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

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First published 1971 (DOST Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Mony, a. Also: -ye, -ie, -é, -ey(e, -ei, monny, -ie. Compar. monyare, -er. Superl. monyast, -est, moniast, -est, moneast, -ist, monest. [North., west midl. and south-western ME. moni, mony, OE. maniᵹ, mǫniᵹ, with vowel as in ony (? and also donk and lone); in the mod. dial. Sc. and north. Eng.: cf. Many.]It seems likely that the first element of the surname Monypenny either was, or was treated as, this word: examples in the forms Monipen(n)ie, Moni-, Monypeny, etc., occur f. the 13th c. (Black Surnames s.v. Monypenny, p. 609, also c 1350 Liber Dryburgh 232 [Monypenny] and 1364 Rot. Sc. 886/1 [Monupeny]).

Many.

1. With a sing. noun. a. Without article.Very common in verse; uncommon in prose. 1375 Barb. i. 336.
And that may mony tyme awaill Ib. ii. 549, iii. 663, etc.
On mony wis Ib. xiv. 94.
Mony ysche wes … maid a1400 Leg. S. xxii. 234.
Mony begare Ib. xxx. 540.
Mony man sal one thé wondyr ?1438 Alex. ii. 13.
Walled with mony tour c1420 Ratis R. 107.
As thow may se of mony thinge Ib. 257.
Mony worthiar man c1450 Cr. Deyng (S.T.S.) 149.
Thow has done mony gud deid c1475 Wall. iii. 50.
Mone a1500 Rauf C. 444.
I haue … oft fylit my feit in mony foull fen 1490 Irland Mir. I. 10/5.
And mony vthire walȝeand king [etc.] c1515 Asl. MS. I. 307/30. 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. i. 28.
With mony mow and sport c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 196. 1513 Doug. xii. v. 76. 15.. Lichtoun Dreme 26 (B).
Me thocht I wes in monye diuers place 1576 Crim. Trials I. ii. 57.
With mony hiddous rumbill c1590 J. Stewart 136/7

b. With the indefin. article a (ane). 1375 Barb. xi. 127–9.
Men mycht se than … Mony ane vorthy man and vycht, And mony ane gayly armyt knycht, And mony ane sturdy sterand steid Ib. xiii. 323.
He did mony a fair iourne ?1438 Alex. ii. 4329. c1420 Wynt. viii. 4238.
He … swore mony ane awful athe 1456 Hay I. 16/28. Ib. 111/27.
Wrang errouris … tynis mony a saule c1500-c1512 Dunb. xc. 63. Ib. xxxiii. 100, lxxii. 9.
Rycht mony a thing 1513 Doug. xi. xiii. 101. c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 428. c1552 Id. Mon. 4146. a1585 Maitl. Q. lxv. 72.

c. In adv. phrases with nouns of time.(1) c1420 Wynt. iii. 532.
Quhare that he trawalyde mony day Ib. v. 912.
Efftyr mony day a1500 Seven S. 1020.
Mony ȝere 1535 Stewart 1674.
Richt lang and mony ȝeir 1560 Rolland Seven S. 316. 1562-3 Winȝet II. 55/24.
Quhilk … mony lyftyme of men afoir hes lyin hid(2) c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxx. 32 (B).
The dait thairof is past full mony a ȝeir [M. full mony ȝeir] 1513 Doug. ii. ii. 94.
Syne mony a day a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. clxxv. 12.
Thocht ȝe heff serwit mony ane ȝeir Ane lord(3) c1420 Wynt. vi. 317.
Efftyre this mony day ?1438 Alex. i. 1467.
This mony ane day 1490 Irland Mir. MS. 354 b.
This haill realme that this mony ȝere has bene in gret deformite a1500 Seven S. 1846.
Ȝour self wald leif this mony day 1567 G. Ball. 175.
This lang and mony ane day Ib. 189.
This lang and mony day c1590 J. Stewart II. 207/33.
This monie ȝeir

2. With a numeral or a collective noun.Also compar. and superl.: cf. Ma, Mare, Maste.At the monyest, at the most numerous, at the most. 1375 Barb. i. 523.
Then slayn wes mone thowsand Off thaim a1400 Leg. S. iv. 57.
In sycht of hym and mony ma 1395–6 Menzies Charters 10 Feb.
Wytnes … Dauy Flemyng Adam Fostyr and mony othir 1400 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 33 a; 1438 Ayr Friars Pr. Chart. 49; 1439 Edinb. Chart. 65. c1475 Wall. i. 309.
Owr kyne ar slayne, … And othir worthi mony in that art c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyt. 93.
Mony hundreth myle hyne 1531 Bell. Boece I. 84.
In presence of mony pepil 1535 Stewart 2942.
And mony vther mo c1552 Lynd. Mon. 1049.
As he hes had of mony mo Ib. 3558.
Quhare mony ane thowsand loste thair lyfe 1566 Crim. Trials I. ii. 485.
I (as mony ma) chanceit to pas to the said palice a1578 Pitsc. I. 76/1. 1596 Dalr. I. 6/7.
Mony mae things c1600 Montg. Suppl. xxxiv. 55.
We haue ressonis money mocompar. 1490 Irland Mir. MS. 297 b.
Powere abone monyare ore feware pepilsuperl. (1) 1547 Cal. Sc. P. I. 6.
The starkest host and the monest … that was sen Flodwn 1599 Reg. Privy C. VI. 843.
Thir twa branches … being moniest of number and maist trubilsum(2) 1578–9 Reg. Privy C. III. 78.
Thay past not twentie nor threttie at the monyest Ib. 576. 1622-6 Bisset I. 200/18.
[The] witnese … to be summoned at ane terme at the monyest

3. With a plur. noun.Also compar. and superl.: cf. Ma, Mare, Maste. 1375 Barb. xviii. 194 (C).
Thai war mony tymes [E. tyme] that day Assalit with Erischry a1400 Leg. S. xli. 41.
With bruchis ful mony 1398 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 38.
As thair has ben mony and gret attemptatis done c1420 Wynt. vii. 863.
Wyth thame lordys rycht mony 1424 Grey Friars II. 167.
Oft tymis and mony 1456 Hay I. 8/3.
All Egipt and mony othir contreis Ib. II. 112/24.
Mony mennis lyfis Ib. 122/30. c1460 Alex. (Taym.) 3338.
Thai had … money felloun fais Ib. 3363.
Wther mony knichtis 1497 Treas. Acc. I. 339.
Gevin to Stobo, that tyme he wrait mony proclamationis c1515 Asl. MS. I. 244/21.
Mast subtell in mony diuers thingis c1500-c1512 Dunb. xiv. 36, lxiii. 1. 1513 Doug. xiii. ix. 108.
Mony gatis 1519 Dunferm. B. Rec. 298. 1520 Fife Sheriff Ct. 173. 1531 Bell. Boece I. 139.
In it ar mony louchis 1536–9 Ex. Processes (Reg. H.) No. 1.
My … vife & mony small barnis 1562-3 Winȝet I. 99/25.
With monye wthiris of thair aige 1596 Dalr. I. 62/18. Ib. 1/1, 93/25.
Mony thousandis of sik lytle foules 1599 Skipper's Acc. (Morton) 35 b.
With moneye senderye wther thingis 1627 Orkney Rentals iii. 51.
For monny yuithes yet wanntis educatioune c1650 Spalding I. 94.
Mony subscriptioniscompar. c1610 Melville Mem. 170.
[The more friends the Queen had] the ma practyses hir ennemys maid, and the monyer lyes they invented against hir Ib. 378.
Never … ma parlementis halden, monyer lawes casten lowss [etc.]superl. (a) 1531 Bell. Boece I. 122.
That man was reput maist nobill … , that micht defoule moniast wemen 1562-3 Winȝet II. 69/7.
In ane consent of the monyast and greteast doctouris a1597-1617 Hist. Jas. VI. 49.
That all, or at the least the moneast voittis sould serve for all the rest(b) c1515 Asl. MS. I. 308/13.
The rialest realm of Fraunce … with monyest princhedis [etc.] 1533 Bell. Livy I. 54/15.
I find monyest auctoriteis saying the Romane brethir war Horacianis 1547 Corr. M. Lorraine 188.
Quhar thai have moniest fawveraris of the quhilkis I dreid thai have our mony 1552 Conv. Burghs I. 3.
He that gettis monyest wottis 1561 Edinb. B. Rec. III. 126. 1566 Canongate Kirk S. (ed.) 51. a1586 Maitland Ho. Seytoun 40. 1633 E. Loth. Antiq. Soc. II. 103.
The saidis friemen … be thair moniest voittes to elect … ane deacon 1656 Rothesay B. Rec. 13.
Be moniest voyces

b. = 1 c above. — 1578 Anal. Scot. I. 269.
In monnie yeris afore 1562-3 Winȝet I. 3/10.
Ane schip … quhilk, gydit thir mony ȝeris be sleuthfull marinaris, … is euyl crasit on the schaldis a1578 Pitsc. I. 222/24.
Thocht he and I hes not bene at ane thir money ȝeiris

c. Predicatively. c1420 Wynt. v. 3442.
Quhare men and woman war mony Ib. viii. 3409.
Thai ware few, and thai mony c1460 Alex. (Taym.) 3538. c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 74. 1596 Dalr. I. 2/10.
The iles … quhilkes ar monie and plentiful

d. More than one, several. 14.. Burgh Laws c. 101 (A).
Gif ony man that has mony landis will gif thaim to mony childer till ilk childe a lande

4. Mony ane (one).a. In verse, used instead of the simple adj., placed after a plur. or coll. noun.b. Many an individual (of the class named). As pron., = many a person, many a one.a. 1375 Barb. xii. 507.
At thar metyng … Wer stedis stekit mony ane a1400 Leg. S. iii. 295.
[They] mad kirkis mony ane a1500 Rauf C. 3.
Empreouris and erlis and vther mony ane a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 430.
[To] heir the merle and mawis mony ane 1513 Doug. i. Prol. 371.
Latyne wordis mony ane That [etc.] Ib. vii. viii. 91.
Thens mylis mony ane a1568 Gyre-carling 14.
With elffis mony ane c1552 Lynd. Mon. 4302.
Off diuers ordouris mony one Ib. 5195.
Antichristis in generall Hes bene, and now ar mony one Ib. 5815.
With thare assistance, mony one 1567 G. Ball. 43.
With meruellis greit and mony one a1568 Scott xxiii. 15.
Thir ȝeiris mony aneb. (1) 1375 Barb. viii. 427.
He suld fynd off thaim mony ane 1596 Dalr. II. 9/31.
Thair mony ane of the cheif nobilitie … the Bruse gart hap heidles(2) ?1438 Alex. i. 2464.
Mony ane to eard can gang 1460 Hay I. 30/35. Alex. (Taym.) 1737.
Thare is mony ane that trowis that Bartilmewe was verray pape c1475 Wall. v. 496.
He slew full mony ayne 1492 Myll Spect. 281/15. 1535 Stewart 48636, 51676. c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 40.
[He] did as monie douchtie deidis As monie ane that men of reidis a1585 Maitl. Q. xxix. 26. 1596 Dalr. I. 61/31.
That mony ane sawe the balkes … cleine consumed

5. absol. a. Many individuals of a class. b. Many people. c. Amang mony, among many other matters.a. c1420 Wynt. ii. 1497.
Off knaw barnys thai walde sla mony Ib. v. 299.
Mony off Jowys and Gentyl Ib. ix. 135 (C).
Of thar hors brak lousse mony 1456 Hay I. 195/11.
Thare is few of sik men in Fraunce, bot in Lombardy … thare is mony 1549 Compl. 5.
Mony of his enemeis 1558-66 Knox I. 72.
Ane worth mony of the leave a1578 Pitsc. I. 55/17.
Money of thame was slaine 1581 Hamilton Cath. Tr. 67 b.
Quhom of … mony ar ȝit alyff 1596 Dalr. II. 334/23.
Verie monie of the nobilitie 1599 Murray Lyon Hist. Lodge Edinb. 12.
That the wardene … salbe … electit ȝeirlie be mony of the maisteris voites 1604 Elgin Rec. II. 125.
That monie of all the headis of his corne war knott togidderb. 1375 Barb. xii. 581.
Swa that mony fell doune all ded a1400 Leg. S. xiii. 44.
Richt mony in lytil quhyle He wane to God 1456 Hay I. 295/13.
Mony has done in Lumbardy c1460 Alex. (Taym.) 1707.
Sa wounder mony invironit him about 1492 Myll Spect. 294/10.
God knawys gyf thar be mony in thire tymes that [etc.] c1515 Asl. MS. I. 257/25.
He was … hatit with mony c1500-c1512 Dunb. xvi. 49.
Ar mony sic now in thir dayis 1531 Bell. Boece I. 16.
Quhidder the empire of ane or of mony be mair proffitabill 1549 Compl. 14/27.
I fynd nocht mony that dar [etc.] a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. ci. 29.
Mony ar … That ar far contrair in thair deidis a1561 Q. Kennedy Breif Tract. (ed.) 114/14.
My bluid … quhilk salbe sched for ȝow and mony 1567 Acts III. 25/1. 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 211. 1596 Dalr. I. 246/30.
Mony of hid lerning 1599 Rollock Wks. I. 391.
Thair is monie amangis us that waitis not quhat thou speikis; thy gospel is hid to monie, monie takis thee not up 1612 Orkney & Shetl. Ct. Bk. (ed.) 19 Aug. c1650 Spalding I. 68.c. 1600 Misc. Bann. C. I. 145.
Amang mony that occurrit

d. superl. The greatest number, most. c1500-c1512 Dunb. lviii. 2.
Off benefice … Quha monyast hes makis maist requeist a1568 Scott iii. 40.
Maist witt hes hie that moniest owrsylis 1562-3 Winȝet II. 70/21. 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 236.
Verry mony of hors and men on baith sydis [were] hurt, bot monyest on my lord regents syid a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. xcix. 49.
The grittest ar with monyast invyit a1578 Pitsc. I. 98/6.
The said laird … quhome moneist of the abillist of the airmie followit 1583 Wemyss Corr. 81.
Gangand vpoun the Peill of Lynlythkow thay begane to gather kempis to se quhay mycht heid moneast 1589 S. Leith Rec. i.
Voitet by monyest, that twa onlie sall visit 1590-1 R. Bruce Serm. 5.
That doctrine man be maist effectual … that walkens and steirs up moniest of the outward senses 1599 Murray Lyon Hist. Lodge Edinb. 39.
Electit … be monyest of thair voitis 1615 Highland P. III. 278.
The monyest that came to me was ane hundreth men

6. Qualified by als, how (quhow), sa (swa) (so), see these words.