A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Sindry, Sundry, adv. Also: sindri(e, sindre, sinderie, syndri(e, synd(e)ry, sundrie. [ME and e.m.E. sundri (Layamon), sundry (1538), OE syndriᵹe; Sindry adj.]
1. Separately, severally.(a) 1375 Barb. xvii 297.
He … til gret lordis, ilkane syndri Ordanit ane felde for thar herbry 1423 15th Rep. Hist. MSS App. viii 33.
Grantand my ful and playn pouere to … Adam, Steuyn, and Hu, togeder or syndery, my landis … tyl vpgyf a1500 Rauf C. 29.
Be thay disseuerit sindrie, midmorne was past 1508 Reg. Privy S. I 250/2.
Patrik and Jhone … havand our said licence … baith or ane, togidder or sindry, to pas thar said pilgrimage(b) 14.. Acts I 337/2.
That thai mak baith evill and gude malt all togidder quhar thai aucht to mak thaim sundry 1587-99 Hume 60/274.
[They] sundrie through the earth were driuen c1679 Kirkton Hist. 406.
Upon this the company … went all sundry, and never met again 1685-8 Renwick Serm. 177.
They … are in hazard of their lives, and are hunted sundry, one from another
2. Apart, away (from one another); asunder; also, to break, draw, etc. sindry, to pull apart, separate; demolish.?a1500 Dewoit Exerc. 279.
Quhen the fals tormentouris … drew euery lith of ȝoure precius body syndry 1531 Bell. Boece I 150.
[They] sall … skaill als fast sindry, quhen adversite occurris, as thay assemblit togidder now 1531 Bell. Boece I 187.
His body wes drawin sindry with wild hors 1562-3 Winȝet II 37/22.
He beleuit that the self natuir of the Sone of God wes cuttit sindrie,—as that ane part perseuerit in God, and ane wthir part wes turnit in the body 1566-70 Buch. Comm. on Virgil Æn. i 118.
Rari: (far sindrie) 1566-70 Buch. Comm. on Virgil Eclogues iii 102.
Vix ossibus haerent: vix ossa coharrent (thair bains ar lyke to schaik sindrie) 1570 Cal. Sc. P. III 392.
[Which meeting cannot as yet be] broucht to [by reason they] ly sa far sindry 1573 Reg. Privy C. MS XLII 3b.
The small remanent of aislar work is brocht sindrie and schaikin lows 1573 Reg. Privy C. MS XLII 3b.
The … heavin of Sanctandrois … is brocht sindrie 1590-1 R. Bruce Serm. 74.
Look how weill we agree in the generall; in the particuler we loope als far sundry 1590-1 R. Bruce Serm. 206.
Death is a violent twinning and rugging sundrie of that quhilk the Lord hath appointed to bide together 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 186/3.
Quhen the uerse sall be shaikin sindrie in prose 1685-8 Renwick Serm. 306.
As far sundry as Lazarus and Dives
b. To tak (something) sindry, to take apart, dismantle.1567 Haddington B. Rec. (Robb) 7 Nov.
The said Mathow … oblist him to … tak the knok sundry, … & sall mend & sett hir up agane 1606 Dunferm. B. Rec. II 21.
To Johne & Harie Bullis for taking sundrie the knock and putting togidder againe 1623–4 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 155.
For … taking sindrie of ane mekill ark kist and putting of it togidder againe
c. In sindry, into pieces.Cf. Sindry adj. 4 d.c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 451.
Thay … ran to vther with sic fors That baith thair speiris in sindrie flaw
d. To hold sindry, to hold back, delay, postpone (a battle).1533 Bell. Livy II 45/4.
The Romanis war sa inflammyt with ire, and thare inemyis sa disparit … that the batel mycht nocht be haldin lang sindri
e. fig., and in fig. context.1551 Hamilton Cat. 237.
Lat nocht man thairfor sevir or put syndry that, quhilk God hes couplit togidder 1591 Crawford Mun. Invent. II 198 (16 May).
I sett my levin till haife maid the laird and maister Valter at concord and it dreue me and thame sinderie
