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.

Quho, interrog. and rel. pron. Also: qwho, quhoe, quhoy, qho; quo; who, vho, uho, whoe. [Midl. and south. ME hwo (c 1200), quo (c 1250), wo (1297), ho (14th c.), who (Manning), late ME and e.m.E. wo, ho, how, whoo, and, chiefly, who; used in place of Quha.Some of the following examples no doubt represent editorial expansions of the abbrevs. q^o, qo.]

1. interrog. Who? = Quha 1.In a. direct, b. indirect, and c. rhetorical, questions.a. 1567 G. Ball. 132.
Quho is at my windo, quho, quho? Go from my window go, go. Quha callis thair [etc.]b. (1) c1400 Troy-bk. ii 2887.
At his moder he gan inquere Quho was his fader c1409-1436 Kingis Q. § 57.
Maist thou noght se Quho commyth ȝond? 1513 Doug. ii ii 114 (see Quham-to 1). c1552 Lynd. Mon. 1620.
Father, I pray ȝow to me tell … quho did first sched saikles blude, And quho ydolatrye began a1568 Scott xxv 11.
My hairt, … knaw quho dois thé guid or ill 1627 Misc. Hist. Soc. I 88.
I desyre to know quho hes bruikit Kirkcastell 1638 S. Leith Rec. 29.
The sessione voyted orderlie quho should be beedall(2) 1596 Cal. Sc. P. XII 413.
Youris lefullie, ye watt quhoe 1596–7 Ib. 470.
[We could have no more of John Burne but his promise …] not vytless qho [counted it always sufficient]c. (1) a1500 Quare Jel. 227.
Allace the wo quho can it specify That wommen suffren [etc.]? Ib. 245.
Quho schall me help allace for to [etc.] … ? Quhat sall I say? quhom sall I awite? c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 64. Id. (O.U.P.) lxiii 76. c1590 J. Stewart 43/3. c1590 Fowler I 54/191.
Quho can with hir behaviour and angelyke adres … compair or yit expres?(2) a1500 Colk. Sow Proh. 23.
Wold my lordis do se quho wold begin it … Quho with discreit correctioun of ȝow Bot I quho hath begune this mater now 1558-66 Knox I 259.
And who was thare to led the ring but the Quein Regent hir self with all hir schaivelingis?

2. As compound relative: = Quha 2, 3, 4.Also quho that.(1) a1500 Quare Jel. 581.
Quho hath the worst I schrew him euirmore 1546 Lynd. Trag. Card. 140.
Quho dois exault hym self, God sall hym law 1681 Colvil Whig's Suppl. (1681) ii 41.
But who reason in generals … They bring but bout-gates(2) a1500 Quare Jel. 374.
That quho thus lyvith in to jelousye In ire and malice birnyth [etc.] c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 1.
Quho that antique stories reidis Considder may the famous deidis [etc.] a1568 Bann. MS 74b/5.
Quho hiest clymmis most suddanly discendis 1572 Sat. P. xxxiv 1. 1573 Davidson Sat. P. xl 221. 1602 Colville Paraenese 99.
Vho beis not found in that ark during the deluge sall periss 1626 Edinb. Univ. Chart. 107.
Quo salbe fund to have doone wronge to be lyikwayes censurit be the counsall(3) c1409-1436 Kingis Q. §77.
Sodaynly, as quho sais at a thoght, It opnyt a1598 Ferg. Prov. MS No. 1396.
That is as q^o wold stryk butter in a Flemings mouth(4) c1409-1436 Kingis Q. §78.]
[Maid is mencioun In diuerse bukis, quho thame list to se a1500 Quare Jel. 157.
And quho be wroth or quho be blith here I Am he the quhich that sett no thing thareby Ib. 326.
Or quho it list to hant Malancoly it raisith vp but drede 1535 Stewart 59.
The haill storie at lenth now quhen he seis, Bayth ill and gude, quho thinkis tyme or eis(5) 1529 Lynd. Complaynt 40.
As did the father of Fameill, Off quhome Christ makis mentioun, Quhilk, for ane certane pentioun, Feit men to wyrk in his wyne ȝaird; Bot quho come last gat first rewaird

3. As simple relative, introducing a restrictive relative clause. = Quha 5.(1) c1590 Fowler II 78/3.
And they also quho feling the greatnes of there losses remaines poore and exyled ar not able to indommage you 1595 Lett. Jas. VI to Eliz. lviii 111.
That ye quho uas so uachfull … as … to foruairne me of my perrell, … should nou [etc.](2) 1646 Misc. Spald. C. V 229.
That all within the ground … quho brewis ony malt … pay a stone of brew talloue 1656 Glasgow B. Rec. II 335.
Report was made by thos qwho sighted the qwarrall that [etc.] 1675 Forbes Baron Ct. 299.
Anj … idle persons nor non quo mack not travill 1699 Douglas Corr. 289.
There shall non be either baillie or chamberland of Douglas, but such as shall please me, and whom I name, and uho will doe nothing that may reflect on my honour(3) a1578 Pitsc. I 267/21.
I compair ȝour lordschips to ane honest mearchand quho wald … go to the dyce [etc.] 1602 Dundonald Par. Rec. 15.
Resetteris … of the maisterfull begger quho callis him self John Burg, Yrland man ?1614 Aberd. Council Lett. I 121.
To all honest heartis quho rydis not ever wyd in thair conscience 1649 Sc. N. & Q. 1 Ser. XII 75.
All childring vho ar capable of instruction 1658 Lanark B. Rec. 168.
Seing thair is divers persons burgessis within this burgh qwho hes slichtit [etc.](4) a1578 Pitsc. II 2/4.
Him quho was my sister sone c1590 Fowler I 33/3.
The other who dois fauour him is that Achilles stout 1600-1610 Melvill 620.
That it wes hard for thame quho wer thair to jeopard it 1611-57 Mure Early Misc. P. i 18.
As one quho lothed to sie the light c1616 Hume Orthog. 22. 1652 Wemyss Corr. 97.
It is the disyr of hir uho is … your lordships most humble seruant

4. Introducing a ‘descriptive’ relative clause. = Quha 6.(a) 1560 Bk. Disc. 200.
We ar nott patronis for stubburne … beggaris quho … mak a craft of thair beggyng quhom the civile magistrat aucht to punyshe; but for the wedow [etc.] … quho neather can nor may travell [etc.] a1561 Q. Kennedy Breif Tract. (ed.) 127/15.
Quharfore ar thow mair offendit therwith nor with Moyses quho … chaunged ane vand in ane serpent? a1578 Pitsc. I 130/27.
Quhilk befel Lionel the third sone to Edwart the third quho was lauchfull air to Richart the secund that … was … put doun [etc.] Ib. 146/11.
Thair was appriehendit … ane breigand quho hanted and dualt … in ane place … callit Feindes den Ib. 109/20, II 246/25. c1616 Hume Orthog. 15.
I … commend the wisdom of the south, quho, for distinction, wrytes light, might, with gh 1621 Dumbarton B. Rec. App. i 3.
Margrett Porter quho of befoir had sundrie diverse tymes fallin in fornicatione 1623 Aberd. Council Lett. I 208.
The quhole stoir rowmes quhilk ar set out to tennentis quho do answer in number to the thrid part of the laberoures sall … be unpeopled 1633 Annandale Corr. 31.
That is hindered as much by your friends, the great officers there, uho to saiffe charges … will not lett it be hearkened too 1633 Johnston Diary I 65.
A Fayther quho … had lottin thé seie his … providence … to thé 1667 Highland P. II 50.
Maried to … Barbara Stewart … qo wes mother to Torquill yre 1680 Soc. Ant. XLV 233.
Mr. Ro^t M^cWaird in Holland quho, in a letter … writs he wold … be forced to retrat [etc.](b) a1605 Montg. Misc. P. iii 79.
Some got a blind, vho thoght they war not bleat 1622–3 Mar & Kellie MSS Suppl. 151.
One Mr. Boiscourt, whoe was leger for the Artcheduke, is now cummed from the Infanta

5. Introducing a ‘resumptive’ relative clause. = Quha 7.(1) a1500 Colk. Sow Proh. 24 (see 1 c (2) above). 1519 Rec. Earld. Orkney 93.
[They] requyirit Johnne Irwing … gif he was nocht thankfullie payit … quho confest the same [etc.] 1535 Stewart II 457 heading.
How Gregorius was crownit king in Scone efter Ethus, quho maid mony vertuous act a1578 Pitsc. I 397/16.
The leaderis … was … the earle of Anguse [etc.] … quo then was banischit in Ingland for … leismaiestie Ib. 248/31, etc.
Quho Ib. 290/27, etc. a1605 Birrel Diary 15.
Ther wer diverse … voundit, quho dyed afterhend 1618 Annandale Corr. 28.
I had spoken with the person of Moffet … , qho I hope wil meet your lordship 1628 Duffus Gravestone.
Heir lyes Margret Keith … who departed Mairche 12 1628 a1633 Hope Major Pract. II 214.
The thesaurer wes not sumondit quho had speciall interese because of Pitcadro's rebellion 1633 Annandale Corr. 31.
If loue to your persoune or house could procure it … the one should not be wanting in me, nor the other in the bearar, uho hath not failed to remember me of it carefully c1650 Spalding I 3.
[He] wes bot ane barne who … micht not be anssuerabill for their misdeidis(2) 1525 Douglas Corr. 98.
I sall be reddy to the same, will God, quhoy haif ȝow in his kepynge(3) c1590 Fowler I 40/2.
Sophonisbas death, Quho seing hir selff so prosecute by Romans spytefull wreath, … she chused first to die [etc.]

6. With non-personal reference or a non-personal antecedent. a1500 Colk. Sow i 125 (Bann.).
All beistis for to blasoun Of thair diuers naturis … Quhom the law levis ete Or quho suld be no manis meit 1678 Buchan Cl. I 111.
A calf who had a great host 1692 Conv. Burghs IV 154.
Ane honest man … whoe is to have a publict burning mark whoe is to affix the samen vpon all [barrells] whoe is found sufficient

7. Standing for the spoken utterance represented by the spelling quho. — c1616 Hume Orthog. 18.
But w is a labial letter, quho a guttural sound Ib. 19.
As for quho, besydes that it differres from quo onelie be aspiration