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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.

Quhether, -ir, conj. and pron. Also: qwheth-, qweth-, queth-, quheyth-, whe(a)th-, weth- and -yr(e, -ire, -ar, -air. [Early ME, ME and e.m.E. wheþþr (Orm), weðer (c1205), queþer (Cursor M.), wheiþer (c1325), whether (Rolle), OE hweþer, conj.; in sense 2 (a1250); also, pron. and adj. (obs.; common in ME and e.m.E.). Cf. Quhidder, Quheder, Quhither, Quhodder.The usual Sc. form until the 16th c., when Quhidder becomes more common.]

A. conj.

I. With correlative or (also, once each, or wheather and or gif).Freq. with a subjunctive verb or modal construction.The correlative clauses may be either full or reduced, sometimes (after or) to a simple negative (once, with omission of or in quhethir na).

1. Introducing an indirect question, or an appositive noun clause.

a. After a verb or verbal group indicating choice, doubt or indecision between alternatives.There is perh. some overlapping with 2 below.(1) 1375 Barb. xii 429.
Bot quhethir it wes Throu the gret stratnes of the plas … Or that it wes for abaysing I wat nocht 1456 Hay II 38/29.
And forthy suld the knycht … seke wele … quhethir it be for meritable caus … or he takis the ordre for … covatise [etc.] c1490 Irland Asl. MS 31/11.
A gret dout is quhether a ded done out of cherite … be worthy of ony reward or geve God gevis ony reward for it 1571 Acts III 69/2.
Ȝe haue to lay ȝour compt quhethir … ȝow … sall conquest … ws all or gif … we be not mair abill to mak ȝow conformabill — c1590 Fowler I 320/3.
Bot wheather yow liue, or wheather yow die, Deuil tak most caire, al is one for me(2) a1400 Leg. S. xxi 965.
Na quhethyre a ȝere hale ore a day Was by-passit, he cuth nocht say — 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 49.
And my lord … wes in doubt … quhethir he sould tak him with him self or leif him beheind 1581 Acts III 223/2.
Quether 1586 Douglas Chart. 288. — 1375 Barb. v 86, etc.
Veriour na fors suld ma Quhethir he mycht ourcum his fa Throu strynth or throu sutelte a1400 Leg. S. vii 516.
Than Bad his falow suthly chece Quethyre ware leware hyme the lif lese Or liff [etc.] c1420 Wynt. i 692.
That nane can wyt … Quhethyr [C. Qwhether] thai man or best sulde be 14.. Quon. Attach. c. 10.
Quhill it be discussyt be the court quhether rychtwisly or wrangwisly he was pundit c1460 Wisd. Sol. (S.T.S.) 134. 1531 Bell. Boece II 363.
That he curit not … quhethir he held it in liberte or servitude — c1460 Wisd. Sol. (S.T.S.) 383.
At nan may knaw bot God, quhethire ill or gud 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 45.
This chamæleon quhether of sempilnes or for layk of foirsicht or for bauldnes of courage I refer to euery manis conscience … wald neuir beleif [etc.](3) 1398–9 Acts I 211/2.
[They] sal delivre … qwhether the trewis … be til accept or nocht c1400 Troy-bk. i 9.
Bot quhethir this be suth or noutht It is doutouse c1460 Swintons App. xliii.
To ger inquisicion be made quhether my said landis … war propriete or tenandry or in his handis or nocht 1478 Acta Aud. 62/1.
The questioun quhether the gift … suld bere the countas … fra hir terce or nocht c1490 Irland Asl. MS 49/13.
It couth nocht be knawin quhether men prayit or nocht — 1611-57 Mure Historie … of Rowallane 240.
Not … certaine whether or not brethren … do beare the armes — a1400 Leg. S. xxvii 831.
That quhethir na we sal ilkane vthire eftire se(4) 1375 Barb. i 177.
Quhethir it wes throuch wrang or rycht, God wat it a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 1182. a1578 Pitsc. I 169/29.
Quhether they war iust or wniust [etc.] … all was alyke onto him — 1375 Barb. i 254.
Than mays clerkis questioun … That gyff [etc.] … quhethir he his lordis neid suld let … or leve onpayit his wyff — 1456 Hay II 36/26.
Quhat is the cause that he takis the ordre for: quhethir for … richesse … or for pryde 1531 Bell. Boece (M) II 270.
Quhatt was to be done, quhethir he suld lefe the sege or continew still at the samyn

b. After a verb of asking.(1) 1456 Hay I 122/11.
Here speris the doctour quhethir the vassallis suld pas to the weris on thair awin cost, or on thair lordis cost c1490 Irland Asl. MS 36/32.
Thou may spere quhether almous spirituale or corporale be maire acceptable to God Id. Mir. II 13/31.
It may be sperit … quhethir he salbe condampnit or saif 1546 Reg. Privy C. I 55.
Na … persoun … inquirit at him quhethair he had ony money or nocht upoun him(2) 1456 Hay I 147/7.
Here speris the doctour a … questioun, that gif a knycht [etc.] … quhethir he aw to be allowit till him his wagis … or nocht 1490 Irland Mir. II 146/26.

2. Introducing a clause in adverbial relationship to the main clause.Freq. with conditional or concessional force.Cf. Quhether-ever b, Quhether-sa.(1) 1375 Barb. iv 770 (E), etc.
Bot quhether scho … Wenyt or wist it witterly It fell efter … As scho said a1400 Leg. S. xxx 558.
[He] gat this barne on me, Maydine or knaf quhethir it be Ib. vii 162. c1400 Troy-bk. i 589.
Bot quhethir it be suth or lese The werray storye sais [etc.] c1420 Wynt. ii 837 (C).
Qwethir 14.. Burgh Laws c. 71 (A).
He … salbe herd quhether he cum first to plenȝe or nocht Ib. c. 88 (A). 1456 Misc. Bann. C. III 98. c1475 Wall. vi 40.
In fer off wer quhethir I leiff or sterue 1490 Irland Mir. MS fol. 310.
Powere to caus a persoune to do richt quhethir he will ore nocht a1500 Quare Jel. 177.
Quhethir thay flete or in to hell synk Ȝit schall I writen efter as I think 1585 James VI Ess. 60.(2) c1420 Wynt. v 5830.
Sex hundyr yhere Quhether mare or les, bot thare-by nere c1590 Fowler I 284/62.
We come to Thé which … gyds al things yea wheather bad or ill 1596 Dalr. I 105/20.
Quhethir in our dayes or in our elderis dayes

II. As a simple conjunction.

3. Introducing an indirect question without explicit mention of the alternative response. Cf. 1 above.(1) 1375 Barb. vi 386 (E).
To se quhether he wald ische blythly c1405 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 59.
To do yhou to wyte qwhethir I will gere refourme the sayde attemptatz 1586 Douglas Chart. 288.
Quhethir remissioun salbe gevin … we mon leif to ȝour awin discretioun(b) 1456 Hay I 5/21.
The ferde questioun is quheythir bataill be lefull to be done(2) a1400 Leg. S. xxxvii 51.
& franyt thame quhethire thai Wald renunce the Cristine fay 14.. Acts I 40/2.
Quharfor it is askit at us … quhether he … sal recover his sesing 1456 Hay I 73/1, etc.
Here speris the autour quhethir is it … laufull till entre in clos barras [etc.] 1470 Wemyss Chart. 97.
I … askis at you … quhethire ye graunt the occupacione of the saide landis c1490 Irland Asl. MS 35/12.
Thou may speir quhether a religious man may do almos

III. 4. As an interrogative marker, either simple or correlative, introducing a. a direct question, or b. the statement of a dilemma, etc., in the form of a rhetorical question.Freq. with subjunctive or modal verb, and inversion of subject and object.(1) a1400 Leg. S. xxi 280.
A God, … Quhethyre it be suth that we se here? 1456 Hay I 72/9.
Quhethir it be thing possible that this warld be in pes Ib. 72/4. 1570 Leslie 295.
The heidis of thair disputatione war … three: … Quhethir the naturall body of Christ was really in the sacrament of the altar — c1590 Fowler II 137/2 h. of ch.
Wether fortresses [etc.] … ar proffitable or hurtfull(2) 1456 Hay I 72/15.
Quhethir is mare vertu till a man to assailȝe, or to byde in felde Ib. 129/33.
Gif a man wald mak ane ath [etc.] … quhethir suld that ath be kepit or nocht? Ib. 238/6. a1500 Henr. Fab. 2564.
Quhether call ȝe this fair play or nocht 1531 Bell. Boece (M) II 21.
Quhethir ar thir doyngis … dissait or faith?

IV. comb. 5. Quhethir that (or at).a. = 1 a above. b. = 3 above.Only in early verse.a. 1375 Barb. v 200.
And askit avisment … Quhethir at thai suld duell or gang Ib. vi 270 (E).
Cheys yhe Quhether that mar suld prysit be The king … Or Thedeus Ib. iv 696. a1400 Leg. S. vii 347.
Bot quhethir that this be suth or nay … I dare nocht say ?1438 Alex. ii 1898.
That he wist nocht … Quhether that it was nicht or day c1420 Wynt. ii 1225. c1460 Consail Vys Man 10.
Men may knaw To gud or ill quhethir at thai drawb. a1400 Leg. S. xxxiii 440.
Prowe sal we Quhethire that it mare richtwis be Til honoure God … Thane Appolline

6. Quhether gif.

a. = 3 above. b. = 4 above.a. (1) a1500 Lanc. 1186.
Qwhethar if yone bee Our presoner, my consell is we see(2) 1456 Hay I 109/1.
Here speris the autour quhethir gif the Emperour may mak were agaynis the Kirk Ib. 146/3, etc.b. 1456 Hay I 198/25.
Quhethir gif this defens be resounable or nocht? c1520-c1535 Nisbet Matth. v 46.
Quhethir gif publicanis dois nocht this? Id. Luke xv 8.
Quhat woman … gif scho has tynt a besand, quhethir gif scho kendlis nocht a lanternne … and sekis

c. Quhether gif … (quhether) gif, introducing (1) a question or problem, (2) a condition on which this depends: If … whether; if … if.Only in Hay. 1456 Hay I 197/10, 11.
Than speris he quhethir gif that bonde slais the lady … quhethir gif he sall bere ony punycioun tharefore Ib. 224/13.
Quhethir gif a burges of London has a sone at the scole in Paris that is befallin seke … than is the questioun quhethir [etc.] Ib. 234/34.
Here speris the doctour, quhethir gif ambassadouris come in Fraunce to the king … gif thai may leffully lede [etc.]

7. In The-quhether.

B. pron. Which (of the two); whichever. 1456 Hay I 247/28.
[He] may brek thaim or bring thaim to the justice, quhethir him lykis better 1533 Boece 156.
Trebelliane … with Cneus Trebellius contendit quhethir of thame suld to vthir … be preferrit 1689 Acts XII 49/1.
It was reasoned whether of the two letters should be first read