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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.

Quhitsonday, n. Also: qwhit-, quhyt-; quit-, qwit-, qwyt-; whit(t)-, whyt-, uhyt- and -sondaye, -daie, -sonnday; -sounday; -sunday. [Early ME, ME and e.m.E. white-sunedai (c1205), hwite sune dai (a1240), whitson daye (c1557), whit sunday (1634), late OE hwíta sunnandæg. Cf. Witsonday n.See also Quhissonday n.]

1. Whit Sunday, the religious feast. = Witsonday n. 1.(1) 14.. Acts I 41/2.
Before the ȝule paske and quhytsonday [L. pentecosten] — 1514–15 A. Turnbull in Doug. (Sm.) I lv.
On Friday forow Whitsunday 1553–4 Edinb. B. Rec. II 351. 1595 Duncan App. Etym.
Pentecost: whitsunday, q. quinquagesima dies post pascha 1655 Mouswald Kirk S. MS 9 Dec. (see Martinmes n. 1 (d)).
Whittsonday 1679 Law Memor. (1818) 191 n.
[The Gibbites renounce] … holydays for there is none holy but the sabbath-day, Lammas-day, Whitsonday, Candlemas, Beltan(2) 1539 Crim. Trials I i 220.
That ȝe comitit the said recent slauchter … at Whitsunday last bipast

2. As a term- or quarter-day. = Witsonday n. 2.Also in fig. context.(1) c1390 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 19.
We consaile yhow that yhe full fyll hys haskynge be fore Whitsonday that yhour richt be na mare putte in questioun 1398 Grant Chart. 15.
At the fest of Qwitsounday nest folwand 1418 Liber Melros 502.
At Qwytsonnday nest folwand [etc.] 1434 Liber Coll. Glasg. 249.
Quhitsonday 1511 Reg. Soltre 85. 1628 Dunferm. Hammermen MS 10.
Quitsonday 1629 Annandale Corr. 282.
Whytsonday 1641 Acts V 376/2, 377/1. 1659 Sc. Ant. V 81 (see Lammes n. 1 (d)). a1699 Skene Agric. MS (ed.) 68.
Tarnetie Monday being the Monday efter Whitsonday 1681 Dunferm. Hammermen MS 106.
Uhytsunday 1690 Acts IX 222/2.
Considering the inconveniency aryseing from the uncertainty of the terme of Whitsunday [etc.] 1693 Ib. 304/2.
That the fifteenth day of May … shall be … in place of the former terme of Whitsunday(2) 1491 Dunferm. B. Rec. I 36.
[Tenants allowed] to remane qwhil the next Qwhitsunday 1531 Selkirk B. Ct. MS fol. 155 (22 Nov.).
Jhone Achesone … sal duell mailfre quhyll the foirsaid vytsonday, and falȝeand that he pais nocht the forsaid sowm at that ilk quhytsonday he sall gef ouer the said tenement 1619 Fraserburgh Kirk S. 93b (12 May).
& that in compleit peyment off all bygainis to the sad quhitsonday — 1661 Black Sc. Witches 42.
Betwixt the Whitsondaye and the Lambis(3) 1665 Lamont Diary 181.
He was to have about eleven thowsand merks of tocher with hir, payabell att 3 Whitsundays(4) fig. 1632 Rutherford Lett. (1894) 73.
Bide His harvest, wait upon His whitsunday

3. attrib. & possess. See Witsonday n. 3.Whitsunday Monday, = Witson(e attrib. c. 1597 Skene Verb. S. (1597) s.v. Whitsondayes.
Whitsondayes set … Or Whitsondayis making. … Vtherwaies called Whitsondayes styles. Quhilkis wer certaine constitutions and statutes quhilkis freehalders … maid betuixt them and their tennentes before Whitsondaie, for seruice to be done to them, and better labouring of their landes, and payment of their dewtie — 1662 Lamont Diary 149.
This summer Robert Fothringame … bought the lands of Lahill. … It was a Whitsondays bargaine 1670 Ib. 220. — 1666 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Processes No. 3.
His Whitsonday rent — 1670 Glasgow Weavers 80.
Item receavit fra Patrick Lang the Mertimes and Whitsonday termes maill of his hous £20 1671 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Processes No. 101.
I aclam the said James £33. 6 s. 8 d. for his Quhitsundayes maill — a1699 Skene Agric. MS (ed.) 68.
At Dumblane upown Whitsunday Monday is best to buy oxen