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, 1500-1650
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Wondirful(l, Woundirful(l, adj. Also: wondyrfull, wonderfull, wonndirful, wonnderful, vonderful(l, wounderful(l, vounderfull, vounederful. [ME and e.m.E. wunderful (c1200), wonderfol (Layamon), wondirful (1340), wondyrfull (c1400), wonderfull (1552), OE wunderfull, MLG wonderfull.] Exciting wonder, astonishment or surprise; marvellous, miraculous; amazing; exceptional, spectacular.(a) 1375 Barb. iv 674.
He had gret ferly How scho suld wyt it sekyrly, As it wes wounderfull [C. vounderfull] perfay How ony mannys science may Knaw thingis that ar to cum c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 451 (M) (see (a) above). 1561 Q. Kennedy Oratioune 13.
I will nocht be sua balde … to aggrege the incredible and wounderfull mistemperance of the air; quhilk continualie hes bene in this realme sene [etc.] c1590 Fowler II 31/38.
It is a wounderful thing to heare Hammiltoun a common harlot commend chastitie 1596 Dalr. I 170/16.
Adrian … to delyuer the Britonis … frome the invasiounis of the Scottis and Pechtis … laid a woundirful wall, a woundirful wark, of aucht thousand pase lang 1596 Dalr. II 4/27.
Of futmen a hunder and fyftie thousands and of horsmen neir als mony. This horrable and woundirfull armie maid Edward … peirles proud a1605 Birrel Diary 12.
Ane rair and vounederful accident [sc. a murder] fell out by Sathan's instigatione(b) c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 451.
Wise wemen has wayis and wonderfull [M. wounderfull] gydingis With gret engyne to bejaip ther jolyus husbandis 1513 Doug. iii Prol. 10.
The feirful stremys and costis wondyrfull c1520-c1535 Nisbet John ix 30.
Wonndirful a1561 Q. Kennedy Breif Tract. (ed.) 127/1.
They thouch: ‘quhow cane this man be God … quhilk is in sik miserye and pouerte', nocht considderand His vonderfull miracles a1561 Q. Kennedy Breif Tract. (ed.) 135/34.
Vonderful 1561 Q. Kennedy Compendious Ressonyng (ed.) 167/12.
Christ has preparit ane mekle mair wondirfull and magnificent sacrifice c1590 Fowler II 179/3.
Be the dyvers schapes of the beastes that suld haue borne … thame in, the sight had bene commendable and wonderfull … Bot [etc.] 1596 Dalr. I 99/16.
The reiuers selfes quha as baith of a wondirful swoftnes and lychtnes 1596 Dalr. I 206/15.
Dionethie haueng receiued a gret and wonnderful wound, he is lyfted be his awne and is karied into Cumbirland 1596 Dalr. I 335/3.
Scotland had tua notable and wondirfull [men] in respecte of thair vertue, singular knawledge and cunning [etc.] 1632 Lithgow Trav. iv 134.
They made a wonderfull massacre of poore afflicted Christians c1650 Spalding II 101.
Thair raiss … ane extraordinar heiche wynd, with fireflaucht, rayne, and weit. This vehement wynd continewit … in most wonderfull maner
