A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. X).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1398-1475, 1537-1538
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Sumquhill, -quhile, adv. Also: swmquhyl, sumquhyl(l)e, -qwhile. [ME and e.m.E. sumwile (c1200), sum hwile (c1250), sumquile (Cursor M.), sum-quyle (Gawain & Gr. Kt.), som while (Gower); Sum(e adj. and Quhil(l adv., Quhile adv.]
1. Once, at a particular time in the past; formerly.a1400 Legends of the Saints xv 114.
Than Barnabas tuk the ewangele, That Sancte Mathew vrat hym sum-quhile c1420 Ratis Raving 57.
That said Salamone sum-quhill He saw a thing hyme lykyt ill 1460 Peebles B. Rec. I 136.
Sir John Wylyemsoun notar … deponyt … that he hym self twk swmquhyl ta the Rwd servys tha iiij s. of the sayd landis and be hys knawlege pertenys yyt [= yet] to the Rwd servys
2. At various times; sometimes; on occasion.1398 Acts I 211/1.
That he sal nocht lette his office na the execucioun of it be na contramandmentis as sumqwhile has bene seyne ?1438 Alex. ii 618.
Amouris, that ar ioly ay, Garris him sumquhyle bourd and play ?1438 Alex. ii 8481.
‘Sik is hap, dam’, quod Ydeas, ‘To gude man fallis sum quhyle [etc.]’ c1420 Wynt. i 1348.
Thair fwde sall turne thame to peryle, To rot, or bryst, or dey sum quhyle c1420 Wynt. viii 4318 (W).
A wickit word may sumquhile mak Full gret tinsall, as it did here c1420 Ratis Raving 1007.
Frysting … mone empare, And sum-quhill mak thi frend thi fa 1456 Hay II 152/16. c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace iv 335.
Sum quhill he had gret sufficience within; Now want, now has; now los, now can wyn [etc.] a1538 Abell 81a.
Alace mony ladis takis nocht at hir exempill of pete … and sumquhill spurris thare husband to be crowell to thare husband men
b. Sumquhill … sumquhill, at some times … at other times.c1420 Ratis Raving 845, 846.
Sum-quhill of clen and subtil kind, Sum-quhill of mar and wondir strind [etc.] 1456 Hay II 136/33, 34.
Corrumpit nature in the man makis him till have repugnaunce in his qualiteis the quhilkis cummys sumquhile for accidence and sumquhile for batailles
3. For some time, for a while.c1420 Wynt. ii 276 (C).
In Tracia is of swylk ane ile Thar in scho nuryst was sumqwhile [W. a quhile, R. sum quhylle] c1420 Wynt. vii 527 (W).
I wes … in Normundy … sumquhile Out of this land thare in exile
