Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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.

Ourquhelm(e, v. Also: orquhelm, or(e)whelm, -uhelm. P.p. also ourquhelmd. [Var. of Overquhelm(e v., at first confined to texts of Douglas.] tr. To overwhelm.a. To overturn, tip over. b. To cause (the sea) to turn over in waves. c. fig. To produce suddenly, as if by inverting a container (night in place of day). d. To engulf, swamp, smother; also transf. e. To overthrow in defeat or ruin.a. 1513 Doug. vii. Prol. 16.
Quhen brym blastis of the northyn art Ourquhelmyt had Neptunus in his cartb. 1513 Doug. i. i. 78.
Iuno … Ourquhelmyt [L. evertit] the sey with mony wyndy wallc. 1513 Doug. i. xii. 15.
The hevin ourquhelmys [1553, ouer quhelmys] the donk nycht [L. nox humida caelo praecipitat] Ib. xi. v. 45.
Quhill at the hevyn ourquhelmyt the dirk nycht [L. nox humida donec invertit caelum]d. 1513 Doug. vii. Prol. 131.
[I] Persauyt … With clowdy gum and rak ourquhelmyt the ayr a1568 Bann. MS. Index (fol. 370 b).
Being ourquhelmd with dolour and with cair c1590 Fowler I. 275/8.
My bodye with al euils oruhelmd 1611-57 Mure Early Misc. P. iv. 6.
Icarus … by the raiging force of floods o'rquhelm'de. 1513 Doug. ii. i. 63.
To confound and ourquhelm our cite Ib. ix. ix. 106.
Ceneus ourquhelmyt Ortygius also 1626 Garden Worthies 19.
O'rewhelm'd