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

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

Worth, adj. (adv.). Also: vorth, worthe, wortht, worcht, woirth, wourth(e, woorth, wirth(e, wyrtht, vyrtht, wurth, wartht, werth, wor(t, vor, wroicht, wroycht. [ME and e.m.E. wurrþe (Orm), worthe (13th c.), worth (Cursor M.), wourth (1422), OE weorþ, worþ, wurþ, MDu. wert, ON verðr.]

A. adj. 1. a. Of a person: Competent; distinguished; of sufficient merit; able to do something; entitled to something; deserving of. b. Of a thing: Of value; of sufficient quality; useful; suitable; worthy. Also proverb. c. It is (weill, nocht) worth, it is (very, not) worthwhile, fitting, suitable.a. 1375 Barb. viii 276.
The cariage & the powyrall That war nocht worth [C. vorth] in the bataill Behynd him levyt he all still 1375 Barb. xv 438.
Is thar nane That euer is worth bot he allane. Ȝe set him as he wer but per a1400 Leg. S. i 332.
He … mad hym byschope; for that he Ves worth to haf sic degre a1400 Leg. S. x 371.
Gyf a seruand now vald ta His kingis wyfe succudrusly, He seruit sik blame … That he ware worth to bryn in fyr ?1438 Alex. i 663.
Thay ȝit sa vnworthie ware That nane that worth war, wald thame ta c1420 Wynt. v 4516.
That na tyme off hys innymyis He wes worth to wyn victoryis 1460 Hay Alex. 16096.
Ane sorte of worth knichtis a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 1245.
Ilkane be werk and be will Is worth his rewarde c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 149/98.
The ballance gois unevin That thow … to serff hes kirkis sevin, And sevin als worth kirk not haifand ane 1533 Boece 67b.
Gif we be men, gif we be ocht worth and wald be comptit successioun of oure nobill progenitouris … lat ws agane ȝone pridefull tyran defend our livis, liberte [etc.] 1533 Boece 119a.
He repute thame worth als grete reproche that defendit nocht thare awne rowmes [pr. rownes] as the invasouris of vtheris 1615 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 369.
To Robert Rankene in consideratioun of his manis waigis quhilk wes les then he wes worth of(b) c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 184 (M).
He semis to be sum thing woirth that syphir in bour(c) 1559–60 Inverness Rec. I 42.
He aucht nocht be that resson be admittit to hys fredome fordyr nor as the consell of the bruch thocht hyme to thame wartht his fredome(d) 1614 Crim. Trials III 296.
Gif the berar ane coitt, for he is wirthe itb. 1375 Barb. xiv 348.
Thai … mycht get Na thing that worth war for till ete 1434–5 Reg. St. A. 424.
The said Waltyr has grauntit for … fauoure of the said reuerend fadyr [etc.] … to brek stanys and away leid thru the landis of the said Waltyr … the said reuerend fadyre [etc.] … hafand consideracioun to mak the said Waltyr reward tharfor as it is sene be thar gud conseile worth to thaim 1456 Hay I 182/7.
It passis his power, and tharfore the obligacioun is nocht worth 1490 Irland Mir. I 15/24.
Resaue this werk in gud mynd … it sall be worthe the redene a1500 Seven S. 1357.
Thow may him taist Be a tre that he lufis mast Hewe it that it be nevere worth And se how he takis it furth a1500 Seven S. 2184.
To pref gif thire wordis be worth 1516 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 38.
Geiff ony man likis to brow dowbill aill for xvi d., the balȝeis sall send cunnaris, and geiff it be wortht [MS worcht] to be admittit, and geiff it be nocht to be sald for viii d. a1561 Q. Kennedy Breif Tract. (ed.) 131/30.
I pray God that euery Christian man vald imprent this hailsoume and godlye doctrine in his hart and mynd, quhilk is vorth euerlestand memorie 1604 9th Rep. Hist. MSS App. ii 197/2.
Thair is na newis heirway worthe the wreitting 1665–7 Lauder Jrnl. 64.
I saw also a very pretty spatious hall, … Colinton … told me that Colinton hous had not a hall that was worth, whence he would take the pattern of thatproverb. a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 1617.
They are not worth the weill that wil not byde the woc. 1375 Barb. xvi 534.
It is well worth for-owtyn wene That thar namys for euermar, That in thar tym sua worthi war … Be lestand ay furth in lowing a1500 Henr. Fab. 2012.
I mene not that; For and I did, it wer weill worth that ȝe In ane rude raip had tyit me till ane tre a1500 Seven S. 2045.
Now may ȝe wit it was nocht worth To trow hir tale

2. Of a value which can be specified. a. In financial terms. b. According to another material standard. Also proverb. c. According to a non-material standard.a. a1400 Leg. S. xii 257.
‘Fare bettir had bene,’ he sad … 'Hafe sald yt, & to pur mene Gyffyne, that worthe wes thre hundreth Of thare mone' ?1438 Alex. i 225.
Wist Alexander of this cheualry His winnyng suld be worth this day Ane houndreth thousand pund ?14.. Ship Laws c. 3 (B).
Gyf … the maystyr of that schyp by or sel ony thyng to sel agayne that is worth to sel to the wynnyng of xii d. c1420 Bute MS 175a.
Qwhen the mark is worth xxvi s. & iiii d. of the payment the sterlyng is worth vii d. of the payment a1500 Henr. Fab. 1183.
Ane certane breid, worth fyue schilling or mair a1500 Prestis of Peblis 208.
Foroutin gold and siluer in to hurde, Worth thre thousand was his cope burde 1513 Doug. iii vii 30.
Hym and his feris of hir nedyll wark And wovyn dowreys furnyst, worth mony mark 1525 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 78.
The aill, … quhair it is wortht xii d. to be sauld for that pris 1532 Dunferm. Reg. Ct. 77.
Becaus thai misknaw quhat part of quhow mekill of the saidis landis of Raitht war and ar wortht the said swm of v^c fifte ane pundis 1572–3 State P. (Reg. H.) No. 95a.
The leist of thaime haiffing heritag worth foure hundreth markis Scottis be ȝeir 1600 Treas. Acc. inCrim. Trials II 242.
Quhasoewer of his hienes liegis will bring to him twa of his houndis that ar raikit away, suld be gratifeit with a horse worth, j^c li. 1624 Brechin Test. IV 139.
The said defunctis heidgeir & linninge cleythis all worth xx lib. 1628 Cochran-Patrick Coinage II 15.
Base dollours … ar found to be no more worth than twentie fyve shillings ten penneis the peece 1653 Edinb. Test. LXVII 10.
Ane fyne ivoriebone comb worth viij s. 1695 Edinb. Test. LXXX 146.
Ane pleugh with the cairt & other laboureing graith all estimat to be worth xxxvj lb.(b) c1522 Doug. in Doug. (Sm.) I p. cix.
Costlie and precious jowellis wourth thre hundreth thousand frankis 1542 Acts & Decr. I 141.
Ane habberschew of melȝe wourth xij li., ane pair of brigattanis wourth x li. a1570-86 Maitland in Maitl. F. 44/42.
Men quha spulȝeit … Twa hundrithe nowlt threttie hors and meiris and insycht Furthe of his hows of blythe wourthe ane hundrithe pund [etc.](c) 1523 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 69.
The … balȝeis ordanit Adam Scot … to preff quhat the kow was wor 1530 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 107.
Dounaldsone … to preiff quhat he [sc. the horse] is vor quhen he resaiffit hyme(d) 1530 Soc. Ant. II 396.
Twa custumars to pas throu the town and see gyf the aill be wort xvi d. and it at is not wort xvi to be at xii d.(e) 1540 Linlithgow B. Ct. 10 Nov.
Thomas Lounans confessit in jugment awand Robart Redding ane amre wroicht twa merkis Scottis money and the prowest … commandit the said Thomas … to … pay the said Robart for the said amre or ellis to mak him ane amre wroycht the said twa merkisb. 1375 Barb. xix 166.
Ilk ȝowman is sa wicht Off his that he is worth a knycht ?1438 Alex. ii 379.
[If well led,] Ane thousand is worth vther tua Of ony gatherines that men may ma ?1438 Alex. ii 7248.
Pour men ar the folk of Inde … Lytill ar thay worth 1460 Hay Alex. 3370.
A man wourthy Is worth ane hundreth a1500 Henr. Fab. 84.
Thow [sc. the jasp] so fair and worth sa mekill gold 1499–1500 Acta Conc. II 380.
The sade comptrollar allegit the sade fisching was worth be yeire thre lastis of salmond 1532 Dunferm. Reg. Ct. 73.
Vpone the cognitione takin quhat Robert Orrok of that ilk was wortht in guddis 1540 Lynd. Sat. 1571 (B).
Thy feit sall be wirth fourty handis a1568 Bann. MS 46a/35.
Remmember ȝour gud name is gold wurth 1627 Rep. Parishes 91.
Neatone of old payed for stok and tynd 12 chalders of victuall and now presently be gud laburing and limming is becomme better, bot what now it is woorth wee can not tell 1633 (1634) Reg. Great S. 45/1.
If the tennent … quha sall be convict of the saidis offences sall not be worth the foirsaid unlaw, the said Sir Alex [etc.] … sall aither delyver the said tennent … to ws, or … sall pay thair unlaw themselffis 1655 Rothesay B. Rec. 9.
The said proveist and baillie sall have libertie … to tak abone the foirsaid pryces of ii s. the pynt as they think meit and drink moir worthe(b) 1667 Strathendrick 24.
James Earle of Glencarne, his xl s. land of the forrest of Balthrone estimat to be werth of rent yeirlie aught bollis victuallproverb. a1598 Ferg. Prov. No. 150.
An inch of a nage is worth the span of an aver a1598 Ferg. Prov. No. 631.
Mends is worth misdeeds a1598 Ferg. Prov. MS 670.
He thinks himself worth meikl myse dirtc. a1500 Henr. Fab. 1389.
Quhat is it worth to tell ane fenȝeit taill, Quhen haly preiching may na thing auaill 1490 Irland Mir. I 91/17.
The man, that dishonorit God, is oblist to restore to Him sa mekile as His honoure is wourthe and that he may nocht do, for His honour excedis all creaturis

3. In negative and quasi-negative constructions applied to something of very little or the least value or merit.See Cute n. 2, Fas n. 2, Fle n.¹ b, Leke n.¹ 2 (2), Lence n., Mailȝe n.² b, Myte n.¹ 3, Pere n.² b, Plak n. 2, Prene n. 2 b (2), Wilk(e n. b, etc. for further examples.(1) 1375 Barb. iii 198.
Fra the hart be discumfyt The body is nocht worth a myt ?1438 Alex. ii 4017.
Ane knaif that is nocht worth ane caik May slay ane gude man with ane straik a1500 Henr. Age & Yowth 22 (Makc.).
No grume one ground my gardone may degraid, Nor of my pytht may pair wyrtht [Bann. wirth, Maitl. wourth] half a prene c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyt. 144.
I saw thé thair in to thy wathemanis weid, Quhilk wes nocht worth ane pair of auld gray sox c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 269.
Be courtly ay in clething and costly arrayit That hurtis ȝow nought worth a hen; ȝour husband payis for all c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 198/23.
In bed he is nocht wirth a bene 1513 Doug. Exclam. 14.
Quhat is weill said thai love not worth ane ace 1535 Stewart 56288.
In it he left nocht scant worth ane kaill leif 1557 Rec. Earld. Orkney 108.
Varnit the said Villiam … that he nor his ayris sold ayr vyrtht ane d. in landis or ayrschip efter his deces a1568 Bann. MS 113b/38.
Not wirth ane hude, or ane auld snvd 1587 Carmichael Etym. 37.
Nihili, not worth the black of a bein a1598 Ferg. Prov. MS No. 776.
He is not worth ane swayn that letis his labour for the rain 1635 Dickson Wr. 54.
Albeit the matter be not worth a shilling, yet such vexation may remain(2) ?1438 Alex. ii 4257.
And sik wenes he is worth na thing, That is oft worthy in preuing c1420 Wynt. viii 6825.
Me think that he wenys mys That uthire men litill or noucht is worthe That beris him bettyre quhen he cummys furthe 14.. Burgh Laws c. 101 (A).
Nocht is worth at the ayr sais na aucht nocht to be herd 1456 Hay I 254/7.
This argument is lytill gude worth a1500 Henr. Fab. 1496.
My lyfe is lytill worth, my deith is les a1585 Maitl. Q. 255/62.
I sendis This ragment lytill wourth

B. adv. 1. In a noble or distinguished manner. b. compar. More deservedly. [Cf. Worth(e v.] 1513 Doug. ii vii 129.
And gif fatis wald I had fallyn in fyght, Thar with my handis wrocht I worth my dedb. c1475 Wall. x 494.
I wow to God, ma I thi maistyr be In ony feild, thow sall fer werthar de [1570 far rather de] Than sall a Turk, for thi fals cruell wer

2. ? In an appropriate manner, as might be expected. 1584 Sempill in Sat. P. xlv 752.
This poysoned preicheour … Is not vnlyk ane suple suord For in the fyire when ye have heat it, To ony syde you lyk to sett it, It will go worth [Drummond MS with] and stand therto