A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Unlike, -lyk(e, adj. (adv.). Also: wnlike, -lyk, onlyk. [ME and e.m.E. unnlic (Orm), vnlike (c1250), vnlyke (Chaucer), OE unᵹelíc, ON úlíkr.]
A. adj. 1. Different, dissimilar (to another person or thing). Also const. double negative, not dissimilar (to).(1) c1409-1436 Kingis Q. § 110.
Vnlike the mone is to the sonne schene … Vnlike the cukkow to the phylomene a1500 Seven S. 830.
Twa knychtis … Of richt vnlyke condicioun The tane was full of wretchidnes … The tother wald spend to largely a1538 Abell 28a.
Scottis king 27 wes Donald … far wnlike to the conditioun of Satrael a1568 Bann. MS 244b/7.
Ane laid may lufe ane leddy of estait Ane lord ane las [etc.] … Sa aft tymis lufe cheisis ane vnlyk chois a1578 Pitsc. I 132/5.
Our King Henrie how wnlyk is he wnto the … and how far diffrent [etc.] 1596 Dalr. I 143/26.
Quhat meruel is it, that quha ar of sindrie tounes … sindrie maneris, and in conditione far vnlyke?(2) 1531 Bell. Boece (M) I 219.
Thir men … slew ane nothir man nocht vnlike … to Doorus 1572 Sat. P. xxxviii 4.
At Bastianes brydell, howbeit scho denyis, give Mary slew Harfy, it was not vnlykit 1584-9 Maxwall Commonpl. Bk. 17b.
Lwiferis ar nocht wnlyk to woode men, quha misknawis thame self & knawis nocht quhat thay do 1596 Dalr. I 61/23.
Another thing nocht vnlyke he sayis, was seine … in a ferray vpon Tai(b) 1581 Hamilton Cath. Tr. in Cath. Tr. (STS) 92/2.
To this sillogisme maid be the minister of Carnbie in the pulpat of effect vsis argumentis that ar verie scholastik not onlyk to ane Sanctandrois, to improue images in this maner
2. Unlikely. Only const. double negative.1645 Baillie II 261.
This seemed to us not unlyke a1658 Durham Comm. Rev. 747.
It is not unlike, that as our Lord the Judge shall visibly as man appear, so [etc.]
3. Translating L. non tales: Unsuitable.1596 Dalr. I 6/31.
Verie bare garse quhilke onlie beiris the clauer; quhilke nochtwithstandeng ouer all nocht far vnlyke may be funde quhilkes are verie conuenient to feid horse [etc.] [L. nusquam tamen non tales qui vel jumenta [etc.] … felicissime alant]
B. adv. Unevenly, unequally.c1420 Wynt. viii 2594 (W).
In that batall bodin vnlike [C. vnlyk, R. to that daywerk lyk] … thare wes xxx full thousand That come in Scotland … And bot vii thousand Scottismen
