Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1986 (DOST Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Quhatever, pron. and adj. Also: qwhat-, quat-, qwat-, wat- and -evir(e, -evyr(e, -ewer, -ewyr(e, -ewire. [North. ME quhat ever (Cursor M., c 1375), ME and e.m.E. whatever (Wyclif). Variously written as one or two words.]

1. The compound relative pron. in indefinite sense used of things: Anything at all which, anything that; and passing into: everything that, all that.With or without correlative noun or pron. in the main clause.(1) c1420 Wynt. ii 1477.
Bot Oros … Can tell yhowe thare-off the manere, Quhat evyre [W. Quhat sa] it wes, it [W. it wes at, E. it wes] thai begane And held wpon it stowtly than 1456 Hay I 228/13.
For the law sais that quhatever sik men dois, it is comperit to the dede of a beste 1533 Gau 80/32.
Quhat ewer ȝe lows apone the ȝeird that sal be lows in the heuine 1540 Lynd. Sat. 1501 (Ch.).
Quhat ever wee say, I pray ȝow tak it all in play 1567 G. Ball. 39.
Quhat euer I haif, all that is thyne a1578 Pitsc. I 38/24.
Quhat euer the ane decerne the wther salbe miscontent thair witht 1650 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 112.
Quhatever they thought expedient they sould acquiesce thairwith(2) 1375 Barb. iv 319.
And how thai to his will var brocht, Till do of thame quhat euir he thocht a1400 Leg. S. xxvii 336.
He … wald consawe ful sutelly Quhat-euire he taucht in til hy c1420 Wynt. iii 118.
That he sulde … Off his hous quhat evyr he mete … Devotly to God sacryfy Ib. vii 2874.
That thai … Put thame in to the kyngys will Quhat-ewyre hym lykyd to do thame till Ib. iii 172.
Qwhat ewyr 1457 Acts XII 25/1. c1460 Alex. (Taym.) (ed.) 2985.
It bare away quhateuir befoir it fand Ib. 3068.
Till assailȝe vpoun ather syde Baith sey and land betyde quhateuir betyde a1500 Seven S. 858. c1500-c1512 Dunb. (O.U.P.) xliii 74.
With my hand I have indost To pay quhatevir his trappouris cost 1524 Reg. Episc. Aberd. I 389. c1552 Lynd. Mon. 4369. a1568 Scott xvii 22.
Now lat my lady do quhat evir scho will 1587 Misc. Bann. C. I 114.
The duke … thinking that quhat euer he did sold be comportit with, did interteyne his bischop 1596 Dalr. I 120/5. c1616 Hume Orthog. 19.
Quhatever we derive from them written with c we sould alsoe wryte with c(3) 1375 Barb. ix 32 (C).
Gif it fall at thai vill ficht, … Syne fall quhat euir that [E. Syne fall eftre quhat] God vill send

b. Introducing a conditional-concessive clause: No matter what, whatever; passing into: notwithstanding anything that. 1375 Barb. iii 522.
Bot I wate weill … Quhat euer men say off sic greting That mekill ioy [etc.] … May ger men amowyt be a1400 Leg. S. xxiv 229.
Thane scho sad, quhat-euir befel, … That but mak ay suld scho dwel 1406 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 64.
Of ony uthir landis qwateuir that be 1407 Charter (Reg. H.) C.O. No. 32.
Witht all thair pertinence quat euer thai be 1417 Charter (Reg. H.) No. 249.
Quhat euir c1460 Consail Vys Man 7.
Thus consail I quhat-euir thow do, Gud cumpany thow draw euir to a1500 Henr. Fab. 2019.
I sall fulfill in all thing ȝour bidding Quhat euer ȝe charge on nichtis or on dayis Ib. 2513. Id. Test. Cress. 85. 1513 Doug. x xii 134.
Thou sall de first, quhat evyr to me forseyn Or previdyt has myghty Iove 1566 Q. Mary in Argyll Fam. Lett. 6.
Wat euer bis sayed bi sur off my gud mynd a 1568 Sempill Sat. P. xlvi 29.
Plum weill the grund quhat evir ȝe doo ? a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. clxxix 13.
Quhat ewire a1578 Pitsc. II 117/26.
Quhair thay micht lay thair arteilȝerie and men to be in raddynes quhatevir hapnit a1595 Descr. Isles 439.
Na labourers of the ground are permittit to steir furth of the cuntrie, quhatevir thair maister have ado

2. The compound relative pron. in indefinite sense used of persons, in reference to identity or to rank, status, character etc.: Whoever, whatever (sort of) person or persons, no matter who.Only introducing a clause with personal pron. and the verb to be as copula, thus specifying person and number, as Quhatever he be, thow art, etc.This sense appar. only Sc.

a. Followed by a relative clause introduced by that (also occas. ellipsed) which states a conditional or concessive proposition, followed in turn by a correlative clause with or without correlative noun or pronoun, as Quha ever he be (that) (does something), (he etc.) sall (etc.). Also, quhatever he or scho it be.(1) c1420 Wynt. vi 2266.
Till hawe the waward off hys bataylle Quhat-evyr thai ware wald it assaylle Ib. 1181 (see Quhat pron., adj. etc. 15 c (1)). 14.. Burgh Laws c. 53 (A).
Quhat euer he be that seruis in the kingis millis … thai sal nocht haf seruandis [etc.] c1450 Cr. Deyng 267.
And quhat-euir he be that treuly kepys this informacione but fenȝeing he beis sauit 1456 Hay I 233/17.
I traist that quhat ever he be that usis sik thing, sa[ll] nocht [etc.] c1475 Wall. vii 427.
Quhat euir he be reskewis off that kyn Fra the rede fyr, him selff sall pas tharin 1513 Doug. vi vi 7.
Quhat evir thou be that cummys enarmyt so … quhiddir etlys thou go? Ib. ix i 49.
Quhat evir thou be that callys to the weris, Thy command sal I obey(2) 1630 Fraserburgh Kirk S. II 23 May.
Quhateuer he or scho it be that is fund drunkin sall pay iij libis

b. In a conditional-concessive clause. Also with the adv. complement for the time.(1) 1375 Barb. i 245.
All that he has enbandownyt is Till hys lord, quhat euir he be ?1438 Alex. ii 4550.
Gif he be tane, quhat euir he be, I sall haue him to my part 1402 Reg. Panmure II 184.
Retournand to me and myn ayrs quhatevir thai be 1408 Facs. Nat. MSS II lxi. 1420 Reg. Episc. Morav. 476.
To the said Willȝame the Hayis assyngnase qwhateuer thai be 1426 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III 202. 1442 Aberd. B. Rec. I 8.
That na man of this toune quhateuer he be herbery ony man of without the toune 1471 Ayr Friars Pr. Chart. 53.
The prior for the tym qwatever he be sal fynd tua lychtis a1500 Prestis of Peblis 406. 1513 Doug. i vi 140.
Quhat evir thou art, I trast weill at thou be Favorit with the goddis Ib. ii iii 6.
[Priam to Sinon:] Quhat evir thou art, beis mery and glad, Forȝet the Grekis [etc.](2) 1431 Reg. Great S. 45/1.
And chargis the ayris of our sayd son … and the tutouris quhat ever thai be for the tyme that [etc.] Ib.
Be the handdis of the mallerys quhat ever thai be for the tyme 1509 Reg. Episc. Glasg. II 522.
At the seicht of the Deyn of Faculte of Glasgwe quhatewyr he be for the tyme

3. adj. The compound relative adj. in indefinite sense. a. Any (person or thing) that, whatever … that. c1590 Fowler II 79/28.
Quhat euer conquerour haith not his eys opned in this consideration he sal not [etc.] 1596 Dalr. I 29/24.
Quhateuir thing the handis of men had twechet, … frome al sik thay absteined mony dayes thaireftir

b. In a conditional-concessive clause: No matter what, notwithstanding any. 1412 Aberd. B. Rec. I 389.
That ilke man duelland in the burgh of wateuer state or conditioun that he be of sal stand gaird 1562-3 Winȝet I 77/16.
Sen we addict our selfis to the doctrine of na man, of quhateuir [MS whatsumewir] leirning and auctoritie he be