is ane worth vther tua 1456 Hay I 203/23.
Than suld wis men tak the leste evill of the twa c1475 Wall. i 417.
The tothir twa fled to thar hors 1497 Acta Conc. II 85.
The instrumentis producit by baith thir partiis in this mater, quhilkis war twa, war deliverit in keping to the justice clerc a1500 Peblis to Play 113.
He gat ane trincheour in his hand And he began to compt Ilk man tua and ane happenie To pay 1530 Balmerino and L. Chart. ii 32.
ij syed jaceits ane of tham of sarg & the twy of say 1564 Riddell Tracts 101.
The eldast portioner to have the first particat and mesour at the sone, and the remanent twa to fallow in ordoure, as is above specifeit 1611 Crim. Trials III 161.
What judge … could … have determined to which of the two the living childe did belong? 1617 Crim. Trials III 422.
Mr. Alexander Coluile can nocht be judge in this cause, in respect he is fourtis of kyn to the Countes of Errole … viz.: the said Mr. Alexander Coluiles grandame was ane dochter of the house of Lochlevin, quha is ane; the said Mr. Alexanderis guidschir, tua; the said Mr. Alexanderis father, thre; and him self the fourt 1652 Blair P. in Aberd. Univ. Rev. XXXVI 121.
Wan of the neck clothes must be taken of for there was but tow and heir is thrie sett downe(2) 1375 Barb. i 76.
He suld that arbytre disclar Off thir twa that I tauld off ar ?1438 Alex. i 917.
He and the duke Betis, thai tua, With speris stracht can thai ga a1500 Quare Jel. 113.
Tuo 1584 Gowrie P. 28.
He showes them howe they towe entased him to wryte it a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xxxvi 42.
As first vhen we tua mett, My jo 1686 G. Stuart Joco-Ser. Disc. 29.
Now Jony found it not a hard ane Amell them twa to drive a bargain(3) 1513 Doug. v x 39.
A hors … quhays formest feyt bath tway War mylk quhyte 1513 Doug. vi v 183.
Eneas and Scybill baith tway, As thai begunnyn had, held furth thar way 1513 Doug. viii Prol. 12.
Luf and lawte baith tway Lurkis ful darn

b. In twa, in(to) two pieces, divisions, sections, directions, etc. Also fig. of the heart and the parting of the soul from the body. 1375 Barb. x 40.
Hys men departyt he in twa And till the gud lord off Dowglas … He taucht the archerys euerilkane a1400 Leg. S. xii 280.
His balful bayly byrste in twa 1388 Bamff Chart. 22.
The qwilke foure layd the lande with lyne and departit tham ewynly in tua ?1438 Alex. ii 9546.
Bot he his hede claif euin in twa. And than incontinent he fell dede 1473 Reg. Cupar A. I 173.
The sade toun salbe pairtyt in twa 1513 Doug. i ix 3.
Gretly desyryng the clowd to brek in tway 15.. Clar. i 1269.
With the fall his kne baine brake in two 1573 Davidson in Sat. P. xlii 982.
We … raid a lytill eist the bra, Quhair that our gaittis partit in twa 1686 G. Stuart Joco-Ser. Disc. 72.
I'll give him leave … To hew this craig of mine in twafig. a1450 Fifteen Ois 271.
O Jesu … Haue mercy on me in that hour Quhen saule and lyfe sall twyn in tua c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 39/3.
My hartis tresure and swete assured fo … The cruell brekar of my hart in tuo 1560 Rolland Seven S. 2724.
It was maist lik hir hart to brist in two 1560 Rolland Seven S. 7649.
In this graue salbe my ludge and rest Quhill God sinder my saull and life in tway c1590 J. Stewart 20/186.
This onlie thocht dois gnaw my hart in tuay

c. A group of two, a pair, a couple. Chiefly as twa and twa, (in) a group of two, two by two, in twos; twa for twa, two against two, ? against each other; twa for ane, two for one, double; to appeir twa, to seem to be double.(1) a1400 Leg. S. iii 979.
We sal nocht be ws ane twa 1580 Hume Promine 100.
Into the park did … appeir … trottand into trowpis and twais, The wilde quhite cullourit ky a1585 Polwart Flyt. 208 (H).
Lambes and long taild wedderes … In fellon flocks, of anes and twaes 1649 Glasgow B. Rec. II 159.
The haill counsell to goe to the crose be twaes … and to stand thairon vncoverit(2) 1375 Barb. iii 428.
That … rowyt sa oft-sys to & fra Fechand ay our twa & twa ?1438 Alex. ii 541.
Thay come doun ay tua and tua, Endlang the steppis 1505–6 Aberd. B. Rec. in Mill Mediæv. Plays 120.
Thai sale in ordire … pas tua & ij to gidder … in the first the flesseris barbouris baxturis [etc.] 1590–1 Crim. Trials I ii 238.
The charming of the ky and oxin … by going vp betuene twa and twa of thame in thair byre, straiking of thair bakis and wambes [etc.] 1620 Perth Kirk S. MS 15 May.
The sessioun ordenis that the maister of the grammer scole … caus the bairneis of the grammer scole cum tua and tua in ordour thairfra to thair seat in the kirk 1665–7 Lauder Jrnl. 39.
[Members of religious orders] to exime their thoughts they go tuo and 2; for then if the one be so given [sc. to lechery] he his a restraint laying on him, to wit, another to sie his actions(3) ?1438 Alex. ii 4281.
Now tua for tua ar samyng set, Tua horsit and tua on thare feit 1460 Hay Alex. 1807.
It war his [sc. King Nicolas'] will … To fecht to-gidder thai tuay cors for cors On thair best wise inarmit vpoun hors Or tua for tua, as him list, thre for thre 1593 Crim. Trials I ii 360.
Earle Bothwell and Ker of Sesfuird met and faucht twa for twa(4) c1420 Wynt. iv 488.
Bot or the gammyn wes all gane Thai payid ma than twa for ane(5) a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 217 (W).
So long with sicht I followit him Quhill baith my febillit eyis grewe dim … Quhill every thing appeirit two, To my barbuilȝeit braine

d. Ane (a) ( … ) or twa, one or two, a very small number of what is implied by the context or indicated by the preceding noun. Twa or thre, a small number of, a few. Twa thre = twa or thre, also absol. Ane, twa or thre, in lit. use, one, two or three.(1) 1375 Barb. xvi 308.
The kingis off Irchery Come to schyr Eduuard … And thar manredyn gan him ma Bot giff that it war ane or twa c1475 Wall. ix 801.
Mycht we get ane or tway To Saynct Johnstoun … And warn Ramsay, we wald get succour sone 1487 Acts II 176/1.
That ane or twa justicez generale be … made on the south side the watter of Forth and ane or twa on the northside(2) ?14.. Ship Laws c. 16 (B).
A schyp or twa ar in a narow havyn and [etc.] a1500 Seven S. 1250.
Than taryit he ane hour or twa Syne come and bad hir rys in hy 1511 Bk. Old Edinb. C. XI 107.
Bot giff thai optene licens to a frend or twa to entir with thaim to gif thaim consale in thar materis 1560 Rolland Seven S. 9553.
Of his gorget ane buckill or twa he fretts a1578 Pitsc. I 41/5.
To ryde to Crichtoun with him and thair to pas his tyme ane day or tuo a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 446 (W).
I had lever haue ever Ane foull in hand or tway Nor seand ten fleand Aboue me all the day(3) 1375 Barb. xvii 120.
Thar war gret melleys twa or thre a1500 Henr. Robene & M. 6.
I haif thé lovit lowd and still Thir ȝeiris two or thre 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 690.
This inordinate court and proces quaid, I will obiect for causis twa or thre c1500-c1512 Dunb. (STS) lxxi 4.
Ȝeiris and dayis mo than two or thre 1561 Q. Kennedy Compendious Ressonyng (ed.) 182 (G).
To be in the mydis off twa or thre convenit in his nayme 1568 Q. Mary in Anderson Collect. Mary IV ii 73.
How sone I speak twae or thrie guid wordis unto hym he rejois and is out of doubt c1614 Melrose P. 599.
Foir the space of too or thrie dayes 1638 Rec. Kirk Scotl. 148.
When He [sc. God] sends downe a good motion, ye may expresse it with gravitie, and that two or thrie speake with leive 1562-92 Wode's Psalter (ed.) 156.
Foloueth tway or thre gude psalmes(4) 1557 Peebles B. Rec. I 240.
The baillies, accumpanit with the thesaurare and tua thre honest men 1604 Dundonald Par. Rec. 54.
The kov within twa thrie dayis thairefter gaid licht and tint hir milk 1665–7 Lauder Jrnl. 33.
He may go doune to the yard and houck out 2, 3 carrots to himselfe 1679 Russell Account 425.
He … staid two-three days a1689 Cleland 84.
Then read but foreward two three linesabsol. 1682 Peden Lords Trumpet (1682) 19.
The loss of a cow or a two-three of your beasts … goes nearer your hearts nor all the troubles of the kirk of God in Scotland(5) 1678 Edinb. B. Rec. X 359.
It would be … absolutlie imposable [under such an arrangement] for ane twa or thrie ministers to performe all the dewties of there ministeriall callings

e. Twa of …, two out of the group or number mentioned, also twa or thrie of; twa in the hundred, two percent. Tua of ten, see Ten num. B e.(1) a1400 Leg. S. xxvii 955.
Twa of Irland That … sum dele letteryt ware c1475 Wall. i 48.
Twa of the thre desyryt to be kyng c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 36.
Of thir fair wlonkes tua weddit war with lordis, Ane was ane wedow 1547 Liber Coll. Glasg. 138.
As thai that war found be ane ward of the court of Glasgu tway of the airis of the said wmquhile Williame thare fader 1570 Leslie 253.
The saide John come … with tow of his sonnis 1597 Treas. Acc. MS 117.
For covering twa of his majesteis litter sadillis c1616 Hume Orthog. 1.
If a man wald indyte one letter to tuentie of our best wryteres, nae tuae of the tuentie … wald agree 1673 Bonckle Kirk S. 41.
Agnis Diksone, and Margaret Rodger, twa of the poore of the paroche(2) 1535 Stewart 58461.
And in that castell tua or thre of dais He held him thair 1576 Orkney Oppress. 44.
In speciale, betuixt the Mariemessis, and at everie court, he had twa or thrie of his awin men(3) a1670 Scot Staggering State 97.
No lent money in the kingdom was free from payment of that two in the hundred

f. As part of a higher cardinal number. Cf. A b above. Also, twys twa.(1) a1400 Leg. S. Prol. 139.
Disciplis ȝet had he may Forowtin thir, sewinty and twa c1420 Wynt. ii 62.
Fowrty yhere scho lyvyt and twa 1600-1610 Melvill 79.
I was then in the floure of my age, about a twa and twentie and thrie and twentie yeirs(2) c1420 Wynt. vi 245.
Archebyschaprykis twys twa In Almayhne fowndyt he

g. The langast (langar) levand (levar) of thaim (us, the) twa, in legal documents concerning an agreement between two people or the transfer of property to two people, chiefly a married couple, referring to the survivor of the two. 1402 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 54.
To hald … the said landis … as it is befor writyn to the said Alexander and Jonete his spouse and the langast lefand of thaim twa and to the ayris betwene thaim lachfully gotyn 1415 (1430) Reg. Great S. 39/1.
The forsayd Villiam … [to] haf giffin … in juntfethment … to the sayd Huchon … and to Jonet … hys systir and to the langar liffand of thaim thua … thir landdis 1491–2 Acta Aud. 166/2.
The hale frank tennement tharof to the said James my son & Cristiane his spous & to the langast lifare of thaim twa 1509 Douglas Chart. 189.
Nochtwithstandeing that he has gevin … his landis … till ws, and to the langast lewar of ws twa 1541 Reg. Cupar A. II 13.
To haue sett and for male latt … to … Johane Sowtar, and to Isabell Pilmour, his spous, all and hale the tane half of our corne myln and landis … for … nynetene ȝeris, and to the langar lewand of thame tuay, failȝeing of ane to ane vther, induring the said space 1554 Misc. Spald. C. II 275.
Be thir present lettres ws Johnne Waus of Many and Alexander Waus my sone and appeirane air and the langast lewar of ws tua … giffis our band of manrent … to [etc.] 1573 Inverness Rec. I 225.
For himself and his spous and the langast lewaris of thame tuay thair airis ane evident vpon ane ruide of burrow land 1596 Dalr. II 230/16.
The langste lyuer of the tua [sc. kings] sal keip langre peace for a ȝeir 1597 Skene Verb. S. s.v. Feodvm.
Gif twa or maa persons … be infeft, conjunctlie … As for example, the husband and the wife ar infeft in certaine landes, the langest liuer of them twa, & the aires gotten, or to be gotten betuixt them a1633 Hope Major Pract. II 198.
A take sett to the husband and wyfe, the langest livar of them twa 1661 Irvine Deeds MS 12 Aug.
To the said Thomas Reid my husband abovenamit and to me the said Katherein Wylie myselff and to the langest levand of us twa

h. Expressing time. Cf. A e above. 1427–8 Acts II 16/1.
Fra tene houris to twa efter none 1566 Crim. Trials I i 479.
At twa in the bell after midnycht 1558-66 Knox I 343.
The day following, at tua efter none, depairted the congregatioun from Sanct Johnestoun 1558-66 Knox II 355.
Thei approached not to the enemye till that the Erle of Murray and his cumpanye war come to the feildis, and that was efter two at efter none 1633 Maxwell Mem. II 227.
This day, beinge Moonday, the kinge, eftir two of clocke, hes made the Erle of Angouse Marqweisse 1655 Peebles B. Rec. II 31.
He shall … conveane the bairnes at half hour to tua afternoone

i. Describing the rental value of a piece of land. Cf. A d above. 1451 11th Rep. Hist. MSS. App. vi 26.
Thir landis … fife mark in Torbrekkis and thua mark in Kilcadȝowlaw

C. In combination with another part of speech, a noun or participle, in various particular uses.

1. Forming an adjective with a following past participle form derived from a verb or noun: Having two of the characteristics described. Also fig. in twa toungit, deceitful. 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 1102.
The twa toppit famous Pernasus 1513 Doug. x viii 37.
Turnus down lepys from hys twa quhelit char c1568 Lauder Minor P. iii 15.
The sons of Sathan … Abhorris that same more nor ane two-edgit swourd 1572 Buch. Detect. (1727) 51.
The quenis adulterer, the vylest of all twa-futit beistis 1587 Edinb. Test. XVII 117a.
Ane tua facet pece of gold extending to sax pundis a1598 Ferg. Prov. MS No. 858.
I lov not tuo handed fish tuo lugged aill nor tuo knyfed bread 1601 Sc. Ant. VI 156.
Foure tua tramit barrowis [for stones, £6] 1613 Whitelaw Sc. Arms Makers 196.
[William Whyte] cultellar [admitted] to his sey an] outred and tua [pr. tra] edgit quhinger 1621 Crim. Trials III 499.
Ane otter-stalf with ane tua-granet fork of irne at the end thairof 1658 Brechin Test. VI 163a.
Ane tuo legged purse with ane bitt of seattine 1685 Soc. Ant. LVIII 355.
A feather bed 2 breidedfig. c1420 Wynt. iv 1961 (W).
Twa toungit seruandis … And wickit and fals thov sall despis

b. Tua-handit swerde, a sword wielded using both hands. Also attrib. 1514 Irvine Mun. I 35.
That thai … be wele abulȝeit … for were … in … splentis, sellatis … tua handit suerdis 1546–7 Reg. Privy C. I 62.
To cum … with … leithaxis, halbertis … twahandit swerdis, [etc.] 1564–5 Edinb. B. Rec. III 195.
His tua handit suord to be vsit for ane heiding suord 1584 Inverness Rec. I 296.
Ane tuaye handit sourd 1604 Crim. Trials II 432.
Pow-aixes, tua-handit-swoirdis, bowis, darloches, and vtheris wappones c1650 Orkney Antiq. Soc. XI 21.
Ane prodigious twa-handit swordattrib. 1672 Reeves Sc. Prose bef. 1600 80.
Followit ane certane of tua handit suirdis men … in blew purp veluot

2. With a following noun forming an adjective of quality, etc.

Twa pile, of cloth, having a pile of double thickness; see Pile n.⁴ 2 for further examples. Twa plet, of thread, of two strands; see Plet n. 3 for further examples. Tua ply, of a garment, in two folds, two folds thick.(1) 1601 Treas. Acc. MS 72b.
Ane quarter twa pyill veluet iiij li.(2) 1577 Edinb. Test. V 246a.
xxvj pund wecht twa plet threid price of the pund ij s. vj d.(3) 1609 Crim. Trials III 60.
The said Andro … gaif him ane straik vpone his left hand, and throw the cloik, tua ply, cuttit the deponer

b. Tua ȝere ald, of an animal, two years of age. Also absol. or ellipt. an animal of two years of age. 1483 Acta Aud. *121/1.
Sevin twa ȝere ald ky price of the pece xiij s. & iiij d. 1569 Edinb. Test. I 267b.
Tua cupnois of twa ȝeir auld price of the pece xl s. 1634 Edinb. Test. LVII 5a.
Four ȝoung tua ȝeir auld coddoches 1674 Kirkcudbr. Test. (Reg. H.) 15 Dec.
Four twae year old queyisabsol. and ellipt. 1482 Acta Aud. 109/1.
The … awaytakin … of xiiij hede of nolt, that is to say thre kye thre oxin viij twa ȝeris aldis 1577 Edinb. Test. VI 61a.
Ane twynter stott callit tua ȝeir auld 1609 Argyll Rentals I.
xix great kye, j tua ȝeir auld 1685 Depred. Clan Campbell 58.
2 tuo year olds, 4 year olds, 1 calf