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

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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Ugly, -(i)e, adj. and adv. Also: uglye, -ei, wgly(e, -ie, vuglie, ogly(e, -ie, ougly, -ie, ouglyie. [ME and e.m.E. uglike (c1250), uggeli, vgli, ogli (all Cursor M.), ugly (Rolle), vglie (a1547), ougly (a1586), ON uggligr to be feared or dreaded. = Hugly adj.]

A. adj. 1. Of unpleasant or repellent appearance; unsightly, unattractive.There is some overlap and ambiguity with 2 below.(a) a1400 Leg. S. ii 778.
Than sperit he … Gyf that he wes sa wgly Quhen he wes borne a1400 Leg. S. ii 780.
That vgly padok than gert he ta c1420 Wynt. ii 1016.
Ane wgsum mangery Of wlatsum corsys and wgly c1500 Rowll Cursing 189 (B).
Thir vgly devillis … hafe lang tailis on thair heilis c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyt. 186 (M).
Thow pure pynhippit vglie averhill With hurkilland bonis holland throw the hyd c1500-c1512 Dunb. 118/20 (B).
Ȝit may thow be, within ane ȝeir, Ane vgsum, vglye [M. horrible] tramort c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 127/36.
Lat nevir the soutteris have my skin, With uglie gumes to be gnawin 1597–8 Misc. Spald. C. I 178.
Seing he wes ane man so guidlyk and ritche, and cum off honest parentis, and scho ane vgle harlot quyne, cum off so baise degre ?a1648 Polemo-Mid. 99.
Uglei felloes(b) 1581-1623 James VI Poems I 163/465.
The ouglie lousie phtiriase … That euen makis kingis more filthie then thaire beggeris

2. Having a nature or appearance that inspires dread or horror; frightful, terrifying.(a) c1409-1436 Kingis Q. § 162.
And vnderneth the quhele sawe I there Ane vgly pit, [was] depe as ony helle a1500 Henr. Orph. 255.
Orpheus began tobe agast Quhen he beheld that vgly hellis hund a1500 Henr. Orph. 265 (Asl.).
Tornand a quheile was wglie for to se, And on it spred a man a1500 Henr. Orph. 484 (Asl.).
Wglye a1500 Henr. Orph. 600.
Beyond this more he fand a ferefull strete … This vgly way, this myrk and dully streit, Is nocht ellis bot blinding of the spreit a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 344.
This doolie dreame, this vglye visioun c1475 Wall. ii 172.
He was set in to that vgly cawe 1513 Doug. iii iv 37 (Sm.).
The Harpyes … voce also was wglie [C., Ruddim. vgsum; L. dira] for to heir 1513 Doug. viii iv 179.
The hartis than and myndis of our menȝe Mycht nocht be satisfyit … As to behald hys vgly [Ruddim. ouglie] eyn twane c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 738.
Than rais the reik with vglie crakkis a1585 Maitl. Q. 281/40.
Thair saules ar entred in att heuins duir And for thy [sc. Death's] vglie dairtis makis na mane a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 343 (Wr.).
The craige was ugly, stay and dreigh a1605 Montg. Sonn. lx 9.
The vgly looks of old Medusas eyi[s], Compaird to hirs, ar not bot poets leyis(b) 1460 Hay Alex. 14591.
Wyld cattis ar grete as wolffis … With ougly ene and tuskis fer scherpare 1588 King Cat. 103.
To the last agonie, and departing of the saull … quhan as he that is deing mon stoutlie combat with maist extrem pains and oglie deuils c1590 Fowler I 153/1.
There never ran more fearse and ouglyie beare 1666-74 Fraser Polichron. 361.
Death … even in its most ogly shape(c) 1622-6 Bisset II 339/10.
Imprisoned in ane vyle and vuglie prisoun

3. Morally offensive or repugnant; base, vile. 1560 Rolland Seven S. 2629.
The greit mischeif … Heirschip, slauchter … greit sorrow and syte … tyrit thair pith and pen Thay war sa hudge and vglie 1535 Stewart 40211.
All thair faltis vglie and horribill a1686 Turner Mem. 216.
A fallacie … which was so grosse and ouglie, that the councell thought it not fitting to take up their measures by it

4. Troublesome, awkward, difficult to deal with. c1660 Sc. Hist. Rev. XX 93.
It hes bein ane oglye and onhandsum caried busines

B. adv. In an ugly or unpleasant manner; unpleasantly, horribly. a1400 Leg. S. xxxiv 232.
The feynde tharfor hye can cry, That mony herde, ful vgly c1420 Wynt. i 770.
Ane … best callyde Gale, That is lyk all tyll ane hors … a best of mekyll pytht, And wgly blak he is thare wytht [W. And blak and vgly als therwith] c1420 Wynt. viii 3270.
And the hevyddis off thame all Ware set wp apon the wall … Hevyddis grynnand rycht wgly