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

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

Warld, Wardil(l, n. Also: warlde, uarld(e, varld, waurld, wairld, world, worled, woorld, warald, -ild, wairild, woreld, voreld, warldyll, -ill, warldl-, worldlie, wardyll, vardil, wardel, vardel, wardle, vardle, warddyll, wardll, wardl-, wordil(l, -yll, vordil, uoordill, wordle, wardlit, warddilit, ward(e, vard. [ME and e.m.E. worulde (c1175), werelld, werrld, weorellde (all Orm), woreld, worlde (both Layamon), world (Ancr. R.), wordle, werd (both c1250), warld (Cursor M.), worldle (a1400), worde (c1420), warlede (1479), OE weorold, worold, world, MLG werlt, warlt, MDu. werelt, veröld.]There is considerable overlap between the senses, esp. senses 1 and 2.

1. Human life or society upon earth, the people in the world collectively, freq. with reference to their views or judgments. Also with reference to all life on earth. Also fig. and attrib.(a) a1400 Leg. S. xvi 811.
A preste thare ves … That fled the warld as heremyt c1400 Troy-bk. ii 2041.
Me think that thai suld … Desyre the gud ere than the ill, For to the warld it war les schame And les disclander to thare name c1475 Wall. ii 4.
Thi deidis are knawin, thocht that the warld had suorn c1475 Wall. xi 1230.
Wallace … warld was displesans Tharfor I ces, and puttis it nocht in rym a1500 Colk. Sow ii 244.
In the hurd quhill it lyis It servis nowdir the warld nor multeplyis c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 39/14.
Leif creuelte, and saif ȝour man for schame, Or throucht the warld quyte losit is ȝour name 1568 Hosack Mary Q. of Scots I 530.
The warld … begouth to speik of it compairing Boithuillis intertenyment with that quhilk the king … ressauit at hir handis 1581 Sempill in Sat. P. xliii 167.
I dar not pen the speciallis, … Bot, weill I wait, howeuer the warld now gais Thai find maist freindship, was fardest than again ȝow 1597 Misc. Spald. C. I 105.
Sche … willit him to keip secreit quhatsoeuir sche spak or did and that becaus the warld wes evill, and spake na gude of sic medicinars 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 122/11.
Fornication is thocht but a ueniall sinne be the maist pairt of the uarlde 1627 Justiciary Cases I 73.
Scho being sa murthouret be him he tuik hir up thaireftir af the fluir and laid her up upone ane bed that the warld sould nocht suspect ony sic crewaltie … bot that scho had deceissit of ane suddane swarff(b) c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 201/27.
Think ȝe not schame, Sen as the world sayis that ilk In hurt and sclander of ȝour name? 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 56.
The last little treatise … that lately come into the world 1571 Bann. Memor. 167.
Lat the world judge, specialie sic as ar naturally acquentit with his naturalitie 1638 Henderson Serm. 192.
We are obleist to confess that point before the world Urquhart Wks. (1834) 218.
Declining from that neoterick faith … as he waxed in experience of the world 1702 Cramond Ch. Aberdour 47.
The session accept £10 Sc. from George Forbes … for his bond of 25 marks as he is very low in the world(c) 1525 Goudie Shetl. Antiq. 141.
How lang I haiff ane penny in the wardll lous or fast 1565 Reg. Privy S. V i 651/1.
Scho nocht being abill for the wardill, nor to win hir leving thairintill a1595 Cullen Chron. Aberd. 60.
Thoicht I did all the wardill distroy … Yet saifitt I my serwand Noy 1602 Misc. Spald. C. II 290.
We haiff chosin rather … to committ our selffis to your lordschipis … courtoisie … nor to the sklander off the wardill miserabill and bestle(d) 1559 Cal. Sc. P. I 278.
[I have been as true in my doings as any man in the] wordle [to this realm] 1611-57 Mure Early Misc. P. xiii 3.
Heir lyes inclos'd Sanctandrois richest treassour, A pearle but meassour hath the wordill [pr. word ill] loossed 1648 Sc. Hist. Rev. XIII 383.
Some 400 yeirs is past over since the … nature of it was knowne to the wordle 1660 Sc. Hist. Rev. XI 168.
I … intends to acquaint the wordle with 3 particulars qherin I was actor during my being ane member of state(e) 1591 Crim. Trials I ii 245.
Ane vther mycht haif rewlit in his maiesties place and the ward mycht haif gane to the dewillfig. c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 122/16.
This blynd warld ever so payis his dett, Riche befoir pure spraidis ay thair nett, To fische all watiris dois belang thame 1600 Conversion Lady Waristoun xvii.
How lamentable is the estate of this blind wordle, which neither has, nor is careful to have, that sight and sense of sin which God hath endued her [sc. Lady Wariston] withattrib. 15.. Clar. i 922.
Sall I now forgoe my warld blise That so we sould depairt, aleace, my knicht

b. As contrasted, explicitly or implicitly, with heaven, chiefly this warld, this life, life on earth. Also attrib.(1) a1400 Leg. S. xiii 160.
Ane angel come … & Criste Hyme-self come … In the sammyne habyte that He In this warld wonte wes to be c1420 Wynt. vii 3240.
The byschape Dawy off Bernhame Past off this warld till his lang hame a1450 Fifteen Ois 155.
Quhen this wrachit warld is past Grant me the ioy that euer sall lest 1456 Hay I 74/14.
For and all thingis that ar done in this warld war jugit here, the jugement of God in the tothir warld … suld have nocht ado c1460 Wisd. Sol. (STS) 5.
All lawbore that man makis, to conquest riches and landis in this warld a1500 Henr. Fab. 1940.
In this warld thair is na thing lestand c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 174/20.
Nixt efter joy aye cumis sorrow; Sa is this warld, and ay hes bein Arundel MS 284/173.
Grant to me … space to do pennence in this warlde c1600 Montg. Suppl. xxxiv 136.
This warld must neidis decay 1605 Edinb. Test. XL 14b.
I man anes depart and flit out of this present warld(b) ?1549 Corr. M. Lorraine 301.
Experians of lauburis and cumiris of this wairild(c) c1535 Lennox Mun. 348.
I wyll nodir cowint land nor ger in this warldyll [infra warddyll] witht hym na ȝow ? a1570-86 Maitland in Maitl. F. 441/7.
Forȝeit this warldillis wraichitnes(d) 1460 Hay Alex. 4635.
The name of God mot blissit be That thus into this wardlit had wourschipit me a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 234 (Harl.).
This wrechit wardill 1533 Gau 17/8.
The rich men of this vardel curis this litel bot the time sal cum quhen thay sal giff scherp count thairfor 1549 Lamb Resonyng 169/21.
He is depairtit of this wardill 1562 Aberd. Eccl. Rec. 7.
Quhasoeuer … hawing the substance and riches of this wardle … his fader or moder … fallin in powertie [etc.] 1568–9 Inverness Rec. I 175.
Thai trublit the towne in chasing of vtheris wyth quhynȝearis … and rasit the towne in feayr be resson of this trublous wardill and the feyr that this towne standis in instantle 1580 Hay in Cath. Tr. 70/8.
I will mak ane end, exhortand thé to … considder this mater as maist vychtie and important that can be in this wardle c1615 Maxwell Mem. I 324.
The greatest croce that euer come to me in this wardill 1644 11th Rep. Hist. MSS. App. vi 56.
That he may haue Gods glorie before his eis and louck moir to that nor to al that this wordil can giue him 1648 Colquhoun Chart. 258.
The richest jewell belonging to us in this wordill, our deireste dochter(2) c1420 Wynt. i 615.
Thai [sc. Gog and Magog] Sall get out befor Domysdaye And mekyll way in warld sall wyrk Agayne the lawe of haly kyrke a1450 Fifteen Ois 290.
King of kingis help me ay For to withstande the feind my fa, The wraichit warlde, my flesche alssua 1535 Stewart 308.
In this warld ȝe wait thair is no pane … Bot at the last it will cum to ane end a1585 Arbuthnot in Maitl. Q. 130/120.
Erd is no place of our felicitie Welth in this warld is not our finall end … In warld the prince of darknes hes impyire 1600-1610 Melvill 10.
My warldlie frindes who thinks I wald never be sa daft as to tak on soumes sa grait [etc.] … Bot it is nocht the warlde, but my God, whome I seik to please 1671 Short Testimony Concerning Catherine Allardes.
Its like I shal be but little believed by the benighted world(b) 1490 Irland Mir. I 55/15.
Preserue ws … fra the aduersite of the waurld, that conducis nocht nore helpis nocht to oure saluacioune(c) 1528 Lynd. Dreme 131.
The wardlis wracheit variasoun 1533 Gau 43/9.
The sone of God … come in the vardil and suffert deid apone cors for our sinnis 1533 Gau 43/32.
The Dewil throw quhais inwi deid com in the wardil 1533 Gau 87/1.
Giff vs grace … that the flesclie faders heritage draw ws notht fra our richt airschip and mak ws the barnis and airis of the vardil bot … giff vs that we may veralie be thy heuinlie barnis and airis(d) 1584 Cal. Sc. P. VII 220.
The Lord sall anis lat the woorld undirstand He had His gret werk in itattrib. 1637 Rutherford Lett. (1671) 205 (4 Jan.).
Pride, & self love, & idol-love, & world-love

c. The temporal way of life, chiefly in contradistinction to the spiritual. 1456 Hay I 296/10.
Gif a king lyfis efter the lustis of the warlde and appetite of his flesch, he is nocht worthy to bere name of kyng c1515 Asl. MS I 256/20.
He left the warld and enterit in religioun a1538 Abell 90b.
He come fra the warld to religioun 1596 Dalr. I 107/1.
His gude spirit sum he inflamet, quha sulde gyue ouer the warlde … and sulde follow a certane … maner of leiueng market with the futestepis of Christe and His apostles(b) 1533 Gau 25/15.
Leiff thow ony of the commandis and guid warkis quhilk God hes commandit thé to dw, and dw al the oder varkis qvhilk ar techit in al the buikis of the wardel … thay auail thé na thing be for God bot thay bring thé erer to condamnatione

d. Chiefly possess.: Of man's existence, temporal, worldly. Chiefly, (the) warldis gud(is), worldly goods, property, possessions, see also warldis wrak (Wra(i)k n. 7 a (1)); the (this) warldis end, the end of the world, judgment day. Also proverb. and fig.(1) 1375 Barb. iv 149.
The warldis thingis sua thaim trawaillyt That thai on twa halfys war assailyt a1400 Leg. S. xvi 797.
Vith warldis fud was scho nocht fede In al the tyme that scho thare led a1400 Leg. S. xxiv 146.
To Hyme I thé betak, As my lufyt warldis mak a1400 Leg. S. xxvii 358.
Of thre moneth the space Al warldis wit … He leryt al a1400 Leg. S. xliii 361.
Ȝe, that warldis glore has now a1400 Leg. S. l 776.
Met I had nan Throu warldis man bot Criste allan, That throu his angelis gert me fed c1460 Thewis Wysmen 262.
Thai set alhaill thar delygens Fra warldis wysdom and prudens, And settis thar besynes al-way For hevynly joy a1500 Henr. Fab. 1115.
Monkis … Abstractit from this warldis [Bann. warldlis] wretchitnes c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 186/20.
Be cheritable and hummle of estait, For warldis [STS warldly] honour lestis bot ane cry c1500 Makc. MS v 36.
Quhen thow art ded … Thow art than brocht to thi lang hayme, Adew al warldis dignite 1560 Rolland Seven S. 605.
The riche badkins, the coistlie veluot wobbis … With all vther warldis vane fantasise, That mannis braine … culd deuise 1655 Fugitive Poetry II xxviii 2/50.
Worlds-waistersproverb. a1598 Ferg. Prov. No. 374.
Hap and a half-pennie, is warlds geir enough(b) c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 104/19.
Natur … has thé maid this verray wairldis chois(2) a1400 Leg. S. xxvi 438.
Quhy has thu … for this warldis gud, To felone ded of innocent Conspyrit, & gyfine thi consent c1450 Cr. Deyng (STS) 170.
Sic transytorie warldis gudis 1456 Hay II 84/13.
Men may wele consider that the warldis gudis haldis the saule lang in the body 1456 Hay II 88/23.
Syk covatis settis a mannis mynde for decepciounis and fals cavillaciounis to wyn warldis gudis c1460 Wisd. Sol. (STS) 223.
Sum men sesis neuir to labour nycht nor day to wyne the warldis gud c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 116/34.
A barell bung ay at my bosum Of warldis gud [M. warldis welth]fig. 1637 Rutherford Lett. (1894) 309.
It is nothing to Him to fill the like of me; one of His looks would do me meikle world's good, and Him no ill(3) c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 160/38.
Thay sall discend with reik and fyre And preiche in erth the Antechrystis impyre; Be than it salbe neir this warldis end c1520-c1535 Nisbet I 11.
Christ … spak of the letter dayes and of the end of the warld c1552 Lynd. Mon. 5299.
Be thir prophiceis, apperis Frome Christ … Two thousand [sc. years] tyll the warldlis end 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 32/5.
To instructe & reule the haill kirke militant till the ende of the uarlde(b) a1561 Q. Kennedy Breif Tract. (ed.) 124/23.
One to the end of the vardle the Lord is aboue a1570-86 Maitl. F. 440/112.
Thay knaw all to the wardillis end Gif ȝe will trow all that thai tell In ewerie thing thai do excell 1579 Acts III 176/2.
That wicked deid wilbe spokin of to the wardlis ende

e. To have the warld, to have everything in existence that is worth having. c1475 Wall. vii 400.
Had he the warld and be wrachit off hart He is no lord as to the worthines

2. The world, as created by God as an ordered system, the material universe, the earth and all created things. a1400 Leg. S. vi 343.
Sene God fyrste had this varld wrocht a1400 Leg. S. xviii 779.
Laydy of the warld we hir [sc. Mary] cal 1490 Irland Mir. I 129/1.
The man was maid the sext day, for the complement of the waurld and all creaturis 1490 Irland Mir. II 59/22.
The auld innemy of hell be his fals lesynnis … dissavis the pepil of the waurld c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 8/38.
Thay scurgit Him bayth fut and hand; At everie straik ran furth ane strand Quhilk mycht have ransonit warldis thre 1549 Compl. 21/28.
The fyrst monarche of the varld vas translatit fra the Assiriens to them of Perse ande fra Perse to the Greikis [etc.] 1551 Hamilton Cat. 44.
Sa God hais luffit the warld, that He hais gevin His awin sone, that quhasaevir beleiffis in Him can nocht perisch c1552 Lynd. Mon. 6286.
Sen the warldlis first creatioun, Mankynd hes tholit this misary mortall Arundel MS 243/166.
Direct me to thi honour & loving of the saluiour of all the warld 1570 Sat. P. x 36.
He sall with vs rest, And we with him, sa lang as warld may lest 1578 Events Q. Mary & Jas. VI 42.
In gud fayt it is the thing in erd I desyre maist to se ȝour lordship in gud helt … albeid I may not mak the wordyll as I wald 1581 Burne Disput. 144b.
That God may do na thing by the established order of the varld 1622-6 Bisset I 4/2.
King Metellanus … quha began to regnne in the ȝeir of the warld thrie thowsand nyne hundreth thrie scoir and sex ȝeiris

3. The physical world, (a region or area of) land and (or) sea ; the physical globe, the earth. Also proverb. c1400 Troy-bk. ii 1649.
Quhen … Wyntir … Throw-out the warld in syndry placis … had the treis all dispulȝeit Of thare faire flouris [etc.] 1456 Hay I 56/23.
Thus had the lordis of Rome at anis nere all the maist part of the warld 1494 Loutfut MS 38b.
Thai [sc. garnets, etc.] … ar all rond & of a metall quhilk representis the warld be thare roundnes c1515 Asl. MS I 153/2.
Heir followis the diuisioun of all the warld callit the cart schortly drawyn in Ynglis 1528 Lynd. Dreme 665.
The eirth trypartit wes in thre In Affrik, Europe and Assie, Efter the myndis of the cosmographouris … the wardlis discriptouris 1576 Crim. Trials I ii 56.
Interrogat, gif sche had sene him gangand vp and doun the warld? Declarit, that anis sche saw him gangand in the kirkyard of Dalrye 1596 Dalr. I 41/22.
Tuecheng vthiris fishes, I can nocht tell, gif in ony place of the warlde, athir be mair varietie or mair abundance, of sum kyndes 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 150/6.
Sicc is the contineuall uolubilitie of things earthlie according to the roundnes of the uarlde & uolubilitie of the heauinlie circles(b) 1549 Lamb Resonyng 65/10.
Thai sam thre partis of the warald ar continewall in land without separatioun of the sey(c) 1571 Sat. P. xxix 8.
The sone and mone and sevin sterris reuoluit in the sky, That mokis the wordle tourne top over taill 1571 Sat. P. xxix 39.
To stoir the wordle lay on the las, sen it dois plainly say: Crescite, my douis, et multiplicaminay! 1589 Reg. Morton I 164.
To travell athort the wardle for a ȝeir or twaproverb. a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 933.
It is a hard warld, quhen we can not get our finger in the earth

b. The warldis end, the most distant point of the earth, the farthest possible distance. Used hyperbolically. 1513 Doug. x xi 180.
O ȝe wyndis … Do warp my body on the schaldis onkend, Far furth on Syrtys at the warldis end, Quhar Rutilyanys me nevir fynd agane 1560 Rolland Seven S. 5449.
His gredynes sa weill was kend It walkit to the warldis end 1560 Rolland Seven S. 9903.
To get ȝow help we sall not spair to spend, Thocht we suld seik vnto the warldis end … Throw all the warld ȝour help it salbe socht

c. The gret warld, the Roman empire. c1420 Wynt. v 3046.
He went with ane oste gret and stowte Till Rome, and maid it wndyr lowte, And syne he had the monarchy Off all the gret warld halily

4. Variously const. in the above senses: a. All the (this) warld, the haill warld, the whole earth; all the inhabited world; everybody in existence; all the people in a particular community or group. For all the warld, taking everything into consideration, in every way. In the wordil, in the world, on earth, at all; as an intensifier to a question. The rest of the wardill, the rest of the inhabited world.(1) 1375 Barb. i 531.
Alexander … That conqueryt Babilonys tour And all this warld off lenth and breid a1400 Leg. S. ii 143.
Nocht anerly Goddis knychtis fra thé draw I, Bot of all the warld hale I draw 1456 Hay I 46/20.
And in thai tymes was borne Alexander the conquerour, that mekle was redoutit in all the warld 1460 Hay Alex. 161.
Mony ane takin and signe that day was sene, That neuir in manis lyf befoir haid bene, Oure all the warld als weill as in that cuntre 1460 Hay Alex. 17547.
Quhan thai war semblit in thare parliament … Thai sett vpone his hede ane diademe And all the warde on brede gaif him a1500 Colk. Sow Prol. 53.
Sen all the world changis somony facis I trest I will cast caisis vpoun caisis a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 1381.
Within a crage now closit is etern Off all the warld the generall saluitour c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyt. 162.
Thow Lazarus, thow laithly lene tramort, To all the warld thow may example be c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus ii 596.
How thir thre did all the warld circumuene With thair sle craft, and quent cunning perqueir 1560 Rolland Seven S. 9905 (see 3 b above). 1562-3 Winȝet I 105/5.
The satisfactioun and redemptioun conquest till ws be Jesus Christ, as the full ransoun to the Father for the sinnis of all the warld [MS wardle] 1567 G. Ball. 4.
Go ȝour way into all the warld, and preiche the euangell a1568 Scott i 58.
Bot wyte the wickit pastouris wald nocht mend Thair vitious leving all the warld prescryvis c1590 Fowler II 103/3.
Contrair the exspectatioun of all the uarld(b) 1533 Gau 27/5.
Jesus Christ haid commandit his apostlis to gang throw al the vardil 1544 Corr. M. Lorraine 104.
I spaik with my brother, the Erll off Huntlye quha … will nocht faill to keip ane gud part to yowr grace by all the wardyll a1578 Pitsc. I 130/22.
Sic nobillis … quhais manheid and the gloir of Inglands mertiall deidis spreid befor all the wardill 1596–7 Misc. Spald. C. I 100.
Quhilkis things ar ewident takins … seyn and knawin to all the wardle(b) 1638 Hamilton P. (Camden Soc.) 12.
Uoordill(2) 1456 Hay I 169/26.
Ȝit was he … a stout man of armes, and conquest grete contreis to the impire of Rome, and almaist all hale the warld put under thair subjectioun 1490 Irland Mir. I 89/38.
He has … maid a man king of angellis, lord of the haill waurld and alkynd of creaturis 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 22.
Ȝe haif obleist ȝour selffis befoir the haill warld to continew in thatilk vertew of justice 1581 Hamilton Cath. Tr. 88.
The expiation and expurgation of the synnis of the haill varld 1581 Burne Disput. 42.
The sacrifice … is nou offerit thruch the hail vard 1622-6 Bisset I 9/9.
The departing of the apostolis in the haill warld to preich the Christiane faith 1686 G. Stuart Joco-Ser. Disc. 26.
By the hail waurld it will be thought Thou hest been better fed nor taught(3) 1513 Doug. iii vii 40.
The … verray ymage of my Astianax ȝyng! Syk eyn had he, and syk fair handis tway For all the warld, syk mowth and face, perfay(4) 1661 Maxwell Mem. II 305.
I kno not in the wordil what to do(5) 1549 Corr. M. Lorraine 314.
The pwre witt and mynd God hes gyfin me sall be vigilent to that thyng that I can estyme to be fordest to yowr grace plesour and will by the rest of the wardill

b. With broad, wide, the whole world. 1375 Barb. i 128.
In this warld that is sa wyde Is nane determynat that sall Knaw thingis that ar to fall Bot God a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 494.
Yone is the warliest wane … That euer I vist in my walk, in all this warld wyde 1535 Stewart 5244.
Far eithar is to ony man to win This warld wyde 1566-70 Buch. Comm. on Virgil Georgics ii 338.
Magnus … orbis, the broad world 16.. J. Row Cupp of Bon-Accord 1.
The Kirk of Scotland would a seen als well as any Christiane Kirk in the wyde warld

c. In comparisons in which one comparator is described as or contrasted with all, any, the gretest, na (person, thing, etc.) in (of) the warld, also, once, where the comparison is implied. Chiefly hyperbolic.(1) 1375 Barb. i 240.
He … suld think fredome mar to prys Than all the gold in warld that is ?1438 Alex. ii 9980.
Of thir thre Christin men I can tell heir That neuer na better in warld weir c1475 Wall. x 333.
That day in warld knawin was nocht his maik 1490 Irland Mir. I 127/13.
The caus of this message was the gretest matere in the waurld, for it was the saluacioune of all mankind 1535 Stewart 1081.
Ȝond Scottis … The laikast leid in all the warld I ken 1581 Hamilton Cath. Tr. in Cath. Tr. (STS) 79/19.
As thocht thaj var the bludiest boucheouris that euer vas in the varld 1665 S. Ronaldshay 49.
Will no body in the woreld tak a pairt of our woreld to help us to ane mends of them who is taking our world from us(b) 1567 Reg. Morton I 19.
The persons mast deir and tendir to him in all the wardill 1579 Acts III 160/2.
The quene of England being princes in the wardle nearest to ws bayth be blude and habitatioun ?1608 Lett. & St. P. Jas. VI 126.
I sould rather trail ane pik in the fardest pairt in the vordil, than [etc.] 1631 Maxwell Mem. II 215.
I had rather be fred of det then have any man's land in the wordle c1637 Innes Sketches 520.
I loue them moir nor I dou al the frout tris in the wordil 1662 Stirlings of Keir 498.
Ther is no chyld in the wordill I am mor be holdin to 1667 Red Bk. Menteith II 169.
Ther is no uey in the wordle that I sall leave untryed … until your Lordship be pyed(c) 1568 Anderson Collect. Mary IV 161.
Hir gude sister and nerrest cousignes of blwde in the worldlie(2) a1500 Seven S. 232.
My swet hart deire … Of all this warld I luf ȝow best 1569 Events Q. Mary & Jas. VI 37.
I can parsaif na uther thyng bot the dispositioun of ȝour lordship's benefice to be gevin to M. David Cuningham … bot send bettir or ellis to tak to hym of this warddilit, for I persaif na ramaid(3) 1560 Rolland Seven S. 4700.
Ane warldis schame mot tak all preistis for me

d. Come into the worled, born. 1660 Laing MSS 313.
My twenty sevent child … my little Charles new come into the worled

5. An age or period of time in the history of mankind; the present age or time. Also pl.(a) 1375 Barb. i 404.
Till Ector dar I nane comper Off all that euer in warldys wer 1490 Irland Mir. III 148/28.
In the tyme that the poetis and oratouris callis aurea secula the plesand and goldin waurldis than the pepil chesit thar kingis men of gret wertu 1546–7 Perth Guildry 240.
xx lib to the Patrik Master of Ruthuen beand prouest for his fee in trublous tyme and warld c1552 Lynd. Mon. 4224, etc.
Gone is the goldin warld of Asserianis … Gone is the syluer warld of Persianis The copper warld of Grekis now is thrall The warld of irne … the Romanis … Ar gone … Now is the warld of irne myxit with clay … The gret impyris ar meltit clene away 1560 Rolland Seven S. 10780.
Helth and vertew, and euerlasting gloir, Into all warldis, baith now and euer moir 1567 G. Ball. 44.
He that all warldis was beforne, Come downe of Marie to be borne(b) ?1544 Misc. Spald. C. IV 212.
In this evil wardle and brokin tym 1548 Prot. Bk. Sir Wm. Corbet 7.
It is a bruckill wardill and mony perrellis occurrand 1565 Inverness Rec. I 129.
Scho said it was ane new wardill that I durst be so bald to speik to hyr of sic efferis

b. Translating Latin in sæcula, in sæculum sæculi, as in to warldis (of warldis), in to warlde of warlde, for eternity, for ever. c. The warlde of warldis, eternity, eternal life. d. The varld to cum, = sense c above.b. c1520-c1535 Nisbet Luke i 55.
As he has spokin to oure fadris, to Abraham, and to his seed in to warldis c1520-c1535 Nisbet Heb. i 8.
Bot to the sonn he sais, God, thi throne is in to warld of warlde [L. in sæculum sæculi] c1520-c1535 Nisbet Rom. xi 36.
To him be glorie into warldis of warldisc. 1456 Hay II 146/30.
Tharfore, faire sone … do justice in this warlde here, and thou sall fynd it before thé thare in the warlde of warldisd. 1581 Hamilton Cath. Tr. in Cath. Tr. (STS) 73.
The horribill tormentis preparit for thame in the varld to cum(b) a1595 Cullen Chron. Aberd. 70.
Cristians … Behald, as in ane glas, Quhow far the wardle quhilk is to cum, This presentt wardle doithe pas(c) ?1592 Warrender P. (SHS) II 173.
That He may rejose in ws and we in Him … in this and in all the warild to come(d) 1613 Haddington Corr. 123.
Visching you al joy … both in this lyf and in the voreld to com

6. An entity, a planet or system of stars and planets in the universe. Also fig. a1400 Leg. S. xxviii 639.
Mychty God, makare of al Warldis, that gayne are or cum sal, With hart & mouth I ȝeld lowyng To Thé 1513 Doug. xii Prol. 10.
Behynd the circulat warld of Jupiter c1520-c1535 Nisbet Ephes. iii 11.
The before ordinance of warldis, quhilk He made in Crist Jesu our Lord 1549 Compl. 33/1.
The astrologien Metrodore affermit that ther is mony & infinit varldisfig. 1626 Garden Worthies 60.
Wreitts, volums, works, & wordless full of verss, Deputed to your praises speciall

b. The grete world, the universe, the macrocosm. c. The lytill warld, the world of man, the microcosm. 1456 Hay II 159/2, 3.
Rycht as the saule … steris, … and governis all the mannis body, sa dois the grete God in hevin steris … and governis all the hevynis. And tharfore is the man callit the lytill warld, for he has all the proprieteis that the grete world has

d. The kingdom of God. a1595 Cullen Chron. Aberd. 68.
That wardill quhilkis wantis end, Quhar dwellis a God, quhois hand from harme His choissin doitht defend

7. With indef. art. A large number or quantity of something. c1409-1436 Kingis Q. § 82.
Standing there I sawe A warld of folk c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 161.
Suete Womanhede I saw cum in presence; Of artilye a warld sche did in bring 1632 Lithgow Trav. i 16.
I beheld a world of old bookes 1685 Red Bk. Grandtully II 274.
Ther is such a world of our countriemen here