A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1983 (DOST Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Our-mekill, -mekle, -mikil, a., n. and adv. Also: oure-mekil. [ME. (appar. chiefly north.) our-mikil (c 1400), north. ME. and e.m.E. ouer-mikel (Cursor M.), ouermekyl(le (1482, 1483), OE. ofermicel, ON. ofrmikill: cf. Over-mekill.] a. adj. Too big; too great. b. noun. and c. adv. Too much.a. c1420 Ratis R. 293.
It at I call our-mekle thing Is outrag, our-gret ȝarnyng c1420 Bute MS. 119.
Nother our mikil nor our litil 1456 Hay II. 141/21.
In our mekle habundanceb. 1533 Bell. Livy I. 201/7.
Yneuch and oure mekil of wilfull furiec. c1475 Wall. i. 350.
Bot thai raparyt our mekill to that place c1490 Irland Asl. MS. 72/25.
I haue synnit … in ourmekle spekyng 1586 Edinb. D. Guild Acc. 263.
Ane litill kettill … quhilk he spilt in battering of it oure mekle
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"Our-mekill adj.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 9 Jan 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/our_mekill>
