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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. X).
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Strang(e, Strainge, adj. (adv.). Also: straynge, streng(e, straunge, strawnge. [ME and e.m.E. straunge (c1290), strange (1297), strawnge (Cath. Angl.), OF estrange (1080 in Larousse), L. extrāneus external, foreign.]

A. adj. 1. Of persons or things: Of another country, foreign, alien; belonging to a place other than one's own, unknown in one's own locality.(a) 1375 Barb. iv 469.
The king arywyt in Arane … And speryt … tithand Off ony strang [C. strange] men in that land 1375 Barb. ix 688. ?1438 Alex. ii 2671.
Throw strang men [F. gent d'estranges terres] ar men succured in feild c1420 Wynt. ii 322.
His bredyre ten salde hym [sc. Joseph] for-thi Tyll strang [C., W. strange] merchandys for inwy ?14.. Ship Laws c. 4 (H1).
Of ilk fraell of saip remanand in the burgh of strangemanis vnsauld 14.. Acts I 5/2.
Of herberyng of strange men [L. de advenis hospitandis] 14.. Acts I 308/2.
And ilk strange man [L. extraneus] that aw custom … for a bol [of salt] he sal gyf nocht 1456 Hay I 235/17.
Ambassadouris of strange princis suld nocht be stroublit c1475 Wall. iv 179.
He chargit nayne bot at thair awne gud will; For thai war strang [1570 Thocht thai war strangeris] 1513 Doug. i Prol. 269.
This other buke … Quhilk vndir cullour of sum strange Franch wycht so Franchly leys 1550 (c1650) Dundee B. Laws 13.
All strang shippes resortand to the port and peir of this brugh c1552 Lynd. Mon. 88.
Tyll strange pepyll thoucht He hes geuin lycence To be our scurge c1552 Lynd. Mon. 634.
To pronunce of wordis ten thousand In strange langage 1559–60 St. A. Kirk S. 13.
We hartlie renunce … prayeris in strange language, and multipliing of them to certane numer 1562-3 Winȝet II 32/30.
Lat ws go and follow strange Godis, quhome thow misknawis 1635 Dundonald Par. Rec. 399.
The said minister and elders have interdytit … all the members of thair said paroch to supplie strange beggars comming from any other paroch quhatsoever in any sort of … meit, drink, loodging 1611-57 Mure Psalmes cxliv 7.
O Saue me from strang children's hands [L. alieni genarum](b) 14.. Burgh Laws c. 92 (B).
Na burges dwelland in the burgh aw to herbery a straynge man langar na a nycht in hys hows 1549 Compl. 24/20.
The oncoutht ande straynge pepil sal eyt the frute of the eyrd that thou hes lauborit(c) 1533 Gau 8/25.
Thou sal haif na oder strenge godis

b. Of a country or place: Foreign; situated outside one's own land. c1420 Wynt. vi 1573.
Chefftanys … and maste oure-men Of that straynge natyowne That mad this felle dystructyowne ?14.. Ship Laws c. 1 (H2).
The schip passis out of the land and cummis to Burdeus or to ony vthir strange steid 14.. Acts I 25/2.
Gif schippis of othir strange kynrykis arryfis in the kyngis lande of Scotlande a1500 Colk. Sow ii 217.
This maid … wes Ȝoung faderles leuit and eik modirles In strenge lond 1492 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I 63.
For the haisty expeditioun of justice betwix nychtbour and nychtbour of this burgh and betwix ws and thame of straynge realmes and countreyis 1497 Aberd. B. Rec. I 425.
Of the infirmitey cumm out of Franche and strang partis 1513 Doug. iii viii heading.
Eneas … mony strange wentis hes salyt by 1513 Doug. vii iv 179.
All the spaymen declaris, … Thar suld cum to remane in Italy, Fra strange costis [L. externis ab oris], to be our son in law, A douchty man 1549 Compl. 96/35, etc. c1554 Makeson Genesis 5b.
Isaac passit in to ane strenge cuntre … for to eschew the dertht a1578 Pitsc. I 274/9.
Mackleine ane gret man of the Yleis … thinkand that he was intill ane strang cuntrie and amang his enimyes handys 1616 Misc. Hist. Soc. II 154.
Leeving lang strangers in ane strange cuntrie

2. Of a person: That does not belong to one's own kin, unrelated. 1460 Hay Alex. 2147.
Sen his are he hes me made and tane … I sall keip [= prevent] him strange aris to ma

3. Unknown, unfamiliar; not met with before. Also const. to.(1) ?1438 Alex. i 724.
Ȝe sould not mak ȝour messinger Of ane pure man that strange [F. povre home estrange] wer c1475 Wall. iv 273.
The moss was strang, to ryde thaim was no but a1500 Seven S. 2391.
Ȝone strange knycht I wis He has the lykest ryng to this c1500 Goudie Shetl. Antiq. 172.
In aventour this present writting be nocht our legiable for the strange leid and termis contenit … ban nocht the hand that wret it for it is als obscoir to the wrettar 1513 Doug. vii ii 45.
As thou art careit till a strange cost [L. ignota ad litora vectum] 1533 Boece 183.
Auld thesauris and hurdis fundin in diuers placis replete of strange money 1533 Boece 75.
With strange delicate chere began to spring strange maladeis vnkend afore c1536 Lynd. Compl. Bagsche 206.
Than sal ȝour plesour turne in pyne, Quhen ane strange hounter blawis his horne 1538–9 Crim. Trials I i 215.
He haid rather speak fyve words to the vnderstanding and edefeing of his people, then ten thowsand in a strainge tongue whilk they understand not 1549 Compl. 133/31.
Quhen ve happyn to cum in ony straynge companye 1560 Bk. Disc. 244.
Yf any be noted … bringyng in any strange doctrine, he must be admonished by the moderatouris 1560 Rolland Seven S. Prol. 172.
Force me compellis strange termes to forbeir, Within my box thairs few to get or leir 1563 Ferg. Tracts 7.
That ye … bring not in an strange doctrine and vncouth in the Church of God; aliene and inpertinent … to Gods word a1585 Maitl. Q. 19/89.
In dreid sum strainge new institutioun Cum and our custome put away c1590 J. Stewart 226 § 104.
Our craig and cleuch … Ay feiring for to find sum mortall fall So strict and strainge that vay becaminfl. pl. c1545 St. A. Univ. Rec. xxi.
Consideringe the incressinge of hereces and strangis opinionis amangis the commone pepill(2) c1420 Wynt. viii 634.
Thare namys I can noucht all declere, For thai ar strawnge till yhow till here … Thai are noucht eth till wndyrstand, … Expressyd to be in oure langage c1500-c1512 Dunb. (STS) xiv 9.
So nyce array, so strange to thair abbay, Within this land was nevir hard nor sene 1565 Knox VI 253.
True it is that this weaning (or speaning as we terme it) … is a thing straunge to the flesh

b. Unprecedented. 1582–3 Reg. Privy C. III 541.
The same commissioun [of justiciary] wes … worthelie reduceit … as a power strange and unsufferabill to be in the persoun of ony inferior subject

4. Exceptional, extreme (in degree or intensity). 1530 Lynd. Test. Pap. 525.
Efter quhose deith quhat strainge aduersiteis, Quhat gret mysreule, in to this regioun rang

5. Unusual, abnormal, peculiar; difficult to understand or account for.(a) a1500 Rauf C. 147.
The king profferit him to gang, and maid ane strange fair a1500 Colk. Sow i 437.
This is bot a fantesy And littill poynt of poetry … And ȝit this is a strange cais 1513 Doug. iii ix 5.
Than suddanly … We se a strange man of form onknaw 1531 Bell. Boece I xlii.
Becaus the procreation and nature of salmond is … strange, we have inserit the maner thairof in this buke c1552 Lynd. Mon. 6101.
Quhose jugementis ar vncersiabyll And strange wayis inuestigabyll a1561 Q. Kennedy Breif Tract. (ed.) 121/24.
‘Flesche and bluid sal nocht possesse the kyngdome of heawine’. Thir vordis apperis strange, considderrynge [etc.] 1570 Sat. P. xxi 96.
Thir haistie heitis sa sall ȝe slokin, Thocht it seme neuer sa strange 1558-66 Knox II 378.
Ye can never be excuissed befoir God of this freammed and strange intreatment of your wyff 1587-99 Hume 21/129.
He knawes the strange instinctions all … Of fishes and of flichtring fouls a1599 Rollock Wks. I 413.
Heir is ane stranger battel nor ever was fouchtin 1600-1610 Melvill 487.
Being in Falkland I saw a funambulus, a Frenchman, play strang and incredible prattiks upon stented takell in the palace-clos 1650 Dunlop P. II 95.
Schoe took a strang and uncow disease 1698 S. Ronaldshay 70.
Mr. Alexr. thinks it strange he should be lybelled upon this head; it had been more fit he had lybelled his parishioners(b) 1638 Johnston Diary (1911) I 332.
Strainge(c) c1500-c1512 Dunb. (STS) xxvi 86.
Thay wer full strenge of countenance, Lyk turkas birnand reid 1560 Cal. Sc. P. I 292.
[Our friends may think it] strenge & uncoutht [that the French are] sa lang onfouchin [with] 1615 Highland P. III 224.
Streng(d) 1569 Sc. Hist. Rev. I 40.
Is no this a strawnge case that they wil not suffer that gwdeman to live amangst ws? 1590–1 Crim. Trials I ii 222.
Hee was commaunded to have a most straunge torment … His nailes upon all his fingers were riven and pulled off

6. Unfriendly, cold, distant. Also, to keep strange, to behave in a cold or distant manner.(1) c1500-c1512 Dunb. (STS) lxix 32.
My freind, cum neir, And be nocht strange, I thé requeir a1561 Norvell Meroure 13b.
If ye in tymes past, were strange and nyce a1568 Scott xxi 18.
I fand hir of ane staffage kynd, Bath staitly, strange, and he a1568 Bann. MS 256a/15.
Be scho strange & vnkynd I gif hir to fary 1568 Hosack Mary Q. of Scots I 544.
Diuers noblemen writt to hir, requiring to knaw the trewth of hir strange and irreverent handilling a1570-86 Maitl. F. 329/1.
Thocht that this warld be verie strange And thevis hes done my rowmes range And teymd my fald 1572 Buch. Detect. (1727) 133.
I was the caus of his maladie becaus of the regrait that he had that I was sa strange unto him a1585 Maitl. Q. 107/106.
O gif luif causis strainge inamitie a1585 Arbuthnot in Maitl. Q. 121/88.
Ather man I vse scurrilitie Or ellis sic strainge and vncouth fremmidnes a1585 Maitl. Q. 253/1.
Ane new fairweill a strainge gudnicht Of thé periurd and ladye fals 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 38/6.
In youre prayer be nather ouir strainge uith God … nor yett ouir hamelie uith him 15… Crawford Mun. Invent. II 58.
I heir that our cousing is sumthing strange and heycht(2) 1668-9 Fraser Lawfulness Separ. 132.
Friends keep strange among others; but, when they are alone, they unbosom themselves to one another

7. Unfamiliar with, unaccustomed to (something). c1409-1436 Kingis Q. § 102.
And though I was vnto ȝour lawis strange, By ignorance, and noght by felonye

8. To make (it) strange, to make difficulties, refuse cooperation. a1570-86 Balnaves in Maitl. F. 359/95.
Suppois thow raynge ouir all the grange … Still will scho maynge and mak it straynge And giff the syne anewch

9. comb. With -like, as quasi-adv.: = 5 above. a1658 Durham Comm. Rev. 490.
And may make us all reverence His way, although it look strange-like unto flesh

B. adv. To think strange of (something), to think (something) strange. ?1660–90 J. Walwood in P. Gillespie Rulers Sins (1718) 13.
Religion is an uncouth business; truly when I have heard of the seriousness of several folks I thought strange of it