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.
Quhether, interrog. and rel. adv. Also: quhethir(e, qwhethir; whether, -ir; qwhedyr. [Late ME and e.m.E. whether, queþer (14–15th c.), var. of Quhither adv., influenced by Quhether conj.; ME also queder (Cursor M.), -ire, weder (a1300), etc., late ME quedur (15th c.), qweder (1471), var. of Quhidder adv., influenced by Quheder conj.]
1. interrog. To what place, whither? In a. direct, and b. indirect, questions.a. ?1438 Alex. (c1580) ii 52.
Gude man, quhether art thow went on way, Or quhan thow come, for God lat heir c1420 Wynt. v 2375, 2377.
Fadyr, quhethir [C. qwhedyr] nowe [W. Quhether, fader, now] Wytht-owt mynystyr passys thowe, Quhethire [C. Qwhethir] art thow hast wyth sa gret hy? a1500 Henr. Fab. 2259.
The volff said, Quhether dryuis thou this pray? c1590 Fowler I 275/11.
Quhat shal I do? quhat sal I say? or whether sal I goe Bot euen to Thé … ?b. 1375 Barb. vii 118 (E).
And the king … askyt thaim quhether thai wauld: Thai said Robert the Bruys thai socht c1400 Troy-bk. ii 827 (D).
But whethir thai Shold flee thai wist nocht, … And neuirtheles thai thus fleande Bot quhare thai suld pas nocht wittand [etc.] c1420 Wynt. iii 274.
Sampsone met thame on the way And askyd quhethir thare gat lay c1520-c1535 Nisbet III 323/15.
He … walkithe in dirknes, and wotithe nocht quhethire he goithe Brus (1571) vii 240.
The houswyfe … Scho askit him sone quhat he wes And quhence he come & quhethir he gais
2. relative. As compound relative: To whatever place to which, whithersoever.?1438 Alex. ii 6301.
I rede That we … conuoy him quhethir he will ga
