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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.

Under, -ir, adv. Also: undyr, wnder, -yr(e, -re, wondir. [ME and e.m.E. under (c1250), vndyr (1422), vndre (Caxton), OE under.]

1. Below, underneath. Freq. contrasted with abone (abufe, about). = Onder adv.Also, once, be-under, ? by analogy with Beneth adv.(1) 1375 Barb. xiii 661.
Gif it fall that fortoune thraw The quheill about, it that on hicht Was ere it most doune lycht And it that wndre lawch was ar [C. wondir lawch wer ere, 1571 laich was under air] Mon lepe on loft 1535 Stewart 505.
Helmes wer hewin, and heidis [that wer under] 1535 Stewart 34600.
Baith heid and hals wes hakkit all in schunder, With crag and coist, and all the bonis wnder 1602 Conv. Burghs II 143.
[Of goods damaged on board ship] gif from vnder vp the skaith cums(2) a1500 Henr. Fab. 1562.
Befoir, behind, sum ȝeid abone, sum vnder, And schuir the raipis off the mastis 1490 Irland Mir. III 49/2.
Be maner of purgacioun laxatiue of the wame that begynnis abone & passis vnder and purgis all the humoris 1504 Treas. Acc. II 291.
Tua antependis for the altair, ane undir and ane abone 1536 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. II 77.
That scho sall mak resignatioun of all and haill the said land befoir and behynd vnder and aboue 1558 Rentale Dunkeld. (SHS) 354.
In laftin [pr. lastin] of the new chalmer under and abun 1584 Sempill in Sat. P. xlv 1010.
Not all the paper of this towne And blek it baith vnder and abone May had [sc. hold] the half that he hes done — a1500 Henr. Fab. 1673.
All creature He maid for the behufe Off man … In to this eirth, baith vnder and abufe 1667 Melrose Reg. Rec. II 183.
The south peill under and above — 1566 Prot. Bk. Thomas Johnsoun 103.
The North Gallary and Est Gallary under and about glassit and kasit — ?1438 Alex. ii 9498.
Knyues and suordis brak assounder, Sum abufe and sum be-vnder

b. Under sunne, after sunset. 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. i 103b.
He may cast the proces, saying that … it was made vnlawfullie vnder sunne

c. ? On the inner side, ? at the bottom (of a garment). 1457 Acts II 49/2.
That na woman weir … talys of vnfittande lenthe nor furryt vnder bot on the haliday

d. Beneath the surface, underlying what can be seen. 1456 Hay I 238/21.
All pilgrymes … may … travaill … but impedyment or questioun sa that thare be na coverit malice under, as to spy

2. In subjection; suppressed. Chiefly, to be (hald, kepe, put (etc.) another) at under. = Under n.(1) 1375 Barb. vii 365 (C).
For he ves put at vndir [E. wndre] swa, That he ves left all hym allane ?1438 Alex. ii 10359.
The folk of Inde war sa at vnder, That nane abaid it was na wonder c1420 Wynt. v 950.
Crystyn men, and thare fay … he held at wndyre ay c1420 Wynt. v 2368.
Wndyr [C. vndyr] c1420 Wynt. v 4517.
Wndyre 1456 Hay I 36/29.
Sum men wenis to be at outhe and abune that is at undir; and othir wenis thai ar all at under, and ȝit God puttis thame abune c1475 Wall. i 13.
It is weyle knawyne … How thai haff wrocht … To hald Scotlande at wndyr euirmar 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 269.
Tell me … How that ȝe wretchit catiues thus at vnder Ar sociat with this court souerane c1500-c1512 Dunb. (STS) l 23.
He hes att warslingis beine ane hunder, Ȝett lay his body nevir at wnder 1609 Bk. Univ. Kirk III 1076.
After the reading … some freated, and pressed to speak, but … be the moderator … that vehemency was keeped at under 1635 Dickson Hebrews 16.
God will put them at under, piece and piece Urquhart Jewel 197.
The cruelty of whose perverse ȝeal will keep the effects of his vertue still at under 1660-7 Naphtali (1693) 318.
The work of God is now at under, but Christ shall carry the day(2) 1646 Drummond Wks. (1711) 214.
We are not brought to such a nonplus and so under … but that we dare both say and maintain [etc.] a1652 Dickson Psalms II (1653) 119.
It cannot chuse but be a great dash to them, to see the righteous lie under

3. a. Less in number; lower in price. b. At a lower level.a. 1515 Reg. Privy S. I 406/2.
Servandis with hym in cumpany to the nowmer of lx persouns or under 1632 Lithgow Trav. iv 137.
The price of a virgin was too deare for him … and widdows were farre vnderb. 1660 Rothesay B. Rec. 49.
Cunstars … to sett pryces under as they think the drink worse