A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 1971 (DOST Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Mal(l)ewrus, Malheures, a. Also: malorous; malheurius (? -uis), -hereux, -hourous, mailhouris. [e.m.E. maleureus (Caxton, 1471), malerous (c 1475, c 1477), thereafter appar. only Sc., OF. maleuros, -ous, -eus (F. malheureux): cf. Mal(l)ure n.] Unfortunate, unlucky, ill-fated, ill-starred; also, misguided.1513 Doug. xi. Prol. 150.
Quha vertuus was, and fallys tharfro, Of verray rayson malewrus [R. mallewrus] hait is he 1533 Bell. Livy I. 47/23.
Sic dayis as wer happy and … vtheris sa mailhouris that na felicite mycht follow be thare operacioun 1558 Q. Kennedy Tractive 152.
The malheurius prince sal warie the time that [etc.] Id. Oratioune in 1558-66 Knox VI. 160.
Knox and diuerse vtheris, malhereux precheouris to the Congregatione a1585 Maitl. Q. xxxviii. 53.
O God, in love gif I be malhourous 1586 in Calderwood IV. 546.
The Lord forbid that … his Majestie sould fall in the smallest part of an hundreth of thy malheures mischanceteis c1650 P. Gordon Brit. Dist. 45.
Liweing in such a malorous tyme
