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

Ȝow, Yow, pron. Also: yowe, ȝhow, yhow(e, ȝou(e, you(e, yhou, ȝ(h)u, y(h)u, ȝw, yhw, ȝew, yew, yiow. [ME and e.m.E. (h)eow, ou, ow (all 1175), ȝuw (Orm), yw (c1250), ȝou (Layamon), yow (Cursor M.), ȝow (14th c.), yhow (1340), ȝu (1389), you (c1440), yowe (1482), youe (1587), yew (1650), OE éow, MDu. u.] You, the second person singular and plural personal pronoun.In early use chiefly as the objective form, but replacing Ȝe pron. as the nominative form in the later period. In the singular freq. used when addressing someone of a higher status; cf. The pron., Thow pron. and Ȝe pron.

1. In objective use addressing a person or persons present or the recipient(s) of a document, reader(ship) of a book, etc. a. As a direct object. b. As an indirect object. c. As the object of a preposition. Also, in the legal phrase, to yow coniunctle (ioyntly) and severally, to you jointly and separately; see Several(l)y adv. 2 for further examples. d. In apposition to a noun denoting the persons being addressed.a. sing. a1500 Rauf C. 78.
Schir, God ȝow forȝeild a1500 Henr. Orph. 353.
My lady lele and my delyte, Full wa is me to se yow changit thus 1560 Rolland Seven S. 306.
For I my self and my progenitouris Hes seruit ȝow [sc. the Emperor] and ȝours our lyfis space a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 835.
I kend yow of old, they called your gudedam dub 1633 Orkney Witch Trial in Reg. Privy C. 2 Ser. V 552.
He saw yow and Kathereine Miller sitting thair and the devill … sitting betuixt yow(b) 1621 Lett. Eccl. Affairs 647.
I haue written to yiow … to remembir yiow helpe me to ane new poolke for the greate sealepl. 1375 Barb. vi 62 (C).
I will ga vach ȝow preuely a1400 Leg. S. ii 230.
At thame spere … The cause quhy I gert ȝou cum thare 1460 Hay Alex. 2274.
War I ane gud man I suld nocht ȝow [sc. messengers] sla c1515 Asl. MS I 199/5.
The Danys … conquest ȝow halely c1520-c1535 Nisbet I 4.
The apostlis alsa in thar epistlis vse evir … thir wordis: I exhort yow, I beseke yow 1533 Boece 45b.
Ambition of oure impire … has kindillit ȝow to batell 1535 Stewart 1242.
My freindis deir … Quha lichlies ȝow, we think tha do ws lak 1567 G. Ball. 15.
To Him I ȝow commit baith small and greit a1578 Pitsc. I 5/19.
I exhortt Ȝow gentill readdaris [etc.] a1578 Pitsc. I 19/22.
All that would have arrogantly oppressit ȝou(b) 1417 Reg. Episc. Aberd. I 215.
Robert Duyc of Albany [gap] to the schirefs of Aberden and of Banf [gap] … we gif straitly commandment and chargis ȝhu that [etc.](c) 1577–8 Edinb. B. Rec. IV 66.
Baillies, counsale [etc.] … greit yew hertlie weillb. sing. 1375 Barb. i 418.
[He] prays ȝow [sc. the king] par cheryte That ȝe resave her his homage a1400 Leg. S. v 635.
& sad to hyme: ‘Myn lord lo, This ringe, that I yu present now’ 1390 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 19.
Gyf yhow lykes nocht to full his request ?1438 Alex. ii 3324.
I grant ȝow heir for euer and ay My lufe ?1438 Alex. ii 8688.
I quyteclame ȝow my part ilk deill! 1400 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 44.
I as ane of yhour poer kyn gif it likis yhow requeris yhow of help 1400–1 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 44.
With swilk gudely haste as yhow likis c1420 Wynt. viii 1930.
Hawe I noucht ellys to do nowe, Bot wyn a kynryk to gyve yhowe? a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 115.
Yone berne nykis yow with nay a1500 Sir Eger 1870.
‘Sir’ she said … 'What needs you to be so hasty?' c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 151.
Now, fair sister, fallis ȝow but fenȝing to tell c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 205/47.
Quho so dois this, sicker I ȝow asseure, He rewlis weill 1540 Lynd. Sat. 494 (Ch.).
I sall leirne ȝow [sc. the king] all kewis how to do 1560 Rolland Seven S. 1121.
Grant me the thing that I ȝow craif 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 2/3.
Heir a booke, a paterne dois ȝow bring 1642 Aberd. Council Lett. II 308.
My lord provest … I cannot give yow any further insicht or accompt of this matter c1650 Red Bk. Grandtully II 146.
Remember on quhatt I told ȝow(b) 1405 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 59.
Requirande me to do yhou [sc. King Henry IV] to wyte qwhethir [etc.] c1570 Breadalbane Lett. (Reg. H.).
I pray ȝoue send me ȝour gud cunsall and myndpl. 1375 Barb. iv 615.
As ik diuisyt ȝow lang er 1375 Barb. xii 303 (C).
I pray ȝhow als specialy … That nane of ȝow [etc.] 1375 Barb. xii 419 (C).
Ȝou a1400 Leg. S. xxxvi 270.
For I tell ȝou … Hewynnis kinrike cumis nere c1420 Wynt. ix 1507.
Bot ay tha qwyte yow lill for lall c1450-2 Howlat 151 (A).
I sall not ȝow richt now thair names in ane a1500 Henr. Fab. 137.
Quha can gouerne … Without science? No man, I ȝow assure 1537 Kennedy Aberd. Ann. I 70.
And gewis ȝew leyff 1567 G. Ball. 29.
Cum ȝung and auld … I will ȝow giue eternall lyfe a1568 Scott xi 1.
It cumis ȝow luvaris to be laillc. (1) sing. 1375 Barb. i 416.
The byschop led him to the king And said, ‘Schyr heyr I to ȝow bryng This child that clemys ȝour man to be' a1400 Leg. S. v 639.
He vent to vesy the kinge … & sad to hyme: … 'This ringe … Me gafe a pilgram … & sad, fra ȝov that it tuk he' 1416 Red Bk. Menteith I 285.
Der … brother … now o late we wrot to ȝhow [etc.] 1424 State P. MS (Reg. H.) No. 14.
Yhe pray vs to len to yhw a soume of gold for yhour dettis a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 1317.
All that I haue wndir hewyne, I hald of you haill a1578 Pitsc. II 154/21.
The lord Lyndsay past … to the lord Duike … and said to him thir wordis … 'They haue greatter invy at ȝow nor att all thair enemeis' 1585 Waus Corr. 341.
Ye will remember to bring with yow ane dossen of commoun golf ballispl. 1375 Barb. i 120.
Walys ensample mycht have bene To ȝow had ȝe it forow sene 1375 Barb. ii 339 (C).
Yow a1400 Leg. S. i 250.
He sad on hicht, that all mycht heyre: ‘Pece be till ȝow, myn brether dere' a1400 Leg. S. iii 364.
Ane of ȝou betrese me sall a1400 Leg. S. l 341.
Gyf ony of yhow consawit has ocht Aganis me 1562-3 Winȝet I 67/5.
Forsamekle as we ar sa tribulit be ȝow [MS ȝu] … and that only for nocht assenting generalie to ȝour prætendit reformatioun 1571 Sat. P. xxvi 75.
Gif thame na leif to play with yow buk heid 1633 Orkney Witch Trial in Reg. Privy C. 2 Ser. V 552 (see a above).(2) 1389 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 15.
To yow ioyntly & seuerailly be the tenour of this lettre fermely we bid & commandes that [etc.]d. pl.(1) a1400 Leg. S. l 679.
Crist callis yhow bath For to tak croune her-eftire rath 1561 Q. Kennedy Compendious Ressonyng (ed.) 151/22.
Prayand ȝou aucht famows precheouris … and all the rest, to mak aucht confutatiouns(2) 1460 Hay Alex. 2456.
I … heir resingis all my power hale To ȝow lordis a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 65.
Now to ȝow Kingis I cry a1538 Abell 19b.
Nocht to ȝow Romanis refaris of kinrikis

2. In nominative and vocative use, also in apposition.Quot. 1442-3 in (1) may be a misreading of ȝe.(1) sing. 1405 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 59.
Yhu [sc. King Henry IV] mervalis gretly that my men … has byrnde the toun of Berwike 1442–3 Coldingham Priory 148.
Ȝe wrate … estraingely be the qwilk it semit me that ȝw missett my servyce a1570-86 Kennedy in Maitl. F. 234/9.
Grene ȝouth to age ȝow [B. thow] man obey and bow 1549 Lamb Resonyng 29/10.
Countra man, ȝow seikis ferdar than is requirit to oure purpois 1570 Inv. Q. Mary cxxxii.
Yow and your birnes and meinteners a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 1552 (Wr.).
Whose throat … You may stop with your neive c1590 Fowler I 210/8.
Never lunt … poulders yre Inkendled soner then ȝow me, my dame 1641 Hibbert P. No. 11.
It is your credite … that yow sie thame not sustene such wrong as to be rubbed so in violence 1671 6th Rep. Hist. MSS App. 700/1.
It is requisit yowe send doune sume vnderstanding manepl. 1567–8 Crim. Trials I i 496.
And speirit at thame, ‘Quhat did yow out of thair beds that tyme of night?’ ?a1640 Copie of a Baron's Court (1821) 29.
What are you resting for the foresaid year? [Tenants] More nor our room can pay, as you well ken 1650 Rec. Kirk Scotl. 607.
You … haue drawin vnto yourselues … that wich did belonge to the publicke wsse(2) sing. 1584 Gowrie P. 30.
William Earle of Gowrie, yu are indited and accused of treasonpl. 1611-57 Mure Dido & Æneas To the Reader 1.
Ȝow Heliconian witts

3. reflex. As the object of a verb or preposition: Yourself, yourselves.(1) 1375 Barb. iii 200.
Kepys ȝow fra disparyng 1375 Barb. iii 330.
He said, ‘Schyr Erle … Quhar-euer ȝe be our Lord ȝow send Grace fra ȝour fais ȝow to defend' ?1438 Alex. i 2167.
Speid ȝow, thairfoir, all that ȝe may 1401 Aberd. B. Rec. I 380.
Gif yhe will adreis yhu to be at ony day with hym for the knawlege of the forsaid thyngis c1420 Wynt. iv 756.
That yhe … drawis youe till yhone hill on hicht a1500 Peblis to Play 72.
Never ane bad, ‘Abyd ȝow!' 1494 Loutfut MS 42b.
That ȝhe keip & manteym ȝhow with gude and haly lyffe c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 758.
Ȝeild ȝow, doggis, or ȝe sall die 1562-3 Winȝet I 132/20.
Ȝe allege ȝou to be men of leirning and witt a1568 Scott iv 103.
I will nocht brek my brane, Suppois ȝe sowld mischeif ȝow 1569 Bann. Memor. 11.
The kirklandis that ar fewit, make ȝow to reduce thame all 1585 James VI Ess. 55.
Or [= before] ȝe cummer ȝow with reiding thir reulis(2) 1592 Calderwood V 203.
The other halfe yee sall keepe to you and Johne Blacke

4. In the above uses in collocation with The pron., Thow pron. and Ȝe pron. See Ȝe pron. 3 for further examples.a1568 Bann. MS 93a/17 (see Ȝe pron. 3 a (3)). a1568 Jok & Jynny 15.
Te he q Jynny keik keik I se ȝow Muder ȝone man makis ȝow a mok I schro thé lyar full leis me ȝow 1569 Sc. N. & Q. 3 Ser. VIII 45.
I will nocht hald yow mair in the hals, Use thow the best ye may

5. As the indefinite personal pronoun: One. 1567–8 Crim. Trials I i 495.
Endlong the bak of the … garden, quhill ȝow cum to the cunȝie-house, and the bak of the stabillis, quhill ȝow com to the Cannogate 1674 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. MS 17 Oct.
With Robert Ewarts halfe skair at the eastsyde of the gait as yow goe to Culdoach

6. Combined with a following contracted verb form. Ȝow's, = you shall, see S¹ b for a further example. 1619 Garden Elphinstoun To the Reader.
Yow's find this compend plenisht withe A prelat's worthie warks