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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.

Quhon(e, Quhoyn(e, adj. and n. Also: qwhone. [Early ME and north ME whon (c 1205), quon(e (Cursor M.), OE hwón adj. and n. little, few, instr. case hwéne, etc., whence Quhen(e.]The evidence of rhymes suggests that in early use quhone was more common than quhene, by which it was appar. displaced in the 15th c., eventually becoming obsolete early in the 16th c.

1. adj. Not many, few.a. attrib. 1513 Doug. i iii 43.
On the huge deip quhoyn [v.rr. quhon, quhen] salaris dyd appeir Ib. x i 38.
A few wordis … Iupiter said Bot not in quhoyn [Ruddim. quheyn] wordis him answer maid … Venus Ib. xii i 66.b. predic. (1) Ib. xi 49.
Thar fayis … wox ma & ma & thai war quhoyne [C. qwheyn] agayne sa fele Ib. 605, etc.
For quhonnar [C. quhenar] be full fer war thai Than thar fayis ?1438 Alex. i 883.
The knychtis of Grece [were] quhone [orig. pr. quhom], bot thai Gouernit thame-self wysly(2) 1375 Barb. xiii 595 (E).
Thai war sa fele … And he sa quhoyne [C. so quheyne] and but supleyng Ib. xv 363.
That quhen thai saw he wes sa quhoyne Thocht thai suld with thaim sone haf donc. absol. 1375 Barb. ix 488 (E).
He discumfyt commounly Mony with quhone Ib. xiii 549.
He had to quhone [C. quheyne] in his cumpany Ib. xx 463, etc.
Grettar defens maid neuer sa quhone [C. quhoyne; rh. done] Agayne sa fele a1400 Leg. S. xxiv 265.
Bot certis, now are fundine quhon That in that manere wald haf done Ib. xl 1092.
That sa priuely v[e]s done That of thame vist rycht quhon [MS quhen] ?1438 Alex. ii 6716.
Of Alexander that with sa quhone [F. si poi de gent] Wynnis all the land vndir the mone c1420 Wynt. viii 4929.
That gret battaillis in fychtyng Cowth noucht cum to swilk end as qwhone [A. quhen; rh. done]

d. Ma or quhon, ? however many (they may be). — 1466 Charter (Reg. H.) No. 396.
The said iugis … ma or quhon sal haf ful powere of bath the partyis to ches sic lik personys vnsuspec of law quhill the hal nowmer be fulfillit forsaide

2. noun. A quhone, a small number, a few.Said of persons, also of words. 1375 Barb. viii 368 (E).
That the king … With a quhone lik to pouerall Wencusyt him with a gret menȝe Ib. xvii 135.
Quhen thai the baneris saw … stuffyt with a quhone [C. sa quhoyn] Thar ȝattis haff thai opnyt sone 1513 Doug. iii vi 45.
Of mony wordis, schortly, a quhoyn [E., 1553 quhene] sall I Declare