Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1983 (DOST Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

On-, prefix¹ Also one-, an-. [Frequent Sc. var. of Un- prefix¹.Also found in some ME. and e.m.E. texts, where it is perh. due to the influence of next.]

Expressing negation: Not, un-.Freq. so spelled in MS. C of Doug. Æn. Common in this form in texts from north of the Forth, esp. in the north and north-east. Further instances of words beginning with on- or un- have been treated in separate entries.

1. a. Prefixed to passive p.p.s or p.p. phrases, functioning as verbs.(a) 1464–5 Aberd. B. Rec. MS. 534 (7 Mar.).
That the hors debatabill betuix thaim sal be kepyt on put away be ony of the parteis quhill [etc.] 1488 Acta Conc. I. 93/1.
Gif thar be ony of thar gudis in place ondisponit apoun 1493 Dunferm. B. Rec. I. 42.
Ondistrublit 1513 Doug. iv. x. 61.
Allace! onkepit [v.rr. vnkepit, -keipit] is the trew cunnand Hecht [etc.] 1531 Dunferm. Reg. Ct. 48.
The said Jhone as ȝit hes onremvfit of the saidis landis … his saidis guddis 1535 Aberd. B. Rec. MS. XV. (Jam.).
And cam nocht to be ondreyd be him thairof 1545 Douglas Corr. 158.
The sawing off Crissting blude oneschade c 1549 Reg. Episc. Aberd. II. 309.
All and syndrie thyngis lesum … alsweill onspecifeit as specifeit 1554 Corr. M. Lorraine 395.
One dysservit 1558–9 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. I. 159.
Onevikkit 1561 Maitland in Knox VI. 137.
Onpersuaded 1564 Reg. Privy C. I. 299.
Onsellarit 1570 6th Rep. Hist. MSS. App. 647/1.
Certan siluer wark quhilk as yet remanis onquytout upoun 1586 Perth B. Ct. 15 June.
The ȝearne of ane vther plaid onsortit … the ȝearne of ane plaid onsourt 1587 Conv. Burghs I. 252.
Quhairby the interes to be payitt thairfoir rynnis onsatefeitt 1592 Ib. 380.
Prowyding they send thair said exemptiounis … with the burch vwist ondispenssit with 1602 Aberd. B. Rec. II. 227.
One prophanit 1603 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. II. 43.
Onlabourit 1614 Marischal Coll. Rec. I. 151.
On proffeit 1623 Perth Kirk S. MS. 11 Aug.
And that the said Issobell did it on imployit be hir 1625 Garden Kings 32.
He … on distrest of anie neighbour stands 1628 Aberd. Council Lett. I. 293.
Ondiscussit 1632 Cullen B. Rec. 27 July.
Quha soeuir flittis thair cornes fra ane feild to ane wther on stuikit first 1643 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. III. 17.
Nyne bolls beir … sufficient merchand stuff onhett or humit c1650 Spalding II. 321.
So that nather hird nor hyreman wes left ontaxt 1650–1 Misc. Spald. C. V. 174. 1657 Inverness Presb. 290.
The part [of a stipend] alloted to Mr. Murdoich being as yet onuptaken — 1621 Perth Kirk S. MS. 17 Oct.
In the nicht onloukit for the watter raise c1650 Spalding I. 219.
The King … seis sum vther disorderis on luikit for besydis(b) 1578 Waus Corr. 202.
I dessyir tham [oxen] of your awin walins, fair and young, of fyif or sex yeir aldis, an spilt

b. Prefixed to p.p.s functioning as adjs., or to adjs., advs., nouns of state or condition or derivatives of these: see the separate entries and Un-.

2. Prefixed to a p.p. in active mood, or a pres. p., functioning as verbs: Not or without having (done something); not or without (doing something).(1) c1475 Wall. vii. 1228.
On changit hors throuch-out the land thai rid Strawcht to Dunbar ?c1500 Rathen Manual 27/2.
All thai … nocht makande restorance … [of] all thyngis has beynne thryis lavchfully askyt in haly kyrk ongrantit and onsythit it sen the last generale cursing 1541 Aberd. B. Rec. MS. XVII. (Jam.).
To returne hame on past to the tryst 1591 Elgin Rec. II. 19.
Thai haif promeist to forbeir in tymes cuming oncontrovenit the said actis 1596–7 Misc. Spald. C. I. 91.
To rys airlie befoir the sone, on betechit hir self to God and on spokin and nocht to sayn hir self nor hir sone 1622 Elgin Rec. II. 172.
There was lytill justice in Elgen that sufferitt them [sc. witches] leiwe so lang onhett baithe ther hurdeis c1650 Spalding II. 337.
His vnhappie trysting with them stayit him on gone vpone Angouss Ib. 343.
He mist sum of Strathbogie men oncum thair Ib. 410.
So that the naikit corpis lay on bureit so long as thir lymmaris war ongone to the camp(2) c 1567 Melville Corr. 232.
Ontrublyng yow forder, I commit yow in the tuytion of God 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 45.
Thinking that he wes strang enewch to stand by himself on leaning to the Erle of Murray a1578 Pitsc. II. 122/18.
Sa mony as the bot wald hauld on drowning thame sellffis 1591 Elgin Rec. II. 16.
Quhatsumeuir persoun … departs this lyif on adverteising the minister 1596–7 Misc. Spald. C. I. 126.
He culd newir red him self on doing sum ewill or wickit turn 1597 Ib. 160.
Thow tuicht baith thy awin cheikis … onspeckand ane word to the barne 1581-1623 James VI Poems II. 95/15.
Quhat glaidnes … At oure lang uishit meeting I can not ueill on ueitting My cheikis declare 1600-1610 Melvill 440.
Yit he past nocht on-uttering his mind c 1630 Macfarlane's Geog. Coll. II. 161.
The remant tennants which were as yet on going into the house

3. In the above senses, prefixed to the first item of a co-ordinated list of p.p.s. etc., the negation expressed being effective throughout the list.(1) 1513 Doug. xi. vii. 191.
In cumpaneis onberyit or bewalyt 1523 Prot. Bk. Sir J. Cristisone 6.
One hurt harmyt skathit or trublit 1527 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 119.
One coakit or compellit 1531 Vaus (1531) B b ij.
Infinitiuo modo, on endyt or determyt mode to nowmyr or persone 1577 Crail B. Ct. MS. 17 Oct.
Flesche to be sauld … one carvit or skoirit 1570 Leslie 120. 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 309.
Ontrublit, molestit or impaschit a1578 Pitsc. II. 303/6.
Few eschaippit onhurt or slaine 1626 Garden Worthies 130.(2) 1581 Inverness Rec. I. 290.
That nane of thame … harborye onye beggaris … oncraiffit or sperit the provest bailleis and cunsall