A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1986 (DOST Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quhareof, Quhairof, interrog. and rel. adv. Also: quhar-, qwhar-, whar-, whair- and -off, -ofe. [North. ME quar(e)-of (Cursor M.), whar(e)-off (c1400), midl. and south. ME ware-of (a1325), war-of (Layamon), hwarof (Ancr. R.), wor-off (Gen. & Exodus), also where-of etc. (Quhereof), Quhare adv. C 5, Of prep.]Except in the earlier texts, more often written as one word.
A. interrog., in direct and indirect questions. a. From where, whence. b. Of, from or out of what (thing, substance, nature)? c. On account of what, for what reason? d. About or concerning what?a. a1578 Pitsc. I 293/24.
He is not our governour nor we knaw not quhairof he is committb. c1420 Ratis R. 1313.
Gyf thow wyll wyt quhat is bounte Or quhar-of is his qualitee, Scho is gudnes fore-outin wyce 1513 Doug. i xi 97–99.
Quharof mankynd is maid he schew ful plane, Quharof bestis, and quhat engendris rayn, Quharof cummys thundir and fyry levyn a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 1140.
Manie wats not quhairof the wel sauris quhill it fall driec. c1475 Wall. x 139.
Quhar off suld thow thi senȝe schaw so he? c1520-c1535 Nisbet Matth. xiii 27.
Quharof [Wy., P. wher(e) of] than has it dornell?d. 15.. Dunb. App. (S.T.S.) iv 5.
Thus wait I nocht quhairof to wryte a1570-86 Maitl. F. xxxix 124.
Douttis thow to want or quhair of hes thow dreid?
B. relative. The simple relative, in restrictive and non-restrictive (descriptive and resumptive) uses. 1. a. From which; also, from whom. b. By or with which; out of which; by means of which. c. In respect of which.a. (1) 1375 Barb. iv 228 (E).
That thai that weill ar liffand her Sall wyn the sege quharoff thai [sc. devils] wer Tumblyt(2) 1567 Sat. P. iv 5.
Traisting with ane … Quha was the ruite quhair of I did spring 1607 Facs. Nat. MSS III lxxxvi.
We ar lyk to lose all exspectatioun of him albeit your maiestie and we hes writtin him quhairof we haue reseauit na ansuer(3) 1560 Rolland Seven S. 9928.
Lipper, quhairwith he is infect, Quhairof gif ȝe culd mak him haill 1602 Reg. Privy C. VI 499.
They … gaif hir occasioun … to have tane sic displeasour quhairof scho mycht nevir haif convalescheitb. a1400 Leg. S. xix 454.
He suld gyf thame ineucht of gude, Quhare-of to by thame clathe and fude Ib. 681.
To cum to hewine & tak the croune, Quhare-of thu sal cronyt be c1475 Wall. iv 539.
A cleuch thar was quharoff a strenth thai maid 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 1477.
Ane fair mirrour … Quhairof it makit was I haue na feill a1568 Scott ii 78.
Quhairof 1623 Crim. Trials II 538.c. (1) 1570 Canongate Ct. Bk. 247.
The curing and mending of the said Cuthbertis fute quhairof he wes hurte 16.. Hist. Kennedy 12.
James Crafurd … wes schott in the kirnellis of the thie, quhairoff he wes leyammitt all his dayis(2) 1681 Corshill Baron Ct. 153.
Sex … sheep … that he had bought … quhairof he gave ane earnest penny
2. In objective senses.
a. Of which. Also as the object of a noun of action or a verbal noun. b. About or concerning which; also, concerning whom. c. On account of or at which.In b and c, with noun phrase antecedent or where the antecedent is a circumstance etc. to be inferred from the preceding context.a. (1) c1475 Wall. vii 808.
Thai … Syne tuk the hals, quharoff thai had most dreid 1576 Douglas Corr. 206.
Quhairof I mon put ȝour lordschip in remembrance 1600-1610 Melvill 138.
A four or fyve yeir auld dett … wharof sche gat na mair peyment nor the duc his executors maid hir 1597 Skene Verb. S. s.v. Haimhaldare.
Quhairof freequent mention is maid in the auld lawes of this realme 1623 Perth Kirk S. MS 14 May.
Efter the making quhairof the fyre being burnand, … the said fyre ewanisit 1635 Stirling's Royal Lett. II 854.
Ground whairof he and his authours war in peaciable possession … past memorie of man 1658 J. M. Beale Fife Schools 134.
For avoyding quhairof hee was constrained to give in the foresaid petition 1693 Lett. (Annandale Papers, R. C. Reid transcript) 31 Aug.
And the doing quhairoff give satisfactione to your loving spous(2) a1400 Leg. S. xxxvi 254.
Godis awne lam … That of this warld dois awai syn Quhare-of na smyt is hyme in a1500 Quare Jel. 256.
Jelousy … Quhareof eschamith euery noble wy 1521 Acts XII 39/2.
Quhairof thay wer convict in plane parliament 1535 Stewart 39536.
New baikin breid, … Quhairof the Danis had that tyme greit falt 1567 G. Ball. 12. 1597 Skene Verb. S. s.v. Raptus.
Ravishing is an crime, quhairof ane woman accusis ane man 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 54/6.
Hauing receauid from God a burthein of gouuernement quhairof he man be comptable 1603 Shetland Sheriff Ct. (ed.) 104.
Thir summes … quhairoff I hald me compleitlie peyit 1628 J. Irving Bk. Dumbartonsh. II 37.
Quhairof scho is insensibill(3) 1586 Reg. Cupar A. II 295.
In vitnes quhairof 1586 Burntisland B. Ct. 28 Dec.
In takine quhair of 1587 Aberd. Council Lett. I 36.
For the executioun quhairof [sc. his evil purpose] 1587 Dundee B. Laws 474. c1590 Fowler II 71/21.
Sic governments … the reule and commandement whairoff Ib. 148/25.
Quhairof 1597 Misc. Spald. C. I 107.
For remedie quhairof [sc. sickness] 1600 Acts IV 228/1.
Nochtwithstanding quhairof diuers persones hes [etc.] 1605 Aberd. Eccl. Rec. 49.
In respect quhairof 1606 Acts IV 298/2.
The inlak quhairof will breid [etc.] 1649 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. III 50.
In respect quhairoff the shref deput forsaid absoluit the said John fra the said fact 1651 Bk. Carlaverock II 141.
The consequence quhairof [etc.] 1685 Corshill Baron Ct. 171.
In witness quhairof, wee have subscribed thir presentisb. (1) a1400 Leg. S. xviii 397.
Al thir circumstance … , Quhare-of I sal mak thé franynge ?1438 Alex. ii 3899.
Ȝe haue ane nuke quhare-of God wait c1400 Troy-bk. ii 1063.
And he Maid hyr to Pyrrus sone send be. Whar of Pyrrus was wondre feyn 1513 Doug. vii Prol. 164.
Explicit tristis prologus, Quharof the altar says thus 15.. Dunb. App. (S.T.S.) iii 4.
Quhairof I hovit now in dowt, Gif I sowld luve, or lat it be c1552 Lynd. Mon. 2017.
Babilone and Caldie Quhareof he had ardent desyre Tyll june that land tyll his impyre 15.. Clar. i 696. 1560 Rolland Seven S. 5227. c1590 Fowler II 19/24.
Quhairof freindly being admonishit 1630 Misc. Hist. Soc. II 264.
That, quhairof ye do bleme your father unjustly 1632 Soc. Ant. III 130.
The Edub cauld quhairofe they hade no skill(2) 1560 Rolland Seven S. 2299.
This foirsaid knicht quhairof I spak of airc. c1490 Porteous Noblenes 62/33 (Ch. & M.).
Larges … quhairof the ane wynnis profit the othir mereite 1535 Stewart 192.
He sparit nother for to burne and sla. Quhairof his freindis thocht mekill lak c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 1060.
[He] heryit all that land about; Quhairof the ladie had greit dout Ib. 507. c1552 Id. Mon. 3126.
Gret elephantis … Quhareof the Yndianis tuke affray a1578 Pitsc. I 9/28.
The king … daylie his bodie he did mispent, Quhairof his lordis war nawayes content
3. In partitive and possessive applications: (Out) of which; of which; also, of whom.(1) a1400 Leg. S. v 600.
He had nocht quhare-of to tak, To mak asyth to that beggar 14.. Burgh Laws c. 95 (A).
And the ayr haf na thing quharof to pay the fader det c1500 Harl. MS 4700 fol. 173.
To pay the skathys gyf he hafys qwhar of c1520-c1535 Nisbet Matth. xviii 25. 1600 Hamilton Facile Tr. 48.
Sik [wine] quhairof thay tipple willinglie at thair comeres banquets(2) 1558–9 Edinb. Old Acc. I 279.
To scurge thre laidis, quhairof twa of thame bair the thrid throw the toun 1561 Inv. Q. Mary 38.
Quhilkis knottis hes fassis of threid of gold quhairof thair is sum loissit 1567 G. Ball. 97.
Lyke sacrifice thay sall consumit be, Quhair of bot reik thow can na mair se 1596 Dalr. I 4/12.
Britannie … quhairof the maist parte lyes betuein France and Irland 1596 Edinb. Test. XXIX 208.
Four ringis quhairof I leif the best to my eldest dochter 1600-1610 Melvill 416.
Ther sould be certean brether with the clark, wharof I was an and Mr. James Nicolsone an uther 1618 Edinb. Test. L 52.
Ane blok of herreine quhairof thair wes sex dailmen and partineris 1618 Montgomery Mem. 282. 1635 Black Bk. Taymouth 440.
Concerning the maiking of soume picturis, quhairof sextine of theam ar set doune in not 1638 Aberd. Council Lett. II 81.
Whairof 1640 Mouswald Kirk S. 1 July.
Tuellffe Sondays … the first and last quhairof they stand at the kirk doore 1642 Rothesay B. Rec. 946.
The four peices abone the kirk … thrie quhairoff belongis to John Keris 1644 Edinb. Test. LXI 2.
Quhairof 1653 Glasgow B. Rec. II 270.
Quhairof 1664 Stirling Common Good 24.
Quhairof 1695 Corshill Baron Ct. 190.
Two dolloris … quhairof one goten of airleis of ane horse(3) a1500 Henr. Fab. 2298.
Lowrence … thow man declair this cace, Quhairof we sall schaw the suith in schort space 1535 Stewart 59904.
Tapestrie … Quhairof the maik, … In all Ewrop wes nane knawin tha dais 1544–5 Treas. Acc. VIII 360.
To tua carttis of cutthrottis quhairof the lymmarris brak be the gait 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 335.
The haile cofferis, boxis or lattronis … whairof the keyis was in ane letrone 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 126.
The lordis of the articles, quhairof thair names followis 1579 Atholl Mun. I No. 90.
And saw the stomak quhairin thair wes a reid mater quhairof the deponar haid not sene the like of befoir 1579 Edinb. Test. VII 303b.
In the schip brokin at Weirdie at Lambes … foure last of geir quhairof the wraikkit geir recouerit out of the same being sauld [etc.] 1585 James VI Ess. 56.
His full intention in his proper leid, The puritie quhairof weill hes he tryit c1590 Cart. S. Nich. Aberd. II 292.
The land of wmquhill Gilbert Guthrie, quhairof the forland pertening to Gilbert Guthrie [etc.] c1590 Fowler I 294/97.
My trespass … The paine quharof I carye now with in me quhair I go Ib. II 177/3.
Quharof 1600 Liber Dryburgh 317.
This present tak … the bodie quhairof is vrettin be William Fergy 1600 Misc. Bann. C. I 144.
And throuch ane trans, the dore quhairof … chekit to with ane lok 1622 Brechin Test. IV 93b.
Tua twn … vyne quhairof fraught impost & charges deducit a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 967.
It is evill keiping the lok quhairof ilk man caries the key abou[t] with him 1628 Edinb. Univ. Chart. 110. 1629 Justiciary Cases I 103.
The straik quhairof [a sword] the lyntell beiris the mark 1650 Peebles B. Rec. I 389.
Two hinging lockis, the hespe quhairof of ane is brokin
