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

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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Umquhile, -quhil(l, adv. and adj. Also: -quhyle, -quhille, -qu(h)le, -qhyle, -qwhile, -whil(e, -whill, -whyll, -kwell, -quhilk, -quhilis, wmquhil(e, -quhyle, -quhill(e, -qwhill, -quhyl(l, -quhyill, -quhell, -wyle, wumquhill, -qille, unquhyle, -quhill, -quhyll, -qwill, wnquhill, omquhile, owmqwil. [ME and e.m.E. um wile (1154), vmquil (Cursor M.), vmwhyle (Manning), vmwhile (Rolle), vmqwhyle (c1400) all adverbs, OE ymb hwíle.]Also abbreviated as um-, wm-, unqll. Cf. the note to Quhil(l adv.

A. adv. 1. Sometimes; from time to time. = Quhile adv. 1. 1375 Barb. i 335.
Till swylk thowlesnes he ȝeid As the cours askis off ȝowtheid, And wmquhill in-to rybbaldaill

b. In the correlative construction umquhile … umquhile, sometimes … at other times.For the construction umquhile … quhile/quhill, see quots. at Quhile adv. 1 (2) and (3), and Quhil(l adv. 1 (3). a1500 Prestis of Peblis 20 (Ch.).
Bot with themself quhat thay wald tel or crak Vmquhyle sadlie, vmquhyle jangle and jak 1535 Stewart 60042, 60043.
All this warld hes bene full of variance Vmquhill in plesure and prosperitie Vmquhill in pane and greit penuritie a1568 Bann. MS 221b/23.
Vmqle I syche and vmq^le I sing

2. Formerly, at one time, once. = Quhile adv. 2.Also, once, with plural inflexion (cf. Quhilis adv.). a1400 Leg. S. iii 863.
Ane bischope vmquhile … Sancte Andrew in affecione Had a1400 Leg. S. xxvii 1127.
A wis man sad wmquhill, Sek na heyere thing [etc.] c1420 Wynt. ii 760 (E) (see Quhill adv. 2). 1456 Hay I 2/21.
Gilbert of the Haye … chaumerlayn umquhyle to the … king … of Fraunce c1475 Wall. ii 207.
O der Wallace, wmquhill was stark and stur, Thow most o neide in presoune till endur a1500 Colk. Sow i 2.
Vmquhile a merry man wais callit Cokkelbe 1513 Doug. i Prol. 505.
I the ilk vmquhile [Sm. wmquhile; Ruddim. vmquhilis] that in the small ait reid Tonyt my sang 1515 Reg. Privy S. I 408/2.
To tak inquisitioun quhat landis, croftis, annuellis and fyschingis the said William had umquhile in fe 1533 Boece 208a.
To fecht contrare the nacioun vmquhile sa freyndlie a1578 Pitsc. I 376/10.
With Magdalen vmquhill of Scotland quein c1610 Melville Mem. 405.
Vmwhyll

3. At some future time.The Barb. quot. may belong in 1. 1375 Barb. iii 256 (C).
For nane wate, in how litill space That God wmquhile will send [1571 will send sum tyme, H. sometime send] [His] grace 1513 Doug. ii x 209.
And I vmquhile [L. quondam] that salbe clepit thi spows

B. adj. a. Former, previous. b. Late, deceased. Also absol.In various constructions, preceding or following the noun or noun phrase, freq. without def. art.a. (1) 1454 11th Rep. Hist. MSS. App. vi 27.
Me Katerine of Setown, spows vnqwill to Sir Herbert Lord Maxwell … ,in my pur wedowhad 1489 Wemyss Chart. 112.
The spous wmquhyl of the said knycht [sc. his former wife from whom he was divorced] 1673 Fam. Innes 246.
This day Dunkintie was belegared and taken by Mungo Grant the laird unqll upon ane caption for his father(2) 1549 Compl. 21/7.
Athenes the vmquhile fontane of sapiens 1648 Robertson Cullen Ch. Ann. 20.
[He] went into England upon the umquhill engagement and was not yet returnedb. 1420 Reg. Episc. Morav. App. 475.
Comperit Willȝame the Grame the sone and the hayr vmquhil of Henry the Grame 1431 Liber Melros 521.
Patrike off Dunbarr … brother vmquhile of a hee & mychti lorde c1456 Edinb. B. Rec. MS 1.
The land that wes vmquhile Johne Welchis … the said vmquhill John Welch 1472 Bamff Chart. 29.
The sex markis of annuale sent analiit to umqwhile Richard of Strathern 1490–1 Treas. Acc. I 197.
A compositioun maid with vmquhile the Master of Craufurd 1495 Acta Conc. I 418/1.
A perpetuale preist to sing for the saule of the said vmquhile Androw 1497 Acta Conc. II 71.
Ane charter of gift … maid to thame of the samyn be umquhile King Robert the Bruyse of gude mynde 1498 Reg. Privy S. I 26/2.
Sen the deces of umquhill Umfra Culquhune, merchell 1513 Doug. xi ii 37.
Vmquhil Dydo, quheyn of Sydones 1516–17 Reg. Privy S. I 451/1.
William Turnbule … deit under umquhile our soverane lordis baner 1521–2 Glasgow Dioc. Reg. I 82.
Vmwyle 1555 Acts & Decr. in Lynd. (STS) IV 275.
Vmqhyle 1566–7 Reg. Privy C. I 498.
The hous quhair umquhile the Kingis grace wes ludgeit wes … blawin in the air 1570 Lanark B. Rec. 48.
Umquhille 1581 Bk. Carlaverock II 490.
Vmquhle 1604 Stewart Mem. 109.
Ane pretendit charter alledgit maid and grantit be the said vmquhilk Johene Stewart … with consent of vmquhill Nele Stewart hes eldest sone to vmquhilk Allexander Stewart 1604-31 Craig v 33/4.
Let mee … make this small request; That for thy vmwhile friende some paines thou take 1633 Acts V 26/1.
Vmquhyle 1636 Maxwell Mem. II 259.
Vmwhil 1668 Orkney Antiq. Soc. V 39.
Umqule 1677 Edinb. B. Rec. X 322.
Umwhill 1685 Kirkcudbr. Test. (Reg. H.) 26 Oct.
Umkwell(b) 1453 Melville Chart. 37.
The douchtire of wmquhille of Jhone of the Glene and ayre principalle and eldast till wmquhille Schir Jhone of the Glen 1479 Dunferm. B. Rec. I 2.
Betwix the land of Alan Merchell one the west sid and the land of wmqwhill Johne Rede one the est sid 1501 Dunferm. B. Rec. I 116.
Wmquhill 1505 Liber Aberbr. II 356.
Wmquhyll 1553 Glasgow Dioc. Reg. I 146.
Wmquhil 1562–3 Rec. Earld. Orkney 114.
The quhilk landis the forsayd Johane Cromate wmquhile gayf to his last wyf, Janote Skaye … indurand hyre lyftyme, quhilk … is consyddrit to stand in the sayid Johannis part wmquhile as josyne land 1585 Buccleuch Mun. II 241.
Wmquhell 1598 Prot. Bk. T. Auchinlek 57.
Brother … to the said wmquhyle Williame 1641 Acts V (1817) 644/2.
Wmquhyill(c) 1530 Maxwell Mem. I 261.
To haif syc preuelegis, … as his sayd wumqille fauder haid 1530–1 Maxwell Mem. I 261.
Wumquhill(d) 1558 Glasgow Dioc. Reg. I 168.
Vnquhyll 1573 Bann. Memor. Pref. xv.
Unquhill 1573 Tyrie in Cath. Tr. 3/10 n.
Vnquhyle [pr. vnqulyle] 1632 Cullen B. Ct. 6 June.
Wnquhill(e) 1427 Melville Chart. 22.
Dame Isabel … owmqwil lady of the halfe of Inchemartyne 1554 Liber Dryburgh 290.
Omquhileabsol. 1611 Brechin Test. III 153.
The said wmquhill being parischt in the sea

c. predic. Of a thing: That was formerly, but is no longer, done; obsolescent, outmoded. 1606 Birnie Kirk-b. xix.
Kirk-buriall … was long … held as indifferent in the doylde dayes, yet beeing now vmwhile, and as an hes-beene, should neuer be more