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.
Quotation dates: 1375-1665
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Nere hand, Neir hand, adv. and prep. Also: ner, neire, neyr, neer, near(e and hande, and neirand. compar. nearer hand. [ME. (? orig. north.) and e.m.E. nerhand, nerehand (Cursor M.), e.m.E. neere-, near-hand, e.m.E. nerer hand compar. (1582): cf. Hand n. 6 a. Cf. also Ner hand.]
A. adv. 1. Near at hand, close by. (Of place or time). = Nere adv.2 1 and 2.(1) 1375 Barb. xii. 108 (E).
Quhen thai the Douglas saw nerhand, Thai wandyst 1375 Ib. xvi. 538 (C).
Men … That duelt on Hummyr or neirhand a1400 Legends of the Saints vi. 99.
A blak hund that ves nere-hand a1400 Ib. xxxiii. 279. 14.. Acts I. 36/2.
His nychtburis that duellis neyrhande ?1438 Alex. ii. 493; etc. c1420 Wynt. viii. 6714.
Neire hande c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace vii. 468.
Ner hand 1535 Stewart 51247.
Neir hand 1571 6th Rep. Hist. MSS. App. 654/2.
I wald skarslie hawe belevit ye would haue bene neir hand and wesiet me nocht 1596 Dalr. I. 44/4.
Vthiris … touris [are] erected to dryue away theiues neirhand 1596 Ib. 41/10.
Nerhand 1616 Rollock The Passion 213 (Jam.).
They were standing … so near hand that he speakes to them 1629 Aberd. Council Lett. I. 307.
Ner hand 1638 D. Dickson in Select Biographies II. 17.
[It] infects every man that comes neir hand 1644 Fraser Polichron. 292.
Nearehand 1665 Boyd Fam. P. No. 267 (3 Jan)
All … wther priviledges perteining thairto farr aff as neir handcompar. 1635 Dickson Wr. 55.
So the restless soul, by fleeing of danger, puts itself nearer hand(2) 1375 Barb. v. 307.
Till Palmesonday that ves neir hand 1637 Rutherford Lett. (1891) 378.
The day of the Lord is now near-hand
b. Close to (till, unto) a person or place or the performance of some action. = Nere adv.2 6.Also, in a similar manner (to), nearly in accordance (with).(1) 1375 Barb. ix. 129.
Till the Slevach thai com neirhand [E. ner hand] 1600 Elgin Rec. II. 79.
To play at the chew within the burgh or outwith neirhand to the samyn a1652 Dickson Psalms I. 307.
Being far from Him in their hearts when with their lips they draw neer-hand unto Him a1652 Ib. II. 124.
As straits do serve to drive the godly more and more neer-hand to God(2) a1652 Dickson Psalms II. 152.
A beleever may prove weak in the faith, … and be neerhand unto the quitting and renouncing of it(3) 1531–2 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 160.
Jhone Bennat … depones elyk wais or ner hand thairto
2. a. Nearly, almost, all but. = Nere adv.2 4. b. With terms of number, quantity, etc. = Nere adv.2 5.Ner hand as, almost as if.a. (1) a1400 Legends of the Saintsxxi. 703.
Thare-for of wit he ȝed nere-hand a1400 Ib. xxvi. 725.
Sancte Nicholas has me … nere-hand slan a1400 Ib. xxxii. 398.
Nerhand dede ?1438 Alex. ii. 10516.
Thair hors … War woundit neirhand out of lyue c1460 Alex. (Taym.) fol. 281 b.
Now neirhand I haue endit a1500 Henr. III. 91/52. a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 758. 1535 Stewart 18957; etc. 1560 Rolland Seven Sages 8778.
Quhen dennar neir hand it was at end 1563 Reg. Privy C. I. 247.
The wallis in sindrie partis ar revin … neir hand the ane side from the uther a1578 Pitsc. I. 407/6.
Nearhand 1600 Acts IV. 204/1.
Quhan they had neir hand dynit(2) a1400 Legends of the Saints xxxii. 126.
Bot brynt in that fel desyre Ner-hand as he ware in fyreb. a1400 Legends of the Saints vii. 268.
Turne to hym wald ner-hand nane a1400 Ib. xxix. 133.
& lay stil ane oure nerehand a1400 Ib. iii. 293, xxxi. 160. ?1438 Alex. ii. 476. c1420 Wynt. viii. 3926. c1515 Asloan MS I. 255/26.
He subiect to his obedience all Irland and Yngland to Themes nerehand 1561 St. A. Kirk S. 114.
Neirhand the space of fouyr yearis a1570-86 Maitland Maitland Folio MS xcv. 16. ?1549 Monro W. Isles 14.
The said Elsay being neir hand midsa betwixt the said marches 1608 M. Napier Mem. J. Napier 315.
Neirhand the thrid of Merchistoun 1651 Brown Paisley I. 261.
Twa horse and nerehand half an horse
3. (? At) close quarters, hand to hand.1596 Dalr. II. 281/14.
Tha fell to neir hand with naket swordes
B. prep. 4. Near or close to or upon. = Nere adv.2 8–12.(a) 1375 Barb. iii. 716.
Quhen thai the land wes rycht ner hand a1400 Legends of the Saints xxxiii. 56.
Quham-euir he fande In that swythare hym nere-hand c1420 Wynt. i. 576.
Bot gryphys gret nerhande thaim ar 1455 Acts II. 45/1.
Thai that ar ner hande the bordouris c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace v. 882.
The Sotheron saw how … Wallace abaid ner hand thar chewalry c1475 Ib. 1068.
Ner hand the nycht thai lychtyt apon Clyd c1475 Ib. ix. 1484.
Nerhand a1500 Buke of the Sevyne Sagis 829.
Ner hand(b) 1375 Barb. ix. 685 (C).
As he com … Neirhand the hous a1500 Henr. Fab. 1823 (Bann.).
Quhill it drew neir hand none a1500 Taill of Rauf Coilȝear 66.
I wait na worthie harberie heir neir hand c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxii. 79.
I say nocht, schir, ȝow to repreif, Bot doutles I ga rycht neir hand it 1513 Doug. Prol. i. 487. c1510 Prester John 311 b.
And thar neyr hand thar is ane vthir desert 1535 Stewart 56650.
The sone neirhand the erd did creip 1551 Hamilton Catechism 74. 15.. Dum Wyf 96.
I dar not cum neirhand hir ? a 1568 Sempill Sat. P. xlvii. 13. 1577–8 Reg. Privy C. II. 666.
The said Alexander … wes not present at the doing thairof nor neir hand the samyn a1578 Pitsc. I. 413/12. 1584 Sempill Sat. P. xlv. 772.(c) 1633 Rutherford Lett. (1891) 89.
It is near-hand the dawning 1635 Dickson Hebrews 47.
Obstinate disobedientes … lye neare hand final offcutting 1635 Id. Wr. 80.
Not afraid of woe nor aware of it when it is very near hand them c 1641–54 J. Gordon in Macfarlane's Geog. Coll. II. 513.
Two bays meat nearhand ther
C. 5. Comb. or in conjunction with other advs. or preps. = Nere adv.2 13.(1) 1375 Barb. xvi. 478.
adv. Quhill the Dowglas So neir hand by thair nychtbour was a1500 Buke of the Sevyne Sagis 181. 1535 Stewart 435.
Of nychtbour men that duelt than neirand by 1535 Ib. 32547.
Neir hand by c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 917; etc.
This ladie ludgit neirhand by 1560 Rolland Seven Sages 2908.
And in ane gutter he kest it neir hand by a1585 Maitland Quarto MS lxix. 20. 1616 Criminal Trials III. 390.
Ȝe sould haue them neirhand by 1640 Maister George Blacke His Masterlesse Men 5.
A young man, who was a gentlemans servant near hand by, in my neighbour paroch —1375 Barb. xviii. 498
Riweus that wes by neir hand —1535 Stewart 11190. 1535 Ib. 54734.
Of mony Scott wes neir hand buskit byprep. 1375 Barb. vi. 381.
In Douglasdaill … Or ellis weill neirhand thar by c1400 Troy-bk. i. 242.
For nere-hand by the cite war Fare forestis and parkis wyd c1420 Wynt. ix. 878.
He boltyd wp weile nere hand thame by 1535 Stewart 698.
His men that stude him neirhand by(2) ?1438 Alex. ii. 7111.
adv. Thow sall ryde efter the Bauderane, Neir-hand besyde 1535 Stewart 51246.
Ane vther strenth Neirhand besyde wnder ane hingand heuch a1540 Freiris Berw. 502.
Ȝe mone be on the flure Neirhand besydprep. c1420 Wynt. ix. 2569.
Tyl hald thaim in mare sikkyrnes Than nerhand a se besid
