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

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First published 1971 (DOST Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Nother, Noder, a.¹ (pron.¹) and adv. (conj.). Also: nothir(e, -yr, -air, noyther, -ir, noothir; nodir, -yr. [ME. and e.m.E. noþer, nother, ME. also noither (a 1300), late ME. nodyr (c 1471), OE. nóðer var. of OE. nowðer Nowther. Cf. also Naither and Nether.] Neither, in applications of Nowther.

A. adj. and absol. as pron. (See also Nother-ane.)(1) 1513 Doug. x. xiii. 7.
Nother party wist, nother he nor he, To salf hym self quhar away to fle(2) a1400 Leg. S. xxvi. 768.
That na-mane wil for me Borcht na detoure nothir be a1500 Colk. Sow ii. 28.
Gif scho war his dochter or kyn to say. He said, ‘Suithlie, scho is nother’ c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 358.
Thus the scorne & the scaith scapit he nothir 1513 Doug. x. vii. 183.
Thai war excellent of bewte baith tway; Bot … fortoun … Wald nother suffir to hys realm resort c1552 Lynd. Mon. 4342.(3) a1400 Leg. S. xxi. 123.
For nothyr of thame had vthir gud Bot that thai thigyt 1525 Selkirk B. Ct. MS. fol. iii a.
Pertenand to nother of the parteis 1562-3 Winȝet I. 112/2.

B. adv. (conj.). 1. Introducing two or more alternatives.(1) 1375 Barb. iv. 12.
Nother off the kyrk na seculer a1400 Leg. S. ix. 36.
He ma nothire stere fowt na hand Na speke word [etc.] 1385 3rd Rep. Hist. MSS. App. iii. 410/2.
That the forsayde personaris … souch hym nother with grace, lufe na with lauch [etc.] 1405 Lennox Mun. II. 58.
At the setting and making sal noothir byn the said Schir William na Schir Robart na thair wyffis na tyl thayr airis in hurting c1420 Wynt. vi. 2164. 1448 Reg. Episc. Brechin. I. 114.
That ȝe nothir in tym cumin cal na fawt the said reuerend fathir … for the causis forsaid 1456 Peebles B. Rec. I. 118. c1475 Wall. iv. 65. 1533 Wigtown B. Ct. 275 a.
That he nodir coft na sald with Margret Daȝell 1544 Prestwick B. Rec. 59.
Nodir(2) 1375 Barb. i. 516.
For thair is nothir duk ne baroun Na erle na prynce na king … That [etc.] Ib. vii. 363 (E).(3) 1375 Barb. x. 713 (E).
His noble chewalry … That nothyr left for dede no dreid c1475 Wall. iv. 600. Ib. viii. 1058. 1526 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 80.
Nother sauld, lent no wodset 1535 Stewart 50047.
Nother les no moir 1533 Gau 105/1.
4) Thay wil noder prech thair self nay ȝeit suffer oders quhilk wald prech(5) 1427 Acts II. 16/1.
Nothir in kirk nor in kirk ȝarde na in nane vthir place within the borowis c1475 Wall. iv. 299. a1500 Seven S. 717. 1507 Orkney Rentals i. 80. a1570-86 Dunb. Maitl. F. ii. 8.
Ane fairar knycht … On [pr. or] ground may nothair ryd nor gane 1513 Doug. iv. x. 76. Ib. viii. iii. 108. 1525 Liber Aberbr. II. 450.
Swa that tha be noythir of greitar autorite nor auayll na hyrself 1535 Stewart 3672.
The lustie ladeis … wist nother of ill nor gude 1561 Crim. Trials I. i. 415.
Nother be the commoun law nor municipale law or vse of this realme 1562-3 Winȝet II. 53/13, 14. Ib. I. 5/28, 39/7.
Sik quantitie of wyne quhilk nothir hes micht to slay nor ȝit may be digestit; nothir causis to de nor sufferis to leue a1570-86 Maitl. F. clxxix. 75.
Thocht thow haue nothair geir nor land 1581 Edinb. B. Rec. IV. 225.
That the said flescheoures … nother pluk the woll of the halis, wambe, nor vther pairt 1591 Elgin Rec. II. 19.
That he noyther marie nor bapteis without [etc.] 1622-6 Bisset I. 30/10.(b) 1509 Glasg. Univ. Mun. I. 47.
That ye noder imput tak nor taxt of … regentis [etc.] 1525 Wigtown B. Ct. 174 a. 1529 Acta Conc. Publ. Aff. 312.
Nodir be his band nor be the bandis of ony uthir particuler persouns 1530 Lynd. Test. Pap. 527. 1531 Reg. Soltre 104.
Nodyr 1544 Corr. M. Lorraine 112.
And spar nodyr for cost nor lawbor 1558–9 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. I. 159.
The persewaris allegis the pairty aduersour hes noder allegit sufficient titill … nor yit pruvyne sufficient ordour 1563–4 Perth B. Ct. 10 (20 Jan.).
In respect that noder partie nor procuratour wor warnit thairto 1568 Inverness Rec. I. 168. 1574 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. I. 261.
Syme is noder persewar nor Moir defender in this present caus(6) 1533 Gau 25/9.
Swa that we neid noder to seik or leir of oder vane maisters [etc.] 1535 Stewart 32258. 1542–3 Corr. M. Lorraine 8.
At I may nodir ryd or gang 1571 Facs. Nat. MSS. III. lxvi.
Geif … nother ye dee seik of mariage or of the twa symptomes following on mariage 1535 Stewart 191. Ib. 49278.
7) He sparit nother for to burne and sla(8) a1400 Leg. S. xxxiii. 403.
Thar makaris nothir gifand na hele Bot erare redure thai thaim steleb. a1400 Leg. S. vii. 679.
For nothire wes lewit in that towne Hwnde na catte na ȝet ratone Ib. xvii. 309.
That nodir was he slepand rycht sundly Na ȝet vakkand al fullely Ib. xli. 75.
Hyme nothire ailyt mare ne myn Ib. xxxiii. 492. 1456–70 Liber Aberbr. II. 106.
And nothyr gaif the lard to the said smyth land nor crofte 1513 Doug. vii. xiii. 58.
Hir womanly handis nothir rok of tre Ne spyndill vsit 1535 Stewart 19341.
Nother to ryme nor ressoun wald tha luke Ib. 45687.
Wes neuir sense nother with lord nor lard As he with him had sic ane graceles gard a1538 Abell 87 a. 1551 Hamilton Cat. 85.
Without this halie crabitnes nother can jugement stand nor verteu incres nor synnis be refrenit c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus iii. 536. a1561 Q. Kennedy Breif Tract. (ed.) 128/23. 1565 St. A. Kirk S. 259.
Nother sall sche gayn call hym nor he gayn call hyrc. 1423 (1430) Reg. Great S. 31/2. 1446 Raine N. Durham App. 22.
(a) We sal not … mynyse [etc.] … nothir in al na in part na in preve na in appert c1460 Wisd. Sol. (S.T.S.) 86.
I … denyit neuir nothir myne ene, myn eris na my appetyt thinge that thai desyrit 1457 Acts II. 49/2.
That na beggar be tholyt to beg nother within burghe nor to lande 1485–6 Prot. Bk. J. Young I. 9. a1500 Bk. Chess 1747.
It suld nocht To sempill folk be nother sauld nor bocht 1515 Douglas Corr. IV. 69.
Ther hes beyne nocht doyne noyther in Roume nor the curt of Frans 1521 Fife Sheriff Ct. 273.
Thai ar na tennentis to do nore aw to him nothir soyt nor seruice for the saidis landis 1522 Ib. 259. 1560 Echt-Forbes Chart. 97.
Nocht to cast nothir truffis nor pettis(b) 1495 Charter (Reg. H.) No. 596.
At noder we na nane of ws … sall wit nor wnderstand … in prewey nor in pert … deid harme [etc.] 1509 Rec. Earld. Orkney 82. 1512 Dunferm. B. Rec. I. 188.
Nor yit … circumuenit nodir be the said Alexander … nor yit be nayne othir persone 1520 Wigtown B. Ct. 101 b.
That nay schep be geiffyn nodir broug nay land 1533 Gau 25/5. 1554 Corr. M. Lorraine 396. 1555 Carte Northberwic 70.
The said Jhone sall nocht play noder at dice nor chartis nor ches nor tabillis

2. = And not, nor, nor yet.(1) c 1489 Liber Aberbr. II. 263.
That the granitar sete na teyndis to na barounis nothir landit men without sikkir souerte [etc.] 1551 Hamilton Cat. 24.
Thai haif nocht knawin me for thair awner … nother haif thai had understanding of my worde Ib. 267.
Laif us nocht to our awin febilnes, nother give him leif to exerce apon us his crewelnes 1602 Elgin Rec. I. 107.
That he myndit no sick thing nother culd he do sick thing(2) c1475 Wall. x. 660.
Sa did he neuir, in na battaill ayr Nothyr ȝeit eftir, sic deid 1517 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 172.
Thair is dyuers … persouns … quhilk dwellis nocht within the samyn [burgh] nother yitt nother scottis … nor wairds(3) 1556 Lauder Off. Kings 13.
To minister … Justice to all … , Nother to spair … To do dew justice

3. Used to strengthen the conj. na, in the sequence na … nother na. a1400 Leg. S. xv. 23.
He was nocht dwelland With Criste … Na hard nothire na naw His ded Ib. xxvi. 768. c1490 Irland Asl. MS. I. 38/9.
And it obeyis nother to ressoun na ȝit the sensualite nother na ȝit the persone to the … commandement of God