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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.

(Thareabout,) Tharabout, Thairaboutis, adv. Also: thairabout, therabout, -abuit, thereaboute, thereabouttes, -abouts, therabout(i)s. [ME and e.m.E. þare a-bouten (c1290), þer aboute (1340-70), þare aboute(s (both c1400), ther aboutes (1413), ther abowtyn (1451), there abowtes (Caxton), OE þǽr abútan.]

1. About that area, near that place.(a) 1375 Barb. iii 408.
The king … wes gane To Lowchlomond … And come thar on the thrid day, Bot thar-about na bait fand thai That mycht thaim our the water ber a1500 Colk. Sow i 118.
All the swyn thairabout Ruschit furth in a rout 1490 Irland Mir. II 57/25.
The wail of Iosaphath and thar about 1526 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 81.
Quhar that ony fray … happynes in the town in diffens of thair awin geir or of thair nychtbouris thairabout, … the said communite … sall [etc.] 1547 Reg. Privy C. I 70.
The scherefdomes of Forfair, Kincardine, Perth, Fiff, and uthairis places thairabout 1562 Reg. Privy C. I 220.
To entir thair personis within the places undir mentionat and to remane within the samin and foure mylis thairabout 1571–2 Reg. Privy C. II 129.
Gif the saidis wynis beis transportit to Abirdene … that oure Soverane Lordis declarit traitouris … being thairin, and utheris partis thairabout, salbe furneist thairwith a1605 Montg. Flyt. 534 (T).
All the boundis thairabout [H. them about] grew bleknit & blak: For the din of that daiblet raisit the devillis 1595 Three Reformers 40.
South Preston and the Panns, east and west, and the haill bounds thairabout 1599 Thanes of Cawdor 218.
Therabuit ?1549 Monro W. Isles (1961) 77.
Thai are … greater scheip thair … than thair is in ony uther ile thairabout(b) 1615 Denmylne MSS in Highland P. III 245.
It wes thoght that no feware could … vndertak the persute of thame then fyve hundreth … and that this persute behooved to be by sea, with galayes … and such lyk veshelles of this birth or there abouttes 1639 Johnston Diary Ia 35.
The Lord generall went to Dumbar wher my Lord Lindsay … and my Lord Muntros regiments wer lying ther and ther abouts 1646 Campbell Severall Speeches 24.
That he may come to London or any of his houses there abouts 1679 Glasgow B. Rec. III 270.
The candlemakers … to build litle houssis at the jebett brigg or theraboutis 1692 Lanark B. Rec. 241.
To build two stairs without the Laigh Kirk to answear the lofts and that upon the voyd roume quhair the traps now stand within and thereabouts(c) a1686 Turner Mem. 112.
That night, we refreshd in the wood of Kincairden … neither could I by any intreatie move Menyies to march quicklie to the hills … The truth is he had a localitie therabout, and looking more after money than men from the countrey people, he protracted the time

2. About that time or date. 1450 Reg. Episc. Brechin. I 147.
Befoir thir witnes the said Dauid askit at me notar ane instrument at the kill of the Blakhall off Balnamone v houris or tharabout eftir nwyne ȝeir day foirsaid 1509 Newbattle Coll. Somerville.
The said Alexander … to pay … tua bollis [of meill] at our lade day in herwist callit the natiuite or thairabout

3. About that number or distance.(a) a1578 Pitsc. II 169/10.
Thair was slaine of thame iij^xx or thairabout 1596 Dalr. I 15/12.
Twa myle or thairabout frome the toune is a monasterie 1615 Denmylne MSS in Highland P. III 245.
The nomber of the rebelles who ar estimate to be three hundrethe men or thereaboute 1659 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 185.
Ane nichtlie watch … consisting of fourtie men or therabout 1661 Bk. Arran II 105.
The number of two thousand kyne or therabout(b) 1570 Leslie 214.
The nowmer of sax scoir men, or neir thair aboutis

4. Around that object. 1597 Misc. Spald. C. I 147.
Vseing of thy deuilische … socereis … be taking of ane womanis sleiff and putting ane threid thair about 1660 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 187.
Ane long table … and all sorts of confections set theron, and the magistrats and most worthie men of the toune to be set and placit therabout