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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.

Quhar(e)to, Quhairto, interrog. and rel. adv. Also: whar-, whair-, wher-. [North. ME warto (Cursor M.), whar-to (c1400), qwhare to (c1400), midl. and south. huerto (Ayenbite), wherto (Wyclif), where to (c1420), early war to (a1250), hwerto (a1225), Quhare C 5, To prep.]

1. interrog., in direct and indirect questions. a. To what place? b. To what thing or condition? 1494 Loutfut MS 10b.
Thar eftir all herrauldis … suld knaw the colouris of armorie & quhar to thai ar likinnyt & comparit a1508 Want of Wyse Men 11 (Ch. & M.).
For vntreuth we wate noucht quhare to it turnis 1596 Dalr. II 107/21.
He vset to ryde, able ȝe will speir, quhairto

c. To what end or purpose? Why? Wherefore?(a) c1475 Wall. vii 759.
Quhar to suld I her off tary ma? Ib. xi 311. a1500 Seven S. 1613.
He bad hir tell; scho said, Quhar to? 1513 Doug. ii ii 75.
Quharto Ib. iii vii 19.
Quharto c1520-c1535 Nisbet Matth. xxvi 50. a1538 Abell 27a.
Sche said, Quharto come ȝe heire?(b) ?1438 Alex. ii 10358.
Quhairto sould I mak lang my taill? c1500-c1512 Dunb. (O.U.P.) l 29.
Quhairto 15.. Clar. iii 1561, 1562.
Whairto for sleip sould I to bedis go, Or quhairto ryse, I waits of nocht bot wo? 1560 Rolland Seven S. 3606.
Scho said, Quhairto, or to quhat fect suld I Tell ony taill … ? Ib. 9062. 1573 Davidson Sat. P. xl 201.
Bot sum may say, Quhairto suld thow prefer This vprichtnes? a1578 Pitsc. II 72/23.
Quhairto lat we him speik ony farther? a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 653 (W).
Quod Wil, Quhairto [Wr. Wherto] suld he come heir? c1590 Fowler I 240/20.

2. relative. a. In the local sense: To which (place etc.). b. In non-material applications of To prep.a. 1513 Doug. i ix 56.
Throu all realmys quharto that drevyn am I 16.. Hist. Kennedy 47.
Thair wes ane cumpany of feall dykis, quhairto the hagbutteris raidb. c1400 Troy-bk. ii 417.
It plesed hem one thar best wyse To mak solempne sacrifice, Whar-to they put alway thar peyn a1538 Abell 103a.
Haly place sall nocht sauf thé quharto thow gaif na rewerence 1587 Aberd. Council Lett. I 16.
Conforme to the tenor thairof whairto thai be compellit as is alleigit 1588 King Cat. Sig. h. 5.
Quhairto thairfore do serwe the lowest only of the twa dominicall lettres c1590 Fowler II 103/16.
The captiuitie and servitud whairto sic infidells hes redacted that countrie Ib. 143/22. 1597 Household Bks. Jas. VI and Anne 30 April.
Quhairto is eikit the pais leueray to leuendis and gardneris 1600 Facs. Nat. MSS III lxxvi.
His lordship hes vrittin to me anent that purpos quhairto I vill accorde incas ye vill … bair a pairt 1600-1610 Melvill 117.
Partlie for gean [= gain], wharto he was gein

3. ? In addition to which, and furthermore. a1568 Sempill Sat. P. xlvi 27.
A fair vesschell abone the watter, And is bot laitly reikit to, Quhairto, till deif ȝow with tome clatter, Ar nane sic in the floit as scho