A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: <1375, 1375-1630
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Wolf(f, Wou(l)f(f, n. Also: wolf(f)e, volf(f, volfe, uolf, woulfe, voulf, wowlf(e, vowlf, woolf(e, wlf, wowf(e, wofe, woif, woll, (wulf). Pl. and possess. also wollffis, uolfes, wolvys, -is, voluis, wolwys, voffis, wowis, -es, vowis. [ME and e.m.E. w(u)lf (both Layamon), wolf, wolues pl. (both 1297), wolwes pl. (Rolle), wolffe (c1460), woulfe (1553), woolfe (1577), OE wulf, MDu. wolf, wulf, ON ulfr.]Cf. se-volue (Se n.1 16 d), a seal.Also in place- and personal names.
1. A wolf. Also proverb. b. (The) wolf, in generic use, the species; wolfkind; any wolf. c. In comparative or allusive use. d. As a character in Henr. Fab. e. Holding the wolf by the earis [e.m.E. helde the woulfe by both eares (1560), have a wolfe by th'eares (1631), L. lupum auribus tenēre], in a precarious or dangerous situation.1214–49 Liber Melros 235.
Ad caput de Wulfhope c1295 Liber Dryburgh 253.
Willelmus dictus Wolf c1420 Wynt. viii 4260.
The craggis, that off alde In Scotland ware the Wolvys [C. Wolwis, W. Wolffis] calde 1452 Liber Melros 555.
Johanne Wolffe 1501 Acts Lords of Council XI MS 75b.
The landis of Wolfschaw liand within the scherfdome of Lanark 1521 Dumfries B. Ct. 35a.
The … occupiars of the Volfgill to paye the maill of the akers off it 1562 Dumfries B. Ct. 160b.
Thomas Turnour in Volfgillsing. 1375 Barb. vi 472.
Till hunt him owt off the land With hund and horne rycht as he war A woulff [C. volf] a theyff 1622-6 Bisset II 168/4.
Vowlf(b) 1497–8 Acts Lords of Council II 101.
Quhat ever he be that … slais ane ald wolf and bringis his hede to the schiref he sal haf … a penny 1533 Boece 330a.
Ane wolf … lap to the king and bate him cruelly in the side 1595 Duncan App. Etym.
Lupa, a hure; a shee wolfe 1596 Dalr. I 29/13.
Inglande has nocht ane wolfe, with quhilkes afore thay war mekle molested 1621 Bentinck Dornoch 188.
Six pounds, threttein shillings, four pennies … to Thomas Gordoune for killing of ane wolff and that according to the Acts of the countrey(c) c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 114/57.
Wowf [M. wowfe] c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 114/67.
The wowf [M. wowlfe] hes drest him to his denpl. a1400 Legends of the Saints xi 312.
The edryse bate tham sa sare Til thai as wolfis lowd can rare 1491 Treasurer's Accounts I 182.
Til a fallow brocht the king ii wolfis a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 288.
Todis, wolffis and beistis vyle 1531 Bell. Boece (M) I 313.
The houndis ar nocht sa aufull to haaris nor wolffis to scheip as ȝe ar vnto thame 1533 Boece 123b.
Ane heird of wolfis assemblit 1598 Household Bks. Jas. VI and Anne I 31 July.
For ane irne cheinȝe to the wolfis 1598 Household Bks. Jas. VI and Anne I 30 Sept.
Allowit to Thomas Fentone for intertinyment maid be him vpoun tua wolffis this present monethe 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 66/8.
Quhairfore destroyes men innocint younge sukking uolfes & foxes bot for the hatred thay beare to thaire race ?1549 Monro W. Isles (1961) 86.
This ile hes nather wolfis, toddis, nor edderis in it 1630 Berw. Nat. C. IV 283.
[The] forests … are full of reid-deer and roes, woulffs, foxes [etc.](b) c1420 Wynt. iii 611.
It happynyde syne at a huntyng Wytht wolwys [C. wolwis, W. wolffis] hym to weryde be c1420 Wynt. v 732.
Wolvys 1456 Hay I 40/30.
The barnis was castyn to the wolvis in the wod 1549 Complaynte of Scotland 107/8.
That Scottis men and Inglis men … ar as indefferent as is the nature of scheip and voluis(c) 1533 Gau 66/2.
Vowis 1570 Inverness Rec. I 192.
Ane … oxe … slane be the wowes in December lastproverb. a1598 Ferg. Prov. No. 515.
Ill hirds makes fat wolffs a1598 Ferg. Prov. MS No. 1435.
When the sheip sleips the woll creipsb. (1) c1409-1436 Kingis Quair § 157.
The riall hert, the conyng, … The wolf a1500 Henr. Fab. 401.
The bair … the volff, the wylde lyoun 1490 Irland Mir. I 140/35.
The pastor and hird suld kep the scheip fra the wouf 1513 Doug. ix ii 62.
Lyke as we se … The wild wolf … his rageand furour … Rasys 1533 Boece 90b.
The wolf naturalie is felloun cruell 1427–8 Acts (1597) i 17.
The woolfe and woolfe-birdes, suld be slaine; … that ilk barronne … in gangand time of the ȝeir chase and seeke the quhelpes of the woolfes and gar slaie them. And … to the man that slayis the woolfe … twa shillinges a1603 Anc. Prophecies (EETS) i 110.
The wouff salbe wachmane and kep mony wayis 1604 12th Rep. Hist. MSS. App. viii 24.
I purpoiss … to hunt the wowlf vnto the quhilk giue your lordschip hes ane leische of gud houndis to lene [etc.](2) 1533 Gau 12/16.
To saif thayme fra wolff or ony oder parel 1557 Reg. Cupar A. II 141.
Thai … sall nuryce ane leiche of hundis for tod and woulfc. a1400 Legends of the Saints xxviii 127.
As a schepe ymang wlfis ?1438 Alex. i 996.
As scheip that for the wolf takis flicht 1535 Stewart 16976.
Like wode wolffis ilkane drew vtheris blude 1562-3 Winȝet I 14/15.
The reularis … lyke woulfis rauisching thair pray 1570 Satirical Poems xx 94.
Gif … thay it [sc. murder] allow, Like wolfis insatiated. a1500 Henr. Fab. 667.
Ane worthie doctour of diuinitie, Freir Volff Waitskaith, in science wonder sle a1500 Henr. Fab. 670.
Volff [Ch. Uolf] a1500 Henr. Fab. 1011.
Heir is the volff ane nobill clerk a1500 Henr. Fab. 1150.
Ane fraudfull volff wes iugee. 1594 Colville Lett. 109.
The president of the Session … is … stirred up to counterpois the chancellour … and the chancellour is [etc.] … boyth the princes holding the wolf by the earis for whichsoever of thame prevaill or if the destruction of one bring on the destruction of th'other [etc.]
2. fig.A predatory, rapacious, false person wont to prey on the weak and vulnerable.(a) a1400 Legends of the Saints xxv 505.
He monke mad wes Fore he resemblyt fore to be Worthy and gud bot ȝet he Wykyt wolfe wes withine & heylyt in a lame-skine a1500 Henr. Fab. 2714.
Thre kynd of wolfis in this warld now rings: The first ar fals peruerteris of the lawis [etc.] 1535 Stewart 57306.
This Alexander … Of Badȝenoch wes callit all his dais The vorax wolf 1540 Lynd. Sat. 3038.
The sillie sauls that bene Christis scheip Sould nocht be givin to gormand wolfis to keip 1549 Complaynte of Scotland 2/17, 18, 20 (see (b) below). c1552 Lynd. Mon. 5443.
Quhat holynes is thare within Ane wolf cled in ane wodderis skin? 1560 Rolland Seven Sages 3547.
Thow art a furious flam, ane wolfe and semis ane lam a1561 Norvell Meroure 12b.
Woulfe 1562-3 Winȝet II 33/29.
Wowlf 1562-3 Winȝet II 65/11.
Tak tent … fra fals prophetis that cumis … in the scheipis germunt bot within thai ar rauenous wolfis … Quha ar the rauenous woulfis, bot the wyild and sauage vnderstanding of hæretikis 1562-3 Winȝet II 65/17.
Voulfis 1567 Gude and Godlie Ballatis 150.
Thame that cumis … In to the habite of ane scheip, … thay ar … Fals wolfis vnder cot a1570-86 Arbuthnot in Maitland Folio MS 52/111.
This warld hes maid the proverb manifest Quha is ane scheip the woulf will soune him hent a1578 Pitsc. II 72/22 (see Wod(e)nes n. 4 a).
Wollffis 1583 Melvill 164.
We pray yow … to commend … the kirks … , for the graitest part is destitut of thair pastors, and sa exponit to the intrusion of bludie wolffes a1585 Polwart Flyt. 161 (T).
Bot wolf thow waistis in cop and can, In gluttonie thy grace I ges a1585 Polwart Flyt. 215 (T).
Woif, witles vanter [etc.] 1611 Reg. Privy C. IX 126.
How thir woulffis and thevis [sc. of Clan Gregour] may be persewit within thair awne den(b) 1549 Complaynte of Scotland 2/16.
The cruel voffis of England. The quhilks volffis ar nocht the rauand sauuage volffis of strait montanis ande vyild forrestis … bot rather tha ar dissaitful volfis quhilkis hes euir been oure ald enemeis c1590 Fowler II 26/25.
I can not sufficiently meruel how this feinȝit wofe, dar be so bauld
3. possess. Of or pertaining to a wolf. Also in fig. context.a1500 Henr. Fab. 2771.
God keip the lamb … From wolfis byit 1513 Doug. xi xiii 69.
Ane hydduus wolfis gapand iowis a1538 Abell 76a.
Lang sa he lurkit in ane strang persone to pleis the pepill bot at the last he cled him with the first wowis skin be crudilite 1581-1623 James VI Poems I 122/165.
Euen so a tambour cou'red with A simple muttons skinne, Doth burst affraidlie, onely at The sound … Of bloodie rauening woolfs-skinne
4. attrib. and comb. a. attrib. In lit. senses. b. attrib.In fig. senses. c. comb. Wolfe worte, the plant, wolf's bane.a. c1575 Balfour Pract. 542.
Wolf and wolf whelpis sould be huntit and slane 14.. Acts (1597) i 17 (see 1 b (1) above). 1617 Fraser-Mackintosh Lett. Two Cent. 5.
I have appointed ane wolffe huntis in Marb. 1515 Acts Lords of Council MS XXVII 21.
Johne, elect of the Ylis, … said in presens of the lordis thar that he was ane wolf juge 1583 Elgin Rec. I 173.
Calling him auld wouff facet theiff carle and worriar of scheipc. a1606 Dioscoridis Annot. Index.
Aconitum, wolfe worte
