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Dictionars o the Scots Leid

A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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Only, -lie, Onely(e, a. Also: onlye, onlé, onelie, onyly. [ME. onlich (Ancr. R.), oonlich (14th c.), only, oonly, e.m.E. only, onely, etc., used in place of Anely a., Anerly a., Allanerly a.] Only.

1. That is the only one, sole. a1500 Tale of the Colkelbie Sow iii. 156.
His only sone c1500 Fyve Bestes 131.
The onely tynd that on his hed he baire 1536 Douglas Corr. 351.
And systyr to the Kyng our onyly son c1552 Lynd. Mon. 464.
Onelye a1561 Q. Kennedy Breif Tract. (ed.) 112/2.
The nerrest and only vay 1561 Id. Compendious Ressonyng (ed.) 159/12. 1560 Rolland Seven Sages 358.
Onlie 1560 Ib. 1115.
My onlielufe 1561 St. A. Kirk S. 101.
Owr Lordandonle saluior a1568 Scott xxi. 9. 1567 Acts III. 36/2. c1568 Lauder Minor P. i. 404. 1569 Reg. Privy C. I. 669.
Onelie 1573 Tyrie in Cath. Tr. (S.T.S.) 11/13.
The onlie faith and religioun kepith in the catholick kirk of Christ 1574 Edinburgh Testaments III. 128 b.
The onlie intromettour legatur & disponer of all my gudis a1585 Maitland Quarto MS lxxiii. 33.
For his onlie saik c 1584 Burntisland B. Ct. 7 Aug.
Only sone one lyff to Georg Thomsoun c 1595 James VI in Facs. Nat. MSS. III. lxxiv. 1596 Dalr. II. 413/1. 1598 Aberd. B. Rec. II. 167.
Thair onlie tred 1618 Lett. Eccl. Affairs II. 574.
The onlie lat of thair prevailing 1680 Scottish Notes and Queries 1 Ser. XII. 7.
Onlie laufull sone to William Catto

2. Ane, a onlie, a single, one. 1533 Boece iii. xx. 120.
To iupert the chance of the haill kinrik to ane onlie iournay be Scottis 1585 James VI in Melvill 242.
And a onlie man stelling that dint in a quyet holl 1602 Misc. Spald. C. II. 287.
Bot ane mynd and ane onlye intentioun 1620 Aberd. Council Lett. I. 184.
Ane sklinder narrative and ane onlie reasoun

3. In certain special applications.a. Indicating that only the referent of the noun phrase qualified is involved (as agent, cause, what is acted upon, and in other connections) in what is predicated; solely, merely. Also onlie ane.Chiefly preceded by a demonstr. or a possess. or accompanied by an of phrase following the noun (in ‘subjective’, ‘objective’ and other ‘genitive’ relations). 1531 Bell. Boece II. 18.
Discomfist be our onlie sicht 1531 Bell. Boece (M) II. 234.
Be ȝoure onlye mannassing & wourdis 1565 Reg. Privy C. I. 370.
That … the onelie mentioun of sa unressonabill a demand is sufficient 1565 Knox VI. 229.
I have set forth nothing … except this onely rude and indigest sermon preached by me 1572 Bann. Memor. 343.
The chanclarie I had nocht be his only labouris 1579 Acts III. 180/1.
The vaicance sall induir the onlie moneth of September c1590 J. Stewart II. 20/185. 1590-1 R. Bruce Serm. 154.
This only ane argument testifies [etc.] 1596 Dalr I. 93/13.
In thir only mantilis in the nycht seasone thay Rowit thame selfes 1585 James VI in Melvill 242.
And that onlie man advowing the deid 1600 Hamilton Facile Tr. 434.
Hir onlie corporal daith lousis that band

b. Indicating that only the referent of a noun or pronoun elsewhere in the sentence is involved in what is predicated: Sole. 15.. Clariodus v. 1242.
That he Was onlie victour of so grit meinȝe 1590 Edinb. B. Rec.V. 29.
Thrie maisteris to haif the onelie teaching of lassis c1590 Fowler I. 40/97.
In hir did rest my onelie hoipe 1597 Misc. Spald. C. I. 136.
He … said thow was his onlie deid 1600 Acts IV. 244/1.
The onlie and indoubtit heretable richt … of the beiring of all his hienes banneris; [etc.]

c. Qualifying the head-word of an adv. phr. and equivalent to an adverb (in the sense ‘only, solely’) modifying the phrase. 1601 Paisley B. Rec. 244.
The commoun effairs [of the burgh] … ar neglectit … in onelie negligence of the persouns of counsall not conveining