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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.

Now, adv. Also: nowe, nou, nw, nuw. [ME. nou, now(e, nu, early ME. nu, OE. nú.]

1. Now, at present.At this present time or juncture, at the present as opposed to the past or the future. Also quasi-noun.(1) 1375 Barb. ix. 740.
Bot thou reconsalit now mon be a1400 Leg. S. xvi. 721.
Myn der wyf, lewis thu now? Ib. xl. 366.
Hewyn … Quhare we vat vele thu nov is 1388 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 12.
Nov 1400 Ib. No. 44.
And now … spouses ane other wif 1402 Scone Indenture.
Cragmile … qvhilk is nw the saide Katerinys 1423 Edinb. Chart. 213.
Our bodijs … ar at your wyll now and altyme salbe redye [etc.] c1420 Wynt. ii. 176.
The jubile … [that] nowe we call the yherys off grace c1500-c1512 Dunb. xli. 13.
Be now and ay the maistir of ȝour will 1549 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 146.
Quhilk land wes now sua ruinous that [etc.] a1561 Q. Kennedy Breif Tract. (ed.) 129/13.
Quhen the apostlis vonderit quhow [etc.] … lik as men vonderris nowin thir dais a1570-86 Clapperton Maitl. F. lxxix. 21. a1585 Polwart Flyt. 818 (T).
Now I knaw thé 1596 Dalr. I. 30/3.
Bot now … only in thrie places is left 1638 Hamilton P. (Camden Soc.) 15.(2) 1385 3rd Rep. Hist. MSS. 410/1.
Thys Tewysday that nw ys 1389 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 15.
Our lorde the Kyng … Robert that now ys c1515 Asl. MS. I. 193/23.
Till our souerane lord that ryngis now present 1503 Blackfriars Perth 32.
Of the great met that now is(3) 1540 Maxwell Mem. I. 408.
The … inwytour of my lord of Orknayis geyr now in Edynbwrght 1558–9 Reg. Privy S. V. i. 117/2.
Ony ladeis now conjunctfearis 1567 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III. 21.
To the said Patrick Cheyne nov of Essilmontht 1568 Buch. Indict. 38.
Of the King now oure souerane 1569 Reg. Morton I. 45.
Beyond all vtheris nou on lyiff 1610 Dundonald Par. Rec. 210.
Nov(4) 1391 Antiq. Aberd. & B. IV. 380.
That land … neuer was distrublit bot nw c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 211 (C).
And sene that whyle now … It has stonden thar Ib. 264.(5) c1420 Wynt. vii. 76.
Quhat tyme na nowe may bettyr be a1500 Rauf C. 126.
Now is anis, said the coilȝear Ib. 148.
Now is twyse

b. Rarely relative to past time: = at that time, then. 1596 Dalr. II. 14/26.
Quhen Edward King of Ingland considirit that … Scotland was now at a gude poynte

c. Under the present circumstances; in view of these facts, in consequence. Also now that, in the circumstances that.(1) c1420 Wynt. i. 170.
The bybyll tellys it opynly Thar-for I lat it nowe ga by a1500 Seven S. 247.
Lord, now schawis wele ȝour callit son is bot a devill a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 470.
Thair is na schip that wil thé now ressaue a1570-86 Dunb. Maitl. F. clxix. 6.
Nou propois thai sen ȝe dwell still [etc.] 1513–14 Acta Conc. Publ. Aff. ii.
I man now in tyme of trubill … mak fer largear cost c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus iv. 374, 5. 1562-3 Winȝet I. 82/9.
Wthirwayis ȝour sones var vnclene, bot now thai ar haly a1570-86 Maitl. F. lvi. 77.
O mercy now Thow [sc. Christ] beiris the bell Off peice(2) a1578 Pitsc. I. 212/20.
Nou that the sone … Aganis the fader in battell come arreyit

2. Immediately after this, immediately here- or thereafter, forthwith, immediately.Also evin now and richt now. a1400 Leg. S. Prol. 147.
To the apostulis now will I 1398 Liber Melros 488.
Me Archebalde McDowell … to pay … in the maner that nw folowis c1400 Troy-bk. i. 566.
Now within this houre [etc.] c1450-2 Howlat 151.
And I sall not ȝow richt now thar names in ane c1475 Wall. V. 760. 1488 Reg. Episc. Aberd. I. 320.
[To] gif his letterez of manrent now to the said reuerend fader a1500 Seven S. 1112.
For I will drovne my self ewin now [: ȝow] Ib. 1099. 1529 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 20.
Ther is now ane fair to be hald 1564 Bk. Univ. Kirk I. 54.
That the same persones … sould now againe be putt in leitts

b. Next after this. — c1500-c1512 Dunb. liv. 2.
Now of ane blak I will indytt a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xlviii. 72.
We duell … vnder the star Antartic Nou wald we sie the Vrses and Pole artic

3. Immediately before the present time or the time referred to, just previously.Also evin now, richt now, now before and now of late (for examples of this last see Late a. 5). 1375 Barb. xvi. 274.
It is ane landar … That hir childyne richt now has tane a1400 Leg. S. iii. 962.
Fore this ioy falȝeand, thu Ay-lestand ioy has chosine nov Ib. xxx. 116.
His innys I spek of nov a1500 Seven S. 1713.
And did as nowe befor is said 1496–7 Acta Conc. II. 54.
Under greter panys becaus thai war summond now and comperit nocht 1515 Williamson in Doug. (Sm.) I. p. xxiii.
Ewyn now wils I vas vrittyng this copy … ther come a post 15.. Christis Kirk 193 (B). 1560 Rolland Seven S. 1705.
Now thow thy tale hes tauld … Better thow had not spokin 1593 Crim. Trials I. ii. 290.
Quhome the said laird of Ardincaple hes now maryt 1676 Dunbar Social Life I. 293.
Haveing beine now sex or seven weeks wery unabell

4. a. (Richt) as now, for the present, for the time being; also, immediately, at once. c1400 Troy-bk. i. 370.
Schyr … As now we say notht nay thar-till Ib. ii. 1830.
As ȝe haue herd … So that it may suffice rycht as now 1413 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III. 364.
In to the whilke landys … the wyffe whilum of Sir Alexander Frasare is joynte fyffare as now c1450-2 Howlat 33. 1456 Hay I. 292/6.
It is sufficiand ynouche to me to tell as now that [etc.] c1460 Alex. (Taym.) 3473.
It settis best to ȝow To do this message to the king as now 15.. Clar. iv. 1286.

b. Now instant, denoting the current year or month (Instant a. 1 a), also, at this present moment (see Instant 4). Now instantly, at the present time (see Instantly adv. 3 (1)), also, immediately, forthwith.(1) 1496 Acta Conc. II. 34.
To Teuisday the xij day of July now instant(2) 1539 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 165.
The boiche quhilk ryngis in diuerse partis of the same now instantly 1540 Reg. Cupar A. II. 7. 1548 Rec. Earld. Orkney 235. — 1532 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 161 (30 Apr.).
That Robert Turnbull sall pay James Turnbull x s. of mony now instantlie

c. Now or never. — c1610 Jok Uplandis Newis 9 a.
We man aither speak now or never 1616 Sutherland Corr. 122.
It will kythe now or newir

5. In certain legal formulæ which have the sense ‘at or for all or any present or future time, for all time’.For further examples of (3) see Ever adv. 4.(1) 14.. Reg. Paisley 375.
Of the qwylk soum … I … the said abbot … frely qwytclamys alsweyl nowbeand as fortocum for aylestand(2) 1428 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III. 460.
Or gif the said Andru will nocht wilfully fulfill the said mariage, the said Murthu oblisis nuw as than to the said Jonet 1480 Newbattle Coll. (Somerville).
As God forbeid I or myn ayris do than as now and now as than I bynd me … in the som [etc.] 1492 Douglas Chart. 138.
For ws and our successouris now as than and than as now 1524 Reg. Privy S. I. 491/2. 1548 Prot. Bk. Sir C. Craig 19.
Eftir his deces now as than and than as now is oblist his airris [etc.] 1578–9 Reg. Privy C. III. 113.
The said Erll of Mar … may stand now as then and then as now exonerit … of the bandis 1587 Conv. Burghs I. 251. 1611 Grant Chart. 210. 1618 Edinb. Test. L. 138.(3) 1527 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 230.
Now and for euer 1545 Perth Guildry 230 (6 Nov.).
Thairfor dischargis … the saidis Johne Malcumson [etc.] … of the saidis fyve ȝeris foir male as said is for now and euir 1577 Prot. Bk. J. Scott 37.

6. Now … now, used (in verse) to introduce antithetical clauses, phrases or words. c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 1718, 9.
That now as hillis hie it schawis, Now set laich c1420 Ratis R. 1242.
Now at the lwm, now at the killis [etc.] a1500 Henr. Fab. 2939, 2947. c1475 Wall. iv. 336 f. c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxxiii. 19, 20.
Now day vp bricht, now nycht als blak as sabill, Now eb, now flude, now freynd, now cruell fo [etc.]

7. In sense 2, but with more or less weakened temporal force. a. In commands or requests. a1400 Leg. S. V. 368.
Ga furth nov, And … Hele ȝone ded men c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 857 (D).
Now at the last thow pite ta Of this wreche her c1420 Wynt. iii. 876.
In tyll oure cutkane nowe yhe crepe Ib. vi. 1245.
Dame, Bryng wp this barne now I pray thé Ib. vii. 1543.
Quhy tynt we thé, now thow say? a1500 Rauf C. 311. c1500-c1512 Dunb. viii. 25. Id. x. 46. 1540 Lynd. Sat. 640, 642.
Now welcum, be the trinitie, … Now lat me brais thé in myne armes 15.. Black Bk. Taymouth 156.
Now, gude fallowis, harkin quhat I say to yow

b. Used to mark an important point in an argument or to introduce a new stage in a discourse.Chiefly placed at the beginning of the sentence or clause.(1) c1400 Troy-bk. i. 11.
Now to our text agane we ga Ib. ii. 2423.
Now frome the cite bot viii myle Of Thesaly a wod was c1500 Fyve Bestes 353.
Nowe be this taile it may richt wele be sene [etc.] 1549 Compl. 38/34.
Nou 1558 Q. Kennedy Breif Tractive (ed.) 142/21. 1590-1 R. Bruce Serm. 48.(2) a1568 Jok & Jynny 62.
Fyive hundreth fleis now in a flok 1562-3 Winȝet II. 38/18.
Efter the birthe now of the Virgine he says that [etc.]

c. As an interj., in our quots. introducing an imprecation. Also how now. a1500 Seven S. 2377.
The stewart … kennit the ryng & said how now That is my ryng 1540 Lynd. Sat. 646.
How hapnit thow in to this place? Now, be my sawle, bot evin be cace Ib. 652.
Now, be the haly sacrament, Tha tydanis confortis all my hairt 1560 Rolland Seven S. 1575. a1605 Montg. Flyt. 98 (T).
Now God seu kowisa. adj. (1) 1468–9 Reg. Episc. Aberd. I. 288.
In le Noulandis 1524 Hist. Pluscardyn 238.
The nowlandis of Corskie(2) a1400 Leg. S. xv. 82.
Clethe ȝow in nov clethynge a 1510 Aberd. Univ. Review XXXVI. i. 47.
Be tuix the ald wark and the nowe I met ane wenkollet clede in ploue a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 1115.
With rewthfull now repentans I record My gret vnthank 1530–1 Maxwell Mem. I. 260.
A now concord and frendschip to be … kypit betoux the saydis erles a1538 Abell *b.
Wychecraft God tholit in hald & now law 1558 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I. 295.
The … nowmer of futts of now glais extendis to xxx futts 1603 Montgomery Mem. 250.
For ane French Nou Testement [etc.] … vi s. 1624 Peebles B. Rec. I. 412.
For tua nowe staineis to the Ride Milne 16.. Adv. MS. 22.2.11. (Nat. Lib.).
Steepe thrie pyntis of raging now eale 1649 Wemyss Chart. 232.
10 els of nou skarlitt satin … the noue quheitt saitin(3) 1652 Rothiemay Kirk S. in J. Gordon's Hist. I. App. lix.
For to seike out for a now scoolmaisterb. a1400 Leg. S. xxxii. 614.
adv. Baptyst [him] & mad hyme thane … a now-borne mane 1530 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I. 33.
Ane bar now enterit and the tother … enterit in sommer last 1532 Dunferm. Reg. Ct. 57.
Quhill thai be now summond