A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 2001 (DOST Vol. X).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Sumquhat, Som(e)quhat, pron. and adv. Also: -quhatt, -quhate, -what, (sunckat), (somethat). [ME and e.m.E. summwhatt (Orm), sumwhet, -hwat (a1225), sumquat (Cursor M.), sum-what (1350); Sum(e adj. and Quhat pron., adv.]
A. pron. 1. Some (material or non-material) thing, without specification.(a) c1400 Troy-bk. ii 2541.
Gif me some Of ȝour mete … And of sum-quhate do grace me till c1520-c1535 Nisbet Matth. xiv 16.
Gefe ye thame sumquhat to ete 1631 Justiciary Cases I 179.
He had spoken with Sir James Ramsay [etc.] … and had gotten sumwhat out of euery one of thame(b) 1631 Justiciary Cases I 179.
He also said he had spoken with the Loird Seaford and had understuid somquhat frome him(c) 1558-66 Knox I 44.
Butt I man have somewhat of everie ane of yow to begyn my pack agane 1650 Lanark Presb. 79.
The said Jonet … followed William Brown, sclater, … to crave somewhat 1661 Lauderdale P. I 75.
I thought you had takin the pett [pr. pelt] at somewhat, not having heard from yow a1681 Welsh Churches Paradox 5.
The Kirk may be sometimes in a case that can neither be dark nor clear … but, as it were, somewhat in her case that looks dark like and somewhat … that looks bright and lightsome like 1682 Lauder Observes App. iv 304.
When all seemed to be over … they observed some what (ilke piece after another) droped out of his mouth, quhilk the advocats on the other side said it was the Test 1696 Peebles B. Rec. II 155.
Andrew Ewmond … espyed the said William with his mad on his back and somewhat in it(d) 1686 G. Stuart Joco-Ser. Disc. 14.
I'll rowne ye sunckat in your ear
b. Const. of: Some part, portion, degree or amount.1560 Cal. Sc. P. I 510.
You know somewhat of his natour, and I dar ondertake that he is no dissemblar 1661 Red Bk. Grandtully II 155.
We might meit with sumquhatt off trouble from that airthe 1691 Kirk Secr. Commonw. (1964) 246.
These armes (cute by art & tools it seems beyond humane) have somwhat of the nature of thunder-bolt
c. Somequhat else, something else, some other thing.1680 Soc. Ant. XLV 248.
For if it were tenderness it would be kything in somequhat else
2. A person or thing of some importance.a1598 Ferg. Prov. MS No. 213.
A foul slut under ane blak hat seimes somquhat a1661 Rutherford Lett. (1862) I 241.
It speaketh somewhat when our Lord bloweth the bloom off our daft hopes in this life
B. adv. A little, slightly; rather; to some extent.
a. Modifying a verb.c1400 Troy-bk. ii 1766.
Quhen that thai war thair Sumquhat refettyd thai gan fair To seike thar lord a1500 Henr. Fab. 2204 (Harl.).
This taill is mingit with moralitie, As I sall schaw sum quhat or that I ceis a1500 Lanc. 1058.
When that he felt the vatter that vas cold, He wonk, and … thinkith how he sumquhat haith mysgon c1515 Asl. MS I 166/17.
This cuntre contenis fra the north and sumquhat to the north est departis of the space fra the ryver of Tanais [etc.] 1583 Colville Lett. 34.
My colleg has disgracit himself sumquhat c1590 Fowler II 10/4.
As I am encouragit sumquhat be example, so I am not a lytill heirto inforcit by ressoun c1590 Fowler II 54/28.
They playit sumquhat with gritter libertie, then … became the grauitie of the persons, or sinceritie of Christiane religioun 1639 Baillie I 220.
The Justice-Generall was also somewhat shoired and the Register searched in his house
b. Modifying an adjective, adverb or prepositional phrase.(1) 1558-66 Knox II 26.
When I sall have tyme (whiche now is sumquhatt precious unto me) to peruse that werk 1580 Skeyne Descr. Well Sig. A 3.
The taist is sumquhat vnplesand, as gif it wer brint with irin 1584–5 Cal. Sc. P. VII 555.
[The Lord [John] Hamilton is] sumquhat seik 1597 Moysie xxiv.
His lordship is sumquhat miscontent with that article 1610 7th Rep. Hist. MSS App. 723/1.
The beginning [of the voyage] wes sumquhat haird, be reason of the hawy disease his Lordschip faill in 1658 R. Moray Lett. 116.
Though the stuff and spinning be often somewhat rapploch 1662 Edinb. Test. LXX 301.
I am somwhat seiklie … by reason of my longsom and duyneing decease a1689 Cleland 14.
He walk'd in state, tho somewhat wide, Ye know what makes some gallants stride 1696 Corshill Baron Ct. 191.
Ane … horse, somquhat wyd lugged(b) 1667–70 Lauder Jrnl. 189.
Pretty mottoes and sayings … stuffed with good moralitie, tho somethat pedantick(2) c1400 Troy-bk. ii 2835.
Bot sche eschewed, as he thocht, Sum-quhat abak c1515 Asl. MS I 154/11.
The myddis of the erth is iijm ijc & xlv myle and sumquhat our as it war half a myle 1551 Hamilton Cat. 59.
Thus we mak ane end of the first command quhilk we haif declarit to you sumquhat largelie a1570-86 Arbuthnot in Maitl. F. 52/102.
Ȝit dar I nocht in commoun place be sene Lest I be clethit sum quhat gorgiouslie(3) c1552 Lynd. Mon. 128.
Sumquhat affore fresche Phebus vperysing 1578 Reg. Privy C. III 35.
Mony injurious wordis sumquhat in contempt of our soverane lord
c. With comparatives.c1400 Troy-bk. i 479.
Ȝhit will I tell ȝow neuirtheles Somwhat mare of that maiden fre 1563-72 Ferg. Tracts 6.
If it shal happen that I be sumwhates [sic in pr.] longer than ye wold wishe, werie not … to reid it to the end 1563 Ferg. Tracts 52.
[He] somewhat more boldly then the rest, exhorted the Pope that [etc.] 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 126.
It appeiris to me, that we have sumquhat more to say c1650 Spalding I 37.
The bischop of Morray who as elimoysinar rode besyde the bischop of London, sumwhat narrer the King 1699 Sc. Ant. XIII 79.
That the publick worship on the Lord's day may begin somequhat sooner forenoon than ten of the clock
