A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1450-1664
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Carefull, Cairfull, a. Also: caer-, cearfull, cairefull, cayrful(l; kerful(l. [ME. careful (karefull, carful), OE. carful (cearful).]
1. Anxious, distressed, troubled, unhappy. c1450-2 Howlat 966.
Thus for my hicht I am hurt, … Cairfull and caytif a1500 Henr. Orph. 200.
Thare fand he mony carefull king & quene 1513 Doug. ix. v. 649.
To comfort that cayrfull creatur 1513 Ib. xii. viii. 26.
Doand the cayrfull husbandis vnderstand The gret myscheif to cum 1546 Lynd. Trag. Card. 38.
I am Dauid, that cairfull cardinall c1552 Id. Mon. 5747.
Cursit kyng Herode … With mony vther cairfull kyng 1567 Gude and Godlie Ballatis 62.
I … to the deide bowne, cairfull creature c1590 J. Stewart 36/230.
My cairfull corps
2. Expressive of trouble or distress; dismal. c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 243.
Amang the clewis so carefull was the crak c1500-c1512 Id. Tua Mar. W. 418.
My clokis thai ar caerfull in colour of sabill c1500-c1512 Id. xxv. 22.
We sall begyn ane cairfull soun, Ane dergy 1535 Stewart 57778.
With ane loude murmure and ane cairfull cry 1530 Lynd. Test. Pap. 701.
Cryand for ȝow the cairfull corrynogh c1550 Id. Meldrum 920.
Makand his mone With monie cairfull gant and grone 15.. Clariodus i. 738.
The cairfull echo ȝalmering to the sky c1590 J. Stewart 87/261.
He stuid … Vith hawie fixit eis and cairfull cheir
3. Causing anxiety or distress; painful. a1499 Contemplacioun of Synnaris 12.
The cairfull cummer and curst calimite 1535 Stewart 21883.
To Scot and Pecht that wes ane cairfull feild c1552 Lynd. Mon. 208.
Mortall misereis, With continuall, cairfull calamiteis c1552 Ib. 389.
Ȝe tell to me one cairfull cace c1568 Lauder Minor P. iv. 17.
Allace, heir is ane cairfull miserie 1568 Buch. Indict. 36.
He … wes constranit to pas agane to the vest cuntrie to drywe over his cairfull and miserable tyme a1585 Maitland Quarto MS lxv. 184.
Quhilk sicht sall bring our cairfull cairis to end
4. Taking care, solicitous. 1568 Lennox Mun. 420.
I schal bi als kerful off your weil … as you schal wuische mi 1573 Satirical Poems xxxix. 320.
He, sa cairfull for oure countrie men a1585 Maitland Quarto MS lxvii. 5.
Be cairfull ay for to invent The way to get thy awin intent 1594 Edinburgh Testaments XXVII. 297.
To be cairfull of the said Wm Neilsonis weilfair & educatioun 1623 Lett. & State P. Jas. VI 355.
Be kerfull of ȝour servand, my auld mane 1664 Aberd. B. Rec. IV. 208.
Ordering them to be cairfull that no shippes or goods arryued … without dew tryall
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"Carefull adj.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 15 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/carefull>
