A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1986 (DOST Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quha-sum-ever, pron. and adj. Also: quhasom-, qwhasum-, qwasum-, whasom- and -evir, -ewir, -ewer. [North. ME qua-sim-euer (c1400), qua-sum-evire, late ME ho-ssum-euer (c1460), etc., e.m.E. whosumever, who-some-ever, pron., f. Quhasum pron. Variously written as one, two or three words.]
1. pron. As indef. compound relative: Any person who, whoever, if anyone.a1400 Leg. S. l 1135.
Quhasum-euir … mak mensione Of me & of my passione Graunt thame thar askine … For quhat-euir thing or quhen thai mak 14.. Acts I 26/2.
Quha sum evir be made new burges … he sall haf kyrset 1432 Soc. Ant. II 387.
That qwhasumever wald cum & by the sayde tenement … to haf it in fee & heritage a1561 Q. Kennedy Breif Tract. (ed.) 113/14. Id. Compendious Ressonyng (ed.) 160/39. 1576 St. A. Baxter Bks. 25.
Quhasomeuer 1584 Inverness Rec. I 295.
Quhasumewir 1633 Aberd. Trades 204.
Whasomever
b. As the subj. of a clause which is the obj. of a verb or a prep. Also with that.1560 Edinb. B. Rec. III 88.
The but at the Nether Bow to be cryit fre to be tane away be quhasumeuer that pleissis 1622-6 Bisset I 99/32.
Within sex dais … premonitioun … excommunicate … quhasumevir salbe fundin gyltie heirof
2. adj., with loss of relative force. a. Following the noun, latterly with an indef. adj. preceding the noun: = Whoever he or they may be, (any or all person or persons) at all.1429 15th Rep. Hist. MSS App. viii 10.
Tyll hys assygneis or speciale deputis qwa sumewer 1442 Charter (Reg. H.) No. 307.
Owr wil is … al owr schireffis balȝeis officiaris & vtheris owr liegis quhasumeuir that … opynly ȝhe proclame [etc.] 1572 Fam. Rose 261.
Quhasomewir 1599 Acts IV 180/2.
Be thir presentis they discharge ony persone quhasumeuir within this realme in onywyis to sell or by [etc.]
b. Preceding a (personal) noun: Any, any … at all, whatever.1581 Lanark B. Rec. 80.
That quhasumever burges or nychtbur being fund commettand offens … and being charget thairfor in ward, that na nychtbur sall spek for the relef of the offender quhill [etc.]
