Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

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About this entry:
First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Af, Aff, adv. and prep. Also: afe, affe. [Late form of Of adv. and Of prep., with change of o to a before f, as in aft, saft. Regular in mod. Sc.]

A. adv. 1. Off, away; so as to remove, separate, discontinue, etc. 15.. Clar. ii. 1225.
Clariodus … hes donne af his false visage Ib. 1526.
His helme he af drew 1579 Reg. Privy C. III. 208.
Having schaikin af the fear of God 1585 P. Gray Lett. 54.
I haue … left afe all particulair querell 1596 Dalr. I. 96/1.
Casteng aff al courtlie decore Ib. II. 216/23.
To stryk affe that ȝok 1628 Misc. Maitl. C. III. 372.
The armes … to be set af … with gold 1647 Aberd. B. Rec. 72.
He had resolved to tak aff their burden 1668 Ib. 248.
Ane competent number … giuen af to him

2. Detached, separated. a1598 Ferg. Prov. 62.
It is na time to stoup when the head is aff

3. Followed by the prep. of. (Mod. Sc. aff o'.) 1606 Rec. Old Aberd. I. 42.
Ewerie persone … sall remowe thair midingis aff of the gettis 1650 Aberd. B. Rec. iii.
The saidis ministeris to seik thair augmentatioun aff of the tackismen 1675 Ib. 291.
For removeing … the middings, fulȝie and dubs af of the same [streets]

B. prep. 1. a. Down from; off or away from. 1535 Stewart 29764.
Edfridus … af his hors amang thame fell doun deid 15.. Clar. v. 2516.
Thay in barges enterit afe the peir 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 311.
The peice of ordinance schott af the wall 1600-1610 Melvill 36.
He was put af the leddar c1616 Hume Orthog. 9.
To put our men af their errour 1650 Nicoll Diary 14.
To convoy his heid af the prick quhairon it was set

b. Up from; from resting on. 15.. Clar. iv. 1488.
Scho … af his knie thair raisit him

2. Out of, away from (a place). 1519 Rec. Earld. Orkney 94.
That the nichtbouris … sall keip thair guidis af the ground of Sabay 15.. Clar. iii. 2280.
[Her] aff the land thay gart promit to go 1575 Prestwick B. Rec. 76.
Scho to be benneist & scurgit af the towne 1596 Dalr. I. 163/14.
King Gald … flies af the feild Ib. II. 353/5.
Al war commandet to pas affe the realme 1633 Glasgow B. Rec. 18.
Sevin dolouris … to help him aff the contrie 1681 Ib. 300.
Sundrie of the counsellouris wer aff the toune

3. From (a person, etc.) by way of relief, deprivation, deduction, etc. 1597 Edinb. Test. XXXI. 85 b.
Tua hundretht [merkis] aff hir moderis thrid 1633 Maxwell Mem. II. 220.
I haue sentt my haiknay to gett his meatt aff ȝow 1643 Acts VI. 57/1.
With power … to … wplift wnlawes aff the absents