A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1971 (DOST Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Mervail(l)ous, -vell(o)us, -val(l)ous, Marvailous, -vell(o)us, -lal(l)ous, a. (adv.). Also: -vailus; -veillous; -vel(l)ouse, -vel(o)us, -is, -welus, -is; -valus, -wal(o)us, -is; -vol(o)us, -wolus; -viellous, -vilus. [ME. (c 1330) and e.m.E. merveil(l)ous, -veylouse, -vailouse, -vellus, -vilos, marvelliows, OF. merveillos.]
1. adj. Such as to excite wonder or admiration, to be marvelled at; marvellous, wonderful; amazing, astomshing; extraordinary, remarkable; miraculous.Also absol. as noun.(1) 1456 Hay I. 15/5.
Then apperit a mervaillous visioun till him Ib. 37/29.
Babilone the mervailous Ib. 43/25.
A prophetes … talde mony mervailous thingis of the tyme tocum Ib. 49/21.
The quhilk of peple had sik a multitude that was mervaillous Ib. II. 7/17.
Marvailous a1500 Henr. Orph. 43 (Ch. & M.).
Caliope, that maidyn meruailus(b) c1420 Wynt. v. 299.
Off marwelus [C. merwalis] and gret dedys sere He wes bathe doare and kennere c1460 Alex. (Taym.) 599.
Sa faire ane hors sa mervelus ane destrall Ib. 2727. a1500 Henr. Fab. 567 (Ch.).
This tod … Desauit wes be menis richt meruelous Ib. 1622 (Bann.). 1513 Doug. viii. Prol. 174 (Sm.).
Marvalus c1552 Lynd. Mon. 4369.
This is ane marvellous monarchie 1560 Rolland Seven S. 74. 1567 G. Ball. 214.
Meruellus 1568 Hosack Mary Q. of Scots 533.
His marvelous seiknes … seamyng rather artificiall than naturall(c) a1500 Henr. III. 147/49.
Hir mervalus haill madinhede Id. Orph. 253 (Asl.).
Cerberus … a monstour merwalous 1490 Irland Mir. I. 158/24.
This haly froit, blist Jhesus, was merwalus Ib. 45/30. 1492 Myll Spect. 281/3.
Quhen Paris persauit the mervalous defens of this Achilles a1500 Bk. Chess 1688.
The chastite it was so merwalous Off Ypocras Ib. 1244. c1515 Asl. MS. I. 169/21. Ib. 236/26, 263/5. c1552 Lynd. Mon. 2431.
Meruallous 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 42.
Marvalous a1578 Pitsc. I. 67/3.
Ane marvalus exampill to all mortall men(d) 1533 Gau 39/13.
The marwolus conceptione and birth of Jesus Christ Ib. 3/24.
Marvolous 1562-3 Winȝet II. 26/22. Ib. 47/20.
O meruolous turning of materis(e) 1596 Dalr. II. 436/14.
A meruiellous maitter(2) c1475 Wall. v. 41.
Thar cruell deide rycht merwalus to ken c1500-c1512 Dunb. xlviii. 163.
The birdis … Quhois mirthfull soun wes mervelus to heir(3) a1561 Q. Kennedy Breif Tract. (ed.) 125/23.
absol. And it mich be comprehendit be naturall reasone it var na mervalus and miracle
b. Such as to excite wonder on account of great size, number, degree etc.; very great; huge, tremendous.c1450 Cr. Deyng (S.T.S.) 116.
Thir men … thole in thar seknes meruolus dolur and infirmyte 1456 Hay I. 39/10.
The grete and mervaillous power, riches and … estate of that toun a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 487.
In number maruellous a1500 Bk. Chess 571.
Hire effraye was wounder mervalous c1500-c1512 Dunb. xliv. 15.
Mervellus Ib. lxxvii. 42.
Of mervelous bewtie 1531 Bell. Boece II. 151.
With mervalus affection and kindnes 1535 Stewart 25653.
With thanking meruelous Ib. 36208.
With cloudis mervelus 1549 Compl. 53/31. c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 615.
Ane maruellous congregatioun c1552 Id. Mon. 2271. 1562-3 Winȝet II. 51/4.
Be a meruolous capacitie of mynd Ib. 4/6.
Meruolous 1567 G. Ball. 127. a1578 Pitsc. I. 138/23. 1596 Dalr. I. 20/14. Ib. 31/31, 279/2.
A beist of a meruellous audacitie and suiftnes 1611 Crim. Trials III. 165.
They passed that day in mervelous anxietie 1614 Melvill lx. c1616 Hume Orthog. 23.
A mervelouse libertie
c. Of persons: Exciting wonder or admiration for accomplishments or endowments; wonderfully accomplished, gifted or successful; also, wonderfully fortunate. Also absol. as noun.(1) c1420 Wynt. ii. 1258.
That Dedalus Wes in his dedys merwalus Ib. v. 886.
Off dedys sa mervalus a1538 Abell 2* b.
Barnys marwalus of ingyn 1567 Sat. P. iii. 41.
Of musick meruelus 1596 Dalr. II. 44/31.
Vpon the cythar meruellous(2) c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxxi. 1.
We lordis hes chosin a chiftane mervellus 1560 Rolland Seven S. 8969.
Fyne phisitianis, meruellous medicinaris(3) 1540 Lynd. Sat. 2268.
Now be content; ȝe ar ane mervelous man(4) a1500 Seven S. 2140.
absol. Thai war avisit thus To seike Merlyng that merwalus
2. adv., modifying adjectives and adverbs: Remarkably, extremely, very.Cf. Mervaillously adv.c1490 Irland Asl. MS. I. 45/1.
It is rycht mervalus proffitable to a persone to dispone him for prayere 1521 Douglas Corr. 77.
If it [the bischopric] could be purchased it shuld make merveillous grete riek in Scotland 1533 Boece iii. xix. 118.
Ane purpure skawbert mervellus craftelie wrocht Ib. viii. xi. 274 b.
Mervellus penitent 1543 Corr. M. Lorraine 35.
For the skaith sustenit … is mervalous greit 1543–4 Ib. 68. 1545 Ib. 169. 1549 Ib. 296.
Marwelis c 1556 Edinb. Hammermen 192 b.
At this tyme all thingis concerning begin wes mervalus deyr 1559 Cal. Sc. P. I. 277.
Marvolus evill 1562-3 Winȝet I. 50/1.
A meruelis haisty change to be amangis christianis 1568 Skeyne Descr. Pest 42.
Maruelous maturatiue 1571 Misc. Bann. C. III. 125.
They gafe me a potion of medecine … wherby I was mervelous seik 1583–4 Cal. Sc. P. VII. 42.
Mervelus malcontent 1596 Dalr. I. 7/10.
Heir a dry knowe or … a thick wodd, all meruellouse delectable to the eye
