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Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Worth, Word, v. Also: vorth, worthe, wourth, wirth, werth, wird, wourd(e. P.t. worthit, -yt, -ed, -id, -yd(e, wourthit, werthit, worth, vorth, wourth, word(e, wourde, wo(u)rthin, wroth, wrocht. P.p. worthyn, -in(e, -ing, vorthyn, worthit, -yd, worde, wordine, wordit. [ME and e.m.E. wurðe(n (c1200), wurrþenn (Orm), worth (Cursor M.), worþe(n (c1330), worthyn (a1400). P.t. werð (1175), warrþ (Orm), werþe (Trevisa), worþ (c1275), worthed (c1400), worthe (c1440), worden (Caxton). P.p. wurden (c1200), wurrþenn (Orm), worthen (c1400), worthe (c1449), woorde (1570), OE weorðan, wurðan, MLG werden, MDu. worden, ON verða. Also in the later dialect.]

1. To become, grow, come to be, change in state, condition, etc.; to be in contingent circumstances (to). a. With adjectival complement. b. With prepositional complement. c. With noun complement.a. pres. 1375 Barb. vii 175 (C).
The body vorthis hevy … And to slepe drawis hevynes a1400 Leg. S. xxvii 350.
Til abstinens he gef hym al, & held his flesch vndirlout, For dred it suld worth stout ?1438 Alex. ii 2083.
Schent worth he that crabis him ocht c1400 Troy-bk. i 182.
[Gif that ȝe t]hink this tretys hard, [It] may worth fer ware eftyrward Gyf [etc.] c1420 Wynt. i 706.
In thare eelde agayne thare hare Worthys blak in all tyme thare 1456 Hay I 45/3.
Consules and senatouris … ordanyt to governe, ilke ȝere twa sindry, for dout that thai worth proude and hautayn of thair office 1456 Hay I 58/31.
All the tame bestis … that was wount to duell with men hamely worthe [pr. worthy] sa dolorous, that it semyt that thai gret for sorow 1456 Hay I 228/27.
Gif that a man … had put a woodman in prisoun, and he worthe hale 1456 Hay II 119/9.
Sum men worthis grete and purssyd and corpolentis, that is of our grete exces of etyng or drinking c1475 Wall. vi 647.
The king ner worthis mad, For his der kyn that he thar lossyt had 1494 Loutfut MS 32b.
The rane noyis him sa mervelusly quhill he worthis blynde a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 1007.
I … sall nocht ceis to cry quhill I worth hais 1513 Doug. iii i 69.
To … Hamadriades … I wirschip maid … Besekyng this avisioun worth happy 1520–1 Dundee B. Ct. I 10b (2 Jan.).
Or tha the said quhit worth raw that the skath cum on the said Jhon(b) a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 822.
He wourdis brym as ane bair, that bydis na beild a1500 K. Hart 772.
Gif that ȝe wourde of thesaure indigent, Go to ȝour place and ȝow thairin present(c) a1500 Henr. Fab. 23.
Ane bow that ay is bent Worthis vnsmart and dullis on the string(d) 1494 Loutfut MS 33b.
The schell … will werth sa hard that he may nocht ply itp.t. 1375 Barb. i 194.
Officeris … He maid off Inglis nation, That worthyt than … swa hawtane and dispitous That [etc.] c1400 Troy-bk. ii 1143 (C).
Scho worthed wod wttrely c1420 Wynt. i 314.
Thir geawndis that worthyde sa forssy c1450-2 Howlat 816 (A).
The dene rurale worthit reid. Stawe for schame of the steid a1500 Rauf C. 831.
Thay hewit on in haist, Thay worthit heuy with heid and angerit with all c1475 Wall. ii 287.
Gudely meytis scho graithit him at hir mycht … Quhill forthirmar at Wallas worthit wycht 1533 Boece 610.
Quhen victuallis worthyt skant … the armye returnit to Scotland(b) a1400 Leg. S. xviii 1008.
The sone brynt me, Til I worth blak as ȝe ma se a1400 Leg. S. iv 346.
Vorth ?a1450 Florimond 125.
Thay wox and worth bayth fair and wicht, And rycht semlie to se be sycht 1456 Hay I 53/29.
The quhilk quhen the folk … herd, thai worth wode for dule c1475 Wall. viii 865.
The … ostis wictaill worth scant, and failȝeit fast 1513 Doug. v xi 86.
Of Troiane wemen the myndis worth agast 1531 Bell. Boece (M) II 134.
The place worth ay mair straitt and difficill to pas(c) a1400 Leg. S. xii 420.
He worde stane-blynde 1460 Hay Alex. 14212.
The sone word rede th[at] tynt all gude beleif For all blakynnit baith elementis and are(d) a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 973.
Thus wourthit Schir Gawyne wraith and wepand(e) a1500 K. Hart 745.
The quene wourde wrayth(f) 1513 Doug. viii iii 30 (Ruddim.).
Thay wourth affrayit of that suddane sycht(g) 1513 Doug. ix vii 108.
As thai thus wondrit in effray, Thys ilk Nysus worthin [Ruddim. wourthin] provd and gay And [etc.](h) 1460 Hay Alex. 14303.
He changit fassoun and wroth baith blak and blap.p. 1375 Barb. iv 606.
This Cutbert saw thar felony, And saw the folk sa halely Be worthyn Inglis baith rich & pur c1420 Wynt. iv 1654 (W).
Thai … thocht for till haif semblit eft Wpone the morne, and thai had sone The wethere worthing brycht and schone 1456 Hay II 7/10.
For the grete waking … and penitence … he was worthin rycht lene, pale and wan 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 1945.
I am richt glaid thow art worthin sa wicht a1508 Want of Wyse Men 45 (Bann.).
Gud fayth is flemit, worthin [Ch. & M. vvorthin] frewollar than glas 1570 Leslie 90.
Trusting ye suld haif mendit to us or worthin kindar to oure frindis(b) a1400 Leg. S. xxi 116.
Hyre handis twa That scho had bittine, wordit sa Vnhelful, that [etc.](c) c1420 Wynt. viii 399.
He suld hawe worthyd [C. worthit] rede for schame, A fre kynryk swa till defame 1456 Hay I 244/29.
The warld is worthit sa subtile in falshede that [etc.]b. 1375 Barb. iv 738.
Men … till iwill gewyn … away has drewyn Thar ill and worthin [C. vorthyn] off gret renoun c1400 Troy-bk. ii 1140 (C).
When that Eccuba … Saw sleyne Pollycena … Sho worthed out of all memor c1420 Ratis R. 47.
Fallis ilke day That pwre men … Worthis tyll erlys [etc.] 1456 Hay I 211/32.
Sa that, bot gif thare war a soverane … all the world wald worth to nocht a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 1096.
Lat it worth at my wil thé wourschip to wale a1500 Rauf C. 704.
Ȝone is Wymond, I wait, it worthis na weirc. a1400 Leg. S. iv 198.
Herrod … That wes worthine the devilis lyme a1400 Leg. S. xxv 275.
He worth [a] mychtty mane Thru gud & prowes that he wane c1420 Wynt. iv 1622 (W).
In steid of senatouris Carllis and bondis worthit counsalouris 14… Reg. Episc. Aberd. I 248.
Ascendand that burne til it worth a lech a1508 Want of Wyse Men 6 (Ch. & M.).
Welth is away, and wit is worthin [Bann. wrochtin to] wrynkis 1533 Gau 29/27.
That God is wordine mane

2. Chiefly in expressions of wishing to know what might happen: To become of, result from (a situation), happen to or befall (a person). Chiefly const. of. Also in passive, const. on. b. Wa worth, may ill or harm befall, a curse upon, see Wa adv. 2 b for examples. c. Wele worth, may good fortune befall, see Wel(e adj. 2 a (2) for examples.(1) 1375 Barb. iv 244.
Scho … him askyt … Quhat suld worth off the fechtyn Betuix the Fraunce king & hyr sone a1400 Leg. S. xviii 1181.
Now quhat sal word of me, Now alienit, gyf I sall be, Of that swet sicht ?1438 Alex. ii 10804.
Quhat sall word of vs … Quha sall vs now gif counsall, Or quha sall help vs in battall! c1420 Wynt. viii 2681 (W).
William Oliphant … He gert be tane and bunding fast … And put thare in a deip presoune … And quhat worth of him mare, perde, I can nocht tell the certante a1500 Rauf C. 692.
I mon ȝit heir mair quhat worthis of him anis, And eirnestly efter him haue myne e ay c1475 Wall. v 493.
‘Quhat word of him? I pray you graithlye tell.’ ‘My lord,’ he said, ‘rycht thus the case befell’ a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 721.
Gif but caus Crist wes slane cruelly, O Lord, quhat sall worth of ws, that ar gilty? 1629 Boyd Last B. (1629) 425 (Jam. s.v. Word v.).
Then many shall wonder what can bee worde of such a blazing professor 1638 Henderson Serm. 247.
What if such a day of destruction come, what then sall word of me? ?1644 W. Guthrie Serm. (1709) 14 (Jam. s.v. Word v.).
What will word of my house? And what will word of my goods and gear?(2) a1508 Want of Wyse Men 50 (Bann.).
Quha hes the war is worthin on him all the wyte(3) a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 490.
Eild wae mot worth yowb. c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 196/9.
Wirth

3. To have to, need to, be required, obliged or compelled to do something or to be in a particular state, also with omission of to. Also impers. Chiefly const. dative pronoun and impers.(1) a1400 Leg. S. ii 651.
This Nero worthit ay of ned Throw o custum of his barnehed Ryse ay quhen his master com nere ?1438 Alex. ii 7603.
Men worthis avow for ladyes deir And put thair bodeis in perrellis seir c1420 Wynt. i 152 (W).
Hard with mankynd than it stude; Adam werthit to wyne his fude Off the erd c1420 Wynt. iv 202.
He mycht noucht the towne cum nere Bot worthyd to byd [W. worthit byde] Quhille the weltrand wawys kene Suld a part have swagyd bene c1420 Wynt. vi 331.
This Pypyne than … Worthyd till tak till hym … Off Frawns that tyme the governale c1475 Wall. i 438.
He for wo weyle ner worthit to weide c1475 Wall. v 5.
Banyst men … With thair power in pethis worthis gang a1568 Bann. MS 139a/78.
Within that stowp Fra tyme thow sowp And wirdis to be sweir And makis a stop quhen thay suld hop — a1400 Leg. S. xii 140.
Quhat Judas vald be done, It worth be but ony howne ?1438 Alex. ii 2307.
This I dar weill say … Quhen hart in lufe enamurit is, That is wourthis suffer mony-fald Baith ioy and sorow, heit and cald c1475 Wall. iii 271.
Trewis it wordis tak — ?1438 Alex. ii 6805.
Sa worthis neidlingis that thay fecht Quhill ane of thame discumfit be(2) 1375 Barb. iv 194.
A seknes tuk him in the way … Him worthit magre his abid In-till ane hamillet thar-by 1375 Barb. xv 278.
Bot thaim worthyt draw thar schippis thar, And a myle wes betuix the seys a1400 Leg. S. iii 925.
That othir worthit me do [h]is will Or halely my purpos spill ?1438 Alex. ii 1857.
Us wourthis direnȝe our heretage And with swordis win vs passage ?1438 Alex. ii 8183.
Now worthis me Deuyse at laser quha sall be With me into my awin battale c1400 Troy-bk. ii 1952.
Naulus wist thaim worthid neid Pas by costes of his lond c1420 Wynt. viii 2304.
Quha all hys dedis off prys wald dyte, Hym worthyd a gret buk to wryte 1424 State P. (Reg. H.) No. 15.
As langand ȝhure custumes vs worthis to vndirly, the ordonance of ȝhure noble depute c1475 Wall. viii 1616.
Off this sayn me worthis for to ces. And forthyr furth off Wallace I will tell — a1400 Leg. S. xxxvi 220.
It worthis Hym [sc. Christ] to grew til hecht & me [sc. John] to lawnes [to] be dicht(b) a1400 Leg. S. xxv 118.
For sa fel fewyre has hyme tane, That hyme wrocht grant, ore he fane