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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.

Quhen-ever, adv. conj. Also: quhene- and -evere, -evir, -ewir, -ewyr; quhan-evere, -evir. [ME (Wyclif) and late ME whanne ever(e, late ME (c1440) and e.m.E. when ever; Quhen adv.¹ and conj. + Ever adv. 3 a.]

1. interrog., in an indirect question: At what time, when. c1460 Thewis Wysmen 266.
Thai gyf na fors quhen-euir thai dee

2. As compound relative. a. indefin.: On any or every occasion on which, at any or every time that, if on some occasion.Also quhen ever that, id. a1400 Leg. S. xvii 31.
& quhene-euir hyme thocht gud, As fysche wald he dwel in the flud 1456 Hay I 185/35.
For quhen ever ony prince passis for rychtwis caus and gude querele in fere of were he aw nocht to be stoppit 1473 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III 10.
Quhen ever it be sene … that he … be hurt throw the lowsing of the said redempcioun I bynde me in twa hundreth pundis [etc.] a1500 Henr. Fab. (O.U.P.) 362.
Quhen euer scho list scho had aneuch to eit Id. Orph. (O.U.P.) 557.
Quhen ewir a1500 Seven S. 1058, 2766. 1510 Reg. Privy S. I 326/1.
A licence … to … purches beneficis in Rome quhenevir happinis thaim to vaik 1513 Doug. i ii 16. 1528 Douglas Corr. 127.
In the meyn sesoune, quhan evir I am requirit, I caus [etc.] 1531 Bell. Boece I 11.
Quhen evir it hapnit thaim to be invadit 1533 Thanes of Cawdor 159.
Quhen ewyr 1536 Murray Lyon Hist. Lodge Edinb. 36.
The town forsaid commandand hym thairto for the tyme, and that quheneuir he beis requirit 1560 Rolland Seven S. 8003. 1573 Davidson Sat. P. xl 364.
Stay ȝow to cois with lyfe celestiall, Quhen euer that the chois cumis thame betwene 1607 Glasgow B. Rec. I 261.
And the said James to mak the … dalis furthcumand to the said towne quhenevir it sall clem to … crave the … dalis fra him to the same vs

b. defin.: On the (future) occasion that, when in due course. 1375 Barb. xix 110.
Quhen-euer thé likys thow may ga c1460 Alex. (Taym.) (ed.) 3402.
Tocht ȝe be may quhan euere ȝe cum thame to May fall parcais to mak ȝow all ado 1509 Reg. Privy S. I 293/2.
Landis … that sall happin to cum in the kingis handis … throu the said Henrys deceis quhenevir it sall happin