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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.

Quharewith, Quhairwith, interrog. and rel. adv. Also: quhar-, qwhar-, whar-, whair- and -withe, -witht, -uith, -wyth. [North. ME ware-wit (Cursor M.), whar-with (Rolle), south western ME ȝware-wiþ (1297), -with (c 1290), Quhare C 5, With prep. Cf. Quher(e)with.]

A. interrog. With what? c1420 Wynt. iv 1444.
Nor … walde he … spere quhar-wyth [C. qwhar withe, W. quhare with] thai chargyde were

B. relative. 1. As a compound relative: (To have) quharewith, (to have) the means with which (one may pay, buy, etc.), (to have) the means with which (one may pay, buy, etc.), (to have) the wherewithal (to buy etc.), and ellipt.Also quhare-with that.(1) 14.. Burgh Laws c. 23 (B).
The hayre haf nocht qwharwyth he may pay his fadris det 14.. Acts I 39/2.
Thai nocht hafande quhar wyth that thai mycht it by 1639 Ib. V 618/1.
That nather the schoemakeris [etc.] … can have quharwith to work(2) c1575 Balfour Pract. 615.
Gif thay [seamen ashore] tarry lang, thay aucht to mak amendis, gif thay have quhairwith

2. In instrumental uses or the like: By means of which, whereby.(a) 1375 Barb. iv 171 (E).
Thai wittaill na fewell had Quhar-with thai mycht the castell hald a1400 Leg. S. xlvii 96.
The irne of his haund can fal Quhar-with he sulde turne with-al ?1438 Alex. ii 548. 1511–12 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 14.
David Broun as borch producit the commissioun of Selkyrk quharwyth he had borowit James Bradfut 1513 Doug. x xiii 20.
Quharwith Ib. vi v 114, xii x 123. a1538 Abell 12b.
He fand all kynd of tormentis quharwith mertyrris wes eftirwert punist 1588 King Cat. 77.
In the words of consecratione quharwith the priest … consecrats the bread and wyn c1590 Fowler I 70/84.
These knottis wharwith thow hes so bund and coupled me Ib. II 113/23.
The meanes wharwith to be liberall 1664 S. Ronaldshay 46.
Ane dirk … quharwith openly he threatned [etc.](b) 1535 Stewart 34380.
And als, quhairwith to caus ȝow to be leill, Sextie ȝoung lordis for pledgis I will haue Ib. 39510 heading.
How King Duncane send the wyne and aill … quhairwith thai war all drokin Ib. 53760.
Quhairfoir the king ane dager sone he drew, Quhairwith this tirrane in the kirk he slew 1551 Hamilton Cat. 105.
With the same mesour quhairwith ye met to uthir, it salbe mettit agane to yow 1560 Rolland Seven S. 6874. 1573 Reg. Privy C. II 232.
And thair hes brokin thair … stanys quhairwith thay purposit to big c1590 Fowler I 292/38.
Through heate [and] woe and la[n]gour great whairwith I am now foyld Ib. 138/2.
Quhairwith 1596 Dalr. II 213/22.
For his thift [etc.] … quhairwith his lyfe he had bleked 1597 Skene Verb. S. s.v. Collistridivm.
Ane pillorie or stocks or onie band quhair with the craig or hals is bund 1599 Acts IV 188/1. 1628 Aberd. Council Lett. I 294.
To wreit these lynes whairwith to render unto you most hartlie thanks 1629 Justiciary Cases I 97.
Ane fishing boit quhairuith to fishe in the tyme of the hering druve a1650 Row xxix.
Quhairwithe c1650 Spalding I 348.
He gat ane smithis fyll convoyit in, quhairwith he schure the iron from his foot 1655 Conv. Burghs 400.
The fourt pairt … quhairwith he measured the samyn

3. In various other uses with specific noun antecedent.As: with which (to clothe, endow, charge, furnish; to infect; to join; to acquaint, engage; etc.). 1513 Doug. v xii 19.
His helm … Quharwith in the derenys cled was he 1560 Rolland Seven S. 9927.
Lipper quhairwith he is infect 1562-3 Winȝet I 40/23. a1578 Pitsc. I 408/29.
The worde of God to have frie passage in his realme quhairwitht he aught to be instructit 1581 Hamilton Cath. Tr. in 1573-1600 Cath. Tr. (S.T.S.) 75/3.
Be his thankfull spreit tovart your majesty quhairuith God hes endeuit his grace aboue sindrie vther michtie princis 1581 Bk. Univ. Kirk II 501.
All thingis … as landis, biggingis, possessionis, … quhairwith the kirk is doittit 1582 Misc. Spald. C. II 337.
This importable burding quhairwith I am chargeit c1590 J. Stewart 96/596.
Thair bluid vpsucking, quhairvith blubbrit beine His visage quhilk appeird so bawld befoir c1590 Fowler II 140/3.
Be the leddars whairwith his enmeyes hes furneshed him Ib. 10/15, 108/33. 1596 Dalr. I 64/1.
Quhairwith a1599 Rollock Wks. I 349.
It suld ever mak us aggrege that love quhairwith he hes loved us 1609 Garden Garden 27.
To reape the fruites … Whairwith the plaine is now orespread alwhair c1616 Hume Orthog. 29.
With of, it [sc. the genitive] followes the noun quhar-with it is joined 1627 Glasgow Chart. II 583.
Quhairwith 1644 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 20.
Quhairwith the saidis bailies promisit to acquaint the counsell this day c1650 Spalding I 124.
Quhairwith 1676 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Processes No. 219.
Mr. James Kirk … liveing of that holie studie quhairwith he ought to have bein taken seriouslie up with

4. Where the antecedent is to be inferred from the preceding context: Arising out of, or in consequence of, which (circumstance), and consequently, and so. a1538 Abell 6a.
Fayr Medea … wes a mygramissure, quhare with sche did gret skaith a1578 Pitsc. I 135/14.
Sen we have loissit the boundis within the realme of France and the south of Scottland quhairwith soum hope was to recover the samin againe quhilk now we despair allutterlie

5. (Angered, aggrieved, etc.) at which.With specific antecedent and with antecedent inferred from the context. 1562-3 Winȝet I 67/18.
In ony controuersie affirmit be ȝou, quharewith thai be offendit 1567 G. Ball. 22.
I wyte my greit trespas Is cause of all my wo, Quhair with God greuit was 1570 Leslie 48.
Erle of Mar … causit strik ane cunye of copper unmeit … quhairwith the pepill grudgeit 1629 Black Orkn. & Shetl. Folklore 77.
His wyff refusit yow quhairwith ye was angrie