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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.

Not, adv. and n. Also: nott. [ME. (14th c.) and e.m.E., reduced f. noght, noȝt (see Nocht n. and adv.). Cf. also Nat adv.Less common before c 1560 when, appar. by influence from English, it becomes more common, though in most texts much less so than Nocht. Some of the earlier instances may possibly be due to editorial misreading of not, the abbreviated form of nocht, and others perh. to scribal miswriting of the same abbreviation; but it also seems possible that some of these early instances may correspond to a genuine spoken variant without the spirant consonant.]

1. adv. Not, in uses of Nocht adv.(1) 1431 Reg. Great S. 45/1.
That thai distroble not the sayd Patrik in [etc.] 1456 Hay I. 172/6.
And ȝit thai wate not forquhy Ib. 295/2.
For he did not Goddis bidding a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 1088.
I dreid not the pereill [etc.] 1513 Doug. i. Prol. 475.
In cace I faill, haue me not at disdenȝe … my leill hart can nocht fenȝe 1558-66 Knox II. 319. Ib. I. 147.
We call hir nott a hoore a1568 Bann. MS. 258 a/2; etc. 1567 G. Ball. 38.
Gaif thow not … Sa mekle as [etc.] 1571 Ferg. Serm. iii Malachi Sig. B i b.
Thay had it be kynd and coft it not a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. xxv. 22; etc. 1581 Hamilton Cath. Tr. 153.
Glore not of that quhilk is to cum 1584 Coll. Aberd. & B. 629.
Gif he comme not haym againne 1580-92 James VI Lusus Reg. 25. 1587 Acts III. 439/1. 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. i. 150 b. 1613 Fraserburgh Kirk S. 16 June.
Compeiris not 1615 Ib. 4 Apr.; etc. a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 787.
He kenns not a B be a bullfoote 1651 Dickson Matthew 136.
He stood not to abase himself 1686 G. Stuart Joco-Ser. Disc. 23.
Whilk keep't not 's pow fra wind and weather(2) 1386 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 9.
Thai sal not be at tha rydinges 1408 Ib. No. 70.
That he na his ayris salnot mak reuocacioun [etc.] 1456 Hay I. 273/17.
And may not preve it a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 317. Ib. 433. 1531 Bell. Boece xiv. iii (D).
That it micht not be slokin 1560 Rolland Seven S. 3251; etc. 1562-3 Winȝet I. 33/16. 1558-66 Knox II. 295.
And wold nott convene 1567 G. Ball. 111. 1567 Sat. P. V. 41.
Gif sho had not cum in the feild For to defend the tratoure kene 1573 Davidson Ib. xlii. 276. 1575–6 Reg. Privy C. II. 495.
Nochtwithstanding he can not get his assignatioun formit a1585 Maitl. Q. lxii. 145; etc. c1590 Fowler I. 121/107. 1614 Fraserburgh Kirk S. 2 Oct.
That he hes not fund Techmurie 1634 Antiq. Aberd. & B. IV. 139.
Nott 1651 Dickson Matthew 24.
John doth not stand to call [etc.] Ib. 128.
That men did not stand upon the bar … of ceremonies 1662 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. I. 237.(3) 1456 Hay I. 131/33.
That it aw not tobe, na may nocht be law, be done 1513 Doug. i. viii. 96.
We neid not dreid, sall nocht mak ws efferd 1560 Rolland Seven S. 8926.
Seir diuers thochts that neids not to be schawin 1558-66 Knox II. 383.
Nott(4) c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 2028.
Bot nocht cummyne of duke nor kynge Ne was not of so hie ofsprynge 1513 Doug. xi. iv. 41.
To thame bene not acquent 1562-3 Winȝet I. 40/19. Ib. 37/11.
That we and ȝe … be not [v.r. nott] repellit fra [etc.] a1568 Knox II. 419. Bann. MS. p. 25/41. 1570 Sat. P. xviii. 13. 1571 Sempill Ib. xxviii. 32.
I am not sure a1585 Maitl. Q. xliv. 91. c1590 Fowler II. 27/16.
It is not vnknawin [etc.] 1591 Aberd. B. Rec. I. ix.
Quhilk is not now vsit 1612 Lett. & St. P. Jas. VI 204.
And … he is nott a fitt man … to menage your rent 1627 Rep. Parishes 6. 1650 Maxwell Mem. I. 356.
They were not the better of ill neighbouris 1669 Cullen Kirk S. 5 Dec.
Becaus his sonne is not right in his wits(5) c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus ii. 896.
In mappamond the maik is not perchance(6) 1589 Cal. Sc. P. X. 174.
Uarr not the inconsiderat importunitie of this Maister of Glammes 1614 Crim. Trials III. 289.
War not I(7) a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 493.
Not clene na curius 1513 Doug. ix. vii. 160. 1562-3 Winȝet I. 11/5.
Quhilk thing not cumande to passe 1587 Carmichael Etym. 37.
Nihili, not worth [etc.] 1598 Paisley B. Rec. 88.
All passengeris … nott fremen 1624 Linlithgow B. Rec. 7 May.
He came to the said baillies hous not send for 1634 Sharpe Witchcraft 109.
She is called not luckie 1649 Sc. N. & Q. i Ser. III. 122.
That she was not cannie 1685 Meikle Old Session Bk. 223.
[He was] not ueill a1686 Turner Mem. 150.
That not any thing … sould be imbecelled 1695 Burnett Fam. P.
Renunceing the exceptione of not numerat money, oath of pairtie and all other objectiones(8) 1571 Cal. Sc. P. III. 578.
Notsomikle as til be obeyit of his awin living 1606 Birnie Kirk-b. xii.
To the not so bad(9) c1515 Asl. MS. I. 316/1.
Chargin him to curs Balaac and not the Jowis 1560 Rolland Seven S. 1339. 1615 Fraserburgh Kirk S. 4 July.
Callit … & not compeirand(10) 1558-66 Knox I. 223.
Nott two payre of boot lenthis 1627 Orkney Rentals iii. 78.
Nott ane halff myll(11) 1570 Sat. P. x. 349.
Not only lufit he vprychteousnes 1575–6 Reg. Privy C. II. 496. 1606 Birnie Kirk-b. xix. 1630 Aberd. Council Lett. I. 312.
Nott(12) 1513 Doug. iv. iii. 39.
Les the fatis … Nor Jupiter consent not ne aggre That [etc.]

2. Placed before nouns, freq. comb.Cf. Nocht B 11 and Non-.a. With verbal nouns and nouns of action or state.(1) 1571 Bann. Memor. 158.
Thy not acceptioun of my offeris c1590 Fowler II. 122/19.
To contenew the not observing off the same [promises] 1603 Moysie xviii.
Our dalie travelling hes bene the caus of the not returne of ansuer 1603 Southesk MSS. 13.
In respect of the schortnes of tyme and ȝour not preparatioun 1613 Edinb. Test. XLVII. 244 b.
I leiue him ane quoy becaus of his not provisioune 1638 Elgin Rec. II. 233.
For not keiping the kirk 1650 Moray Synod 109.
And not allowance for quarters 1661 Beale Fife Schools 227.
Ane ground of the said children their not proficiencie in learning 1682 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. MS. 29 March.
For ther not ryding to the Ladie Ruscois buriall 1697 Burnett Fam. P.
I declaire the not delyverie hereof shall be no cause of nullity(2) 1582 Reg. Privy C. III. 531.
His dissobedience in not comperance befoir the Kingis majestie 1587 Ib. IV. 188. 1657 Balfour Ann. IV. 247.
Quho had excussed ther not compirance the day befor — 1637 Gillespie Eng. Pop. Ceremonies iii. 178.
To justify Ambrose his not compearing(3) 1590 Reg. Privy C. IV. 521.
For not-payment of ministeris stipendis 1634 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. II. 421.
And failȝeing of not peyment 1664 Rothesay B. Rec. 90.
Dureing the not payment therof 1666 Corshill Baron Ct. 70.
If not payment made within the said tyme ordaines [etc.] 1694 Irvine Mun. II. 110.
Dureing the not payment — 1684 Rec. of Old Tolbooth in Bk. Old Edinb. C. IX. 166.
Werdit … for not payement maikeing(4) 1644 Burnett Fam. P.
Dureing thair not redemptione c1650 Spalding II. 91.
And [they] had no rentis thair dureing the not redemptioun 1693 Irvine Deeds.(5) 1585 Reg. Privy C. IV. 15.
All proceding aganis the said Mr. Johnne for his not residence at his awne kirk 1627 Aberd. Council Lett. I. 255.
Depryved for not residence

b. With agent nouns. 1592 Hibbert P. No. 5.
Depryvit … as not residentis 1631 Justiciary Cases I. 193.
The persone conceillar and not teliar sall incurre the lyke pwneishment 1638 Baillie I. 105.
A number of notcovenanters

3. noun. Nothing. a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 508.
Thou art ordanyt to not ellis 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 149.
Not throw the soyl bot muskane treis sproutit Ib. 162 (L).
The soil was not [E. nocht] bot marres, slyik and sand Ib. 710.
Not of a clerk we se thé represent Saif onlie [etc.] Id. Æn. i. Prol. 190 (Ruddim.).
As not war fabil bot the passage to hell c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 1172. c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus ii. 975. 1585 James VI Ess. 45. 1603 Philotus xxii.
All for ȝour weiring and not ellis a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 702.
He luves me for little that haits me for right not Ib. No. 792.