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.
Nethmast, -maist, -mest, Nedmast, -maist, -mest, Nedmost, a. [ME. (north.) neþemast, -mest (14–15th c.), (midl. and south.) neoþemaste, nyþemest, early neþemeste, OE. niþemesta, neoþemesta.After the early 15th c. only Sc. In the mod. dial as neth-, neath-, neithmaist, -mist, -most, nedmist, new-, now-, nyowmost, etc. (see SND, s.v. Neath).]Lowest, undermost, furthest down. Also absol.(a) 1490 Irland Mir. I. 161/26.
The nethmast realme of innemeis infernale ar subiekkit to the wertu … of Jhesu Ib. II. 35/13.
The nethmaist of thir four [sc. stages] is the hell Ib. MS. 298.
Nethmest 1526 Prot. Bk. J. Foular II. 224.
The nethmest hous of the clois(b) 1513 Perth Guildry 483 (18 apr.).
At the nedmast mylne of the thre 1549 Stirling B. Rec. I. 55.
To big upon thair saide dik and to breuke tua nedmest windois tharin 1562 Old Dundee I. 152.
The hicht betwix the nedmost pairt of them and the ground 1593 Edinb. Test. XXVI. 52 b.
He levis his vmest stok to Cristiane his dochter and the nedmest to … his vther dochterabsol. 1600-1610 Melvill 82.
Turning him selff to the bos windo whar, in the nedmaist, the Erl of Morton was standing gnapping on his staffend
