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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.

Quham, Quhame, Quhem(e, pron. Also: qwham(e, quam, wham, qwhaim. [North. ME wham (a1300), quam (Cursor M.), quham (14th c., Cursor M.), quaym (c1325), whaym(e (a1400), whaim (c1400), midl. and south. hwam (13th c.), wam (1297), wham (Manning), early ME hwam (c1175), wam (c1200), wham (Layamon), whamm (Orm), ME whem (c1400), whæm (Layamon), ME also wan (a1200), hwan, whan, hwen (c1175), and ME also whom etc. (see Quhom pron.), OE hwǽm, late OE hwám, dat. of OE hwá Quha, hwæt Quhat, and cf. also OE hwone, hwane, hwæne, acc. masc. of hwá.The dominance of the spelling quham, as opposed to quhame and quhaim, suggests that the commonest form was one resulting from early shortening of hwa:m, OE hwám, in unstressed position (and this form was also, appar., widespread in ME).] Whom.The objective interrog. and relative pron. corresp. to Quha, chiefly personal, but see 7 below.

1. interrog.: Whom, what or which person? In a. direct, b. indirect questions.a. (1) c1475 Wall. i 399.
Quham dowis thow, Scot? in faith thow serwis a blaw 1513 Doug. i vi 38.
Bot, O thou virgyne, quham sal I call thé? Ib. vi vii 87.
Withdraw thé not sa sone … , Quham fleist thou?(2) 1551 Hamilton Cat. 22.
The first to quhem suld we pray? … The secund questioun for quheme suld we pray?(3) a1538 Abell 110a.
The quene gart stufe the sege sayand quhem want we bot ane manb. 1456 Hay I 302/14.
And [he] suld wele avis for quham he wrytis, that thai be worthy personis 1496 Acta Conc. II 18.
That it may be sene … to quham thai [lands] pertene 1561 Reg. Privy C. I 189.
Till thai se on quhame the burding of probatioun salbe laid

2. As compound relative pron. or with ellipsis of antecedent, with personal reference: Him, those, whom.Also with that (at) following.

a. In indefinite or generalised sense: Anyone whom, whatever person, whomsoever.Also quham that ever.(1) a1400 Leg. S. i 70.
To preche To quham that myster had Ib. xvi 601.
God mychty is … Al temporale thinge to gyf & tak To quham he wil 14.. Burgh Laws c. 89 (A).
Ilk man may gif … landis … to quham that euer he will 1458 Peebles B. Rec. I 128.
The qwhilk sowm … to be payd to qwham and qwhen it efferis 1496–7 Acta Conc. II 60.
Before him and my Lord of Abirdene or quham that thai wald tak to thame(2) c1475 Wall. i 164.
Both wiffis, wedowis, thai tuk all at thair will, Nonnys, madyns, quham thai likit to spill Ib. v 276.
Quham he hyt rycht thai folowit him no mar

b. In definite use: That person whom. 1412 Aberd. B. Rec. I 389.
That nane reset … ony outduelland men … bot qwhame at thai will stand for 1482–3 Acta Conc. II cxxviii.
He sal … deliver hir to our soverane lord or to quham that his hienes has gevin hir mariage 1513 Doug. xiii v 107.
Quham the furyus Forton lyst infest … With all hir fors assalȝeis scho attanys

3. The simple relative introducing a restrictive relative clause, with personal antecedent. (Cf. Quhilk 7, Quha 5.)On the uncertainty of allocating particular quotations between this sense, 4 and 5, cf. Quhilk adj. and pron. 10.

a. As the obj. of a preceding prep.Of quham also = Quhais.(1) a1400 Leg. S. iii 958.
He in quham thu set thi thocht, Sall thi helpe and protectore be 1425 Liber Melros 545.
To al tha to qwham it afferys 1428 Ib. 519.
Till all & syndry to quham the knawlage of thir present lettris sall to cum 1532 Instit. Ct. Sess. in Acts Sederunt i 4.
That all sentence … be execute … quhar the parteis duellis aganis quhame the saidis decretis ar gevin 1680 Kirkcaldy B. Rec. MS 2 Aug.
That he should grant bond thairfor to the persone fra quham he borrowed the same(2) a1400 Leg. S. xii 289.
That his throt ware … hangyt ful sare, Fra quham be tresone com that voice [etc.] 14.. Burgh Laws c. 41 (B).
That he wate nocht qwhar his dure opnys na stekys fra qwhaim he bocht that thyng(3) 1439 Edinb. Chart. 64.
Til al and sindry to the knawlege off quham thir present lettres saltocum 1460 Charter (Reg. H.) C.O. No. 56.
To all ande syndry to the knawlegis of qwhame [etc.]

b. As a dative.In the formula quham it afferis in addresses of deeds and the like. 1449–50 Glasgow Chart. I ii 27.
And all vtheris qwham it efferis to quhais knawlaige thir our letteris sall cum, gretyng 1473 Red Bk. Menteith II 300.
To … oure liegis and subditis quham it effeiris quhais knaulage thir oure lettres salcum 1489 Exch. R. X 121. 1507 Reg. Privy S. I 227/2. 1511 Ib. 345/1. 1531 Ib. II 123/1.

c. As direct obj. c1475 Wall. iv 723.
And said scho suld be weddyt with ane knycht Quham scho desirit that was but mariage c1500-c1512 Dunb. (O.U.P.) iii 28.
[They] hid his blythfull glorious ene To se quham angellis had delyt 1513 Doug. x i 98.
Lat thame be victour quham thou lyst avans Ib. xiii vi 200.
Lat ws byrn the bodeis, … Quham the hard wofull rage hes ws byreft 1532 Instit. Ct. Sess. in Acts Sederunt i 2.
To ressave … the athis of ony uthir quhem his grace will nem thair to 1565 Edinb. Univ. MS La. iii 388a 2a.
The multitude of superintendentis or thai quhame thai call extraordinar lordis a1600 A. Home in Bell. Livy II 234/15.
To perfyt … thair buildinges … with the guids of thame quheme they happened to get as pledgis that ȝeir

4. The simple relative introducing a descriptive relative clause, with personal antecedent. (Cf. Quhilk 8, Quha 6.)

a. As the obj. of a preceding prep.Of quham also = Quhais.(1) 1375 Barb. ix 670 (E).
Owtakyn his broder anerly, To quham [C. quhom] in-to chewalry Lyk wes nane a1400 Leg. S. xxxvi 911.
This Herrod of quham I spak Wes nocht to lofe bot al to lake c1475 Wall. x 562.
The cors off Graym, for quham he murned mast, Quhen thai him fand … He lychtyt doun [etc.] c1515 Asl. MS I 185/7.
For the quhilk the Egipcianis socht suple at the Grekis with quham thai war allyit 1533 Boece 139b. 1584 Cal. Sc. P. VII 219.
Oure bisschopis of quham sum ar gros libertynis(2) c1400 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 53.
Sir Williame of Dalyhel knycht Alexander of Ogilvy [etc.] … to the ordinance of qwham … bath the saide partis ar submittit

b. As direct obj. 1508 Reg. Privy S. I 252/1.
That ȝe tak ȝour … directioun of our traist … counsalour Alexander erle of Huntlie, quham we have instrukit of our minde thareanent 1513 Doug. ii v 62. 1533 Boece 117.
He wald have compacience on his spous and childer quham he had latelie iniustlie fra him expellit 1616 Shetland Sheriff Ct. MS 33b.
For … keiping companie … with the devill quham she callit the bowman of Hildiswick 1656 Johnston Diary III 32.
The Lord pitye me wham thou hes brought so low

5. The simple relative introducing a resumptive relative clause, with personal antecedent. (Cf. Quhilk 9, Quha 7.)

a. As the obj. of a preceding prep. a1400 Leg. S. x 517.
To sanct Matho … That wes the firste that … Wrat the ewangel of der Jhesu, To quham be joy & lowinge ay Ib. xxxvi 323.
This is my luffit sone & dere, In quhame it wele complesis me Ib. xii 22. ?1438 Alex. ii 1218. c1515 Asl. MS I 201/11.
And liffit lang … thare with his qwene, on quham he gat mony fair childer c1500-c1512 Dunb. (O.U.P.) xxxv 40, lxii 87, etc. 1513 Doug. i ii 35.
I haue … lusty ladeis fourteyn, Of quhame the farest, clepit Diope, … I sal coniune to thé Ib. xii iv 10.
Nixt quham furth rollyt was Prynce Turnus bald c1520-c1535 Nisbet I 6. 1554 Duncan Laideus Test. 155.
Lattin agane vnto my libertie By help of freindis … To quhame I promeist ane pensioun 1560 Conf. Faith in 14.. Acts II 527/1.
We confess … this our God to haue creatit man … to quham he gaif wisdome [etc.] 1565 Facs. Nat. MSS III lvi.
The rest I uill refer to the berair to quham it may please your lordship gif credit 1637 Dumbarton B. Rec. 53.
In the merits … of Jesus our Lord, to quhame … be all praise

b. As direct obj.(1) c1500-c1512 Dunb. (S.T.S.) xxxvii 5.
The Lord is rissin … Qui pro nobis pependit in ligno, Quhilk for our synnys on the croce wes slane; Quhame to annoynt went Mary Magdalene 1513 Doug. ii x 70.
Thi wery fader, … Crevsa … And Ascanyus thi ȝong son, quam al thre The Grekis armyis walkis rownd about Ib. vii x 35.
He that was cheif duke … Thir ȝettis suld vp oppin and warp wyde … Quham all the fensabill men suld follow fast Ib. ix ix 74, xiii viii 41. 1521 Id. in Facs. Nat. MSS III xv.
I recommend my lawfull seruice onto ȝour grace quham plasyt knaw I am cummyn [etc.] c1520-c1535 Nisbet I 9.
The resurrectiounn of Christ, quhilk apperit … to his disciplis, quham he sendis furth … to preche the gospell and ascendis vp [etc.] a1538 Abell 84b.
Throw thare prayer … his [sc. King Louis'] lady consauit barn quhem he callit Philip 1558-9 Godlie Exhort.
Jesus Christe … sittis at the rycht hand of the Eternal Father in hevin, quhame in this blyssit Sacrament … I am to minister to ȝow 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 59.
Thys I pray you, partly for his awyne sake, quhame I thocht ane gud fellow, and partly at request of syk as I dar nocht refuse(2) c1466-80 Letter from Lord Hamilton MS.
To my lady my wyf ȝour broder dochter my souerane lorde was quham Gode assolȝe 1543 Acts II 432/1.
Our souerane ledyis feder quhem God assolȝe 1559 A. Bothwell in M. Napier Mem. J. Napier 64.
Quhem 1560 Ib. 67.
Quhem

6. With non-personal antecedent, in senses 3, 4, 5.Like OE hwǽm, hwám, dat. of hwæt Quhat.

a. As the obj. of a preceding prep. c1420 Wynt. viii 6805.
And wyth wit couthe deile And wysnes throw quhame thai wan This batell that [etc.] 1456 Hay I 85/7.
Ane othir is hardy for his gude hors, in quham he traistis sa mekle 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 146 (L).
Thys laythly flude … routyt, In quham [E. quhome] the fysche ȝelland as eluys schoutyt Id. Æn. i i 8.
Or he … belt the cite fra quham … The Latyne pepill takyn heth thar name Id. Comm. (see b below). Id. Æn. vi xv 111.
Ȝettis twane Quharof … of horn forgit is ane, At quham the suythfast swevynnys by and by … ischis furth lychtly Ib. ii ix 13, iv v 160, vii i 11, etc. 1533 Boece 225.
We resauit of ald bukis certane rewyne quaris Of quham sum excedit nocht the palme of ane hand

b. As direct obj. 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 101 (L).
My febyl wit I wary My dasyt heid quham [E. quhome] lake of brane gart veray Id. Comm. i i 8.
The cite of quham heir is mention was New Troy, quham Eneas biggit at the mouth of Tibir Id. Æn. i viii 65, ii vi 56, vii vi 89, etc. c1552 Lynd. Mon. 2475.
Quhow dede idolis … Quham thay honourit with humyll orisioun, Wer in the markat daylie sauld and bocht

7. As the obj. of an immediately following prep.Cf. also Quhare, and Quham-of, Quham-til(l, Quham-to, Quham-with.

a. interrog. (cf. 1 above). b. Compound rel. (cf. 2 above).a. 1489 Acta Aud. 141/1.
It specifyit nocht quham fra the gudis … wes takin 1570 Canongate Ct. Bk. 260.
Being requirit to declair quhem fra scho had gottin … ane pair of heid schetis [etc.]b. 1496–7 Acta Conc. II 53.
To call thame quham before he plesis as efferis

c. Simple relative (cf. 3, 4, 5 above). 1375 Barb. x 42 (E).
And till the gud lord off Dowglas, Quham in herbryd all worschip was Ib. xx 206 (C). a1400 Leg. S. ii 94.
Slepand sa he deit thare, Quham for mony mad gret care 1513 Doug. ii ix 57.
Bot he quhamby thou fenys thi self byget, Achil, was not to Priam sa hard set Ib. viii ii 10.
O nymphys all of fludis … Quham fra this fresch ryveris … Hes thar begynnyng furth of sowrssys seir Ib. vi ix 164 (Ruddim.). 1533 Boece 55b.
This ciete … was … put to sak be Kenneth King of Scottis (quham by war baith the pepill & kinrik of Pichtis deletit) Ib. 149.
The cuming of thir folkis, quham on thai taryit lang Ib. 159. 1560–1 A. Bothwell in M. Napier Mem. J. Napier 69.
Quhem off 1582–3 Burntisland B. Ct. 27 Feb.
Thomas Harper quhemfra the said tenement off land was coft & the pertinentis