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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI). Includes material from the 1976 and 2005 supplements.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

OUTWITH, prep., adv., adj., n., v. Also outwuth, ootwuth (Abd. 1880 G. Webster Crim. Officer 82), oot'ith; utwith (Sc. 1825 Jam.). [′ut′wɪθ]

I. prep. Outside, out of, beyond. Gen.Sc.Abd. 1705 Abd. Jnl. N. & Q. II. 309:
It shall be leisum to them . . . to take themselves outwith the family.Sc. 1724 Records Conv. Burghs (1885) 341:
None dwelling out of burrows use merchandize, nor top nor sell wine, wax, etc., nor staple goods, outwith burrows.Sc. 1735 Session Papers, Petition C. Sheriff (16 Dec.) 3:
Putting the Salt on board the Lighters, outwith the Supercargo's Presence.Sc. 1875 P.S.A.S. X. 286:
It is only probable that outwith this row there had been an outer course of piles.Rxb. 1923 Kelso Chron. (11 Dec.) 2:
Savings Certificates. — Sales during October — Berwickshire (outwith burgh), 1162.Knr. 1925 H. Haliburton Horace 240:
Drive off the evils that we dread, Outwith us and within's.Sc. 1937 St. Andrews Cit. (24 April) 3:
It [the car] was outwith the control of the driver.Sc. 1947 H. Farmer Hist. Music Scot. 216:
In music, there was but one name, John Abell (d. 1724), and he gained his fame outwith Scotland, to use the appropriate Scots word.Sc. 1962 Scotsman (8 Oct.) 1:
Comunn na h-Oigridh, the youth section of An Comunn Gaidhealach, is to be placed outwith the parent body's immediate management and control.Gsw. 1983 George MacDonald Fraser The General Danced at Dawn (1988) 66:
"It'll be outwith the battalion, ye see. Aye, auld Wullie, he'll be the forgotten man of Heliopolis nick if the redcaps get their way." Sc. 1991 Scottish Banker Aug 30/1:
If a banker did something outwith business hours which should be done within business hours he could not claim to be acting 'in the ordinary course of business'. Gsw. 1991 James Kelman The Burn (1992) 73:
Outwith the Palace Grounds the sudden reversals were being met by widely differing though often violent retorts. Sc. 1994 Candia McWilliam Debatable Land (1995) 110:
Did the sea count as space although it was outwith the boat? m.Sc. 1994 Peter McCarey in Daniel O'Rourke Dream State 27:
...They worked outwith their majesty's tidal sway neither on nor under the land.... Sc. 1995 Stornoway Gazette 13 Jul 12/2:
There were no restrictions on where they found this 25%; though, it could be outwith their region. Sc. 1997 Shetland Times 10 Oct 2/3:
But someone living outwith Shetland has only to spend one night in the islands to be able to qualify as a potential resident.

‡II. adv. Outside, out-of-doors, outwards (Sc. 1710 T. Ruddiman Gl. to Douglas Aeneis; Fif. c.1850 R. Peattie MS.; Abd., Kcd. 1964) beyond a certain limit.Sc. 1701 Burgh Rec. Gsw. (1908) 321:
To determine and mark out to him how far he is to come outwith.Abd. 1768 A. Ross Helenore (S.T.S.) 89:
Colen her father, who had outwith gane.Abd. 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb xli.:
The two being now, as Hairry put it, only “freen's fae the teeth ootwuth.”Ags. 1895 Caledonia I. 433:
Bein' a hantle ootwith an' hearin' the maist o' fouk's stories.Abd. c.1930:
Tak that trash awa' oot'ith a bit, an' burn't.

III. adj. Outward, outermost, outlying (Abd. 1964).Sc. 1819 Scots Mag. (July) 256:
An' fesh my hawks sae fleet o' flicht To hunt in the outwith lan'.Abd. 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb xlv.:
Nae the ootwuth nyeuk o' fat we ca' the Pardes park?Abd. 1917 C. Murray Sough o' War 15:
They wandered awa' on the ootwith roads.Bch. 1943 Scots Mag. (March) 446:
They've teen a waefu' ootwith gait we've never had to tak'.

IV. n. The outer world, the district beyond one's immediate circle.Abd. 1882 W. Alexander My Ain Folk 98:
He's as weel kent there as he's respeckit to the ootwith.

¶V. v. To go beyond, exceed, overreach.Bnff. 1935 I. Bennet Fishermen vii.:
Ye're so clever, ma lad, ye'll ootwith yersel' yet.