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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.

Quhidder, conj. and pron. Also: quhyd(d)-, qwhidd-, quhid-, quidd-, whidd-; quheidd- and -ir, -ere, -ar. [ME and e.m.E. whydyr (14th c.), whyder (c1400), qwydyr (c1460), var. of whither Quhither. Cf. Howder conj.] Whether. = Quhether conj.

A. conj.

I. With correlative or (also or gif, or quhidder).

1. Introducing an indirect question.

a. = Quhether conj. 1 a. b. = Quhether 1 b.a. (1) c1490 Irland Asl. MS 19/29.
And to knaw quhidder he has powere to assolȝe him fra the syn or gif it be reseruit 1513 Doug. ii xi 95.
I wait neuer quhydder My spows Crevse remanyt … Or … was reft away Or gif scho errit 15.. Christis Kirk 86 (B).
I wait nocht quhiddir his hand cowd wary Or the man wes his freynd 1558-66 Knox II 414.
Lat me haif your jugementis thairof quhidder that I haif usurped onie power to my self or gif I haif bot obeyit your commandiment 1627 Dumbarton B. Rec. 15. 1644 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 24.
And remited to the consideration of the toun whidder they wald be … now stentit … or if they wald … be stentit be the Estaits c1650 Spalding I 165.(2) c1460 Alex. (Taym.) (ed.) 478.
Quhidder men to blis or barret suld be born Into the plenettis cleirlie couth he se a1500 Seven S. 2770.
That all may se Quhidder scho man or woman be 1513 Doug. ii i 40.
Quhidder for dissait, I not, or for malyce 1517 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 42.
And quhider he come to him efter or fore he miskennes 1531 Bell. Boece I 18.
And quhidder thir thingis be trew or fals ye may best discus Id. Livy I 38/34.
Romulus apperit doutsum … quhidder he wald fle or persevere 1549 Compl. 140/4.
I vait nocht quhiddir ane calme sey in vyntir [etc.] … or the comont pepil quhilk of them suld preffer vthiris in variance 1562-3 Winȝet I 4/32.
Bot quhidder sal we begin … at ȝour haly lyfes, or at ȝoure helthful doctrine, we ar doutsum a1568 Bann. MS 249a/18.
The les ȝe cair quhider I de or leif 1558-66 Knox II 448.
We mycht haif doutit whidder thai had done weill or evill 1584 St. A. Kirk S. 531.
He sall insert … quhidder it be the first secund or thrid falt or ofter 1615 Insh Colonial Schemes 45.
The only dout is whidder it be of the father or the sones invention 1650 Falkirk Par. Rec. I 170.(3) c1490 Irland Asl. MS 18/2.
That the persoun may knaw … quhidder he haue grace … or nocht a1500 Seven S. 92.
I reid we se … quhidder he sciens has or nane 1503 Dunferm. B. Rec. I 129. 1519 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 50.
Quhydder 1524–5 Ib. 74.
He can nocht saye quheidder he tuk to pay that hyd or nocht 1540 Lynd. Sat. 2834 (Ch.).
Wee set nocht by quhider ȝe consent or nocht a1578 Pitsc. I 159/8.
Quhiddar it was for his weill or nocht I can nocht schaw 1607 James VI in Reg. Privy C. VII 518.
Without putting it to questioun quhidder he wer guyltie or not 1623 Perth Kirk S. MS 14 May.
Scho knawis nocht quhidder the fyre wes extinguischit or nocht c1650 Spalding I 221.
Thir ansueris (whiche the judicious reidar may esellie perceave whidder ressonable … or not) 1660 Melrose Reg. Rec. I 282.
Quhider(4) a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 560 (Harl.).
Is nane that wate quhat to ressaue till wage … Quhidder hewin or hell Ib. 557. 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 1264.
For quhidder I this in saull or bodie saw That wait I nocht 1531 Bell. Boece I 16. 1549 Compl. 138/10.
Desirand his iugement quhiddir thai suld stane hyr to detht … or gyf thai suld thole hyr to depart onpuneist 1560 Rolland Seven S. Prol. 47.
Bot ȝit knew not quhat my mater suld be Quhidder of myrth or ȝit of grauitie a1578 Pitsc. I 54/16.
Quhidder it come of his awin ambitioun or gif it was the Abbottis plesour it was not certane 1584–5 Edinb. B. Rec. IV 399.b. c1460 Alex. (Taym.) (ed.) 1260.
To speir … quhidder in nycht thai wache … or sleip 1517 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 41.
It to be sperit at men of law quhyder sic annuel supercedit neclegentlie suld all be payit or nocht 1549 Lamb Resonyng 59/20.
Than I speir be quhat titill, quhiddir be mariage, subdewit or fre surrendering? 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 16.
Ane message … requyrand quhidder the weir was movit be Scottis or Inglismen 1582–3 St. A. Kirk S. 498.
Alexander Walker … being requirit be the sessioun, quhidder he will consent to the mariage of … his sone with Elspot Stewart or nocht ansueris [etc.] 1649 Kirkcaldy Presb. 341.
The brethren … asked whidder he wer suspended or deposed … they anserit not

2. Introducing a clause in adverbial relationship to the main clause. = Quhether 2.(1) c1515 Asl. MS I 199/18.
He knelit down … quhiddere the gait was faire or foule 1499 Exch. R. XI 435.
With intimacion quhidder he come or cum nocht the lordis will … ministre justice 1513 Doug. i viii 132.
Quhiddir ȝhe will to gret Hesperia … Or to … Sycill … Thidder sall ȝhe suyrly pas c1520-c1535 Nisbet II 12 marg.
Neuirtheles quhiddir a mann do a thing be himself or be his seruand it is callit his deid 1531 Reg. Soltre 99.
The said provest … sall … pay yheirly … quhiddir he be seik or haill [£26] 1540 Lynd. Sat. 2591 (B).
Thair cheftanis sowld be hangit Quhidder he war ane knycht lord or laird 1562-3 Winȝet II 64/7, 8.
For quhidder it be amangis thair awin or amangis strangearis, quhiddir priuatlie or publictlie [etc.] … na thing of thair awin almaist euir produce thai quhilk [etc.] a1570-86 Arbuthnot Maitl. F. xxix 74.
Ȝit man I leir to flatter … Quhidder I list to speik or ȝit to wryt Id. Ib. 82.
Quhidder I nylle or wald Ane scorne for scorne to gif I man tak tent 1593 Edinb. Test. XXV 289b.
The same [child] … quhidder it be maill or famell to have the halff of my … geir 1623 Act Privy C. in Edinb. B. Rec. VI 243.
All … that hes anie of the goodes … quhidder the samin wes violentlie reft … or quhidder the same wes … ressett be thame 1638 Bk. Pasquils (1868) 81.
Quhider — 1584 Sempill Sat. P. xlv 285.
Whidder hir malisone tuike effect, Or gif it was the gude wyne sect … Bot sic ane seiknes hes he tane(2) c1500-c1512 Dunb. (O.U.P.) xlv 3.
Complane I wald … Quhidder to God … Or till his moder [etc.] 1572 Buch. Detect. (1727) 34.
Bothwell forceabillie tuk hir … quhidder with hir will or aganis hir will 1629 Fraserburgh Kirk S. II 9 Dec.
That sik of thame quhidder thame selffis or thair servandis that brak the sabboithe sould [etc.] c1650 Spalding I 5.
Euerie manis goodis … whidder freind or fo(3) 1495 Liber Aberbr. II 290.
Quhiddir thai compeir or nocht the schireff til minister iustice c1500-c1512 Dunb. (O.U.P.) lxxviii 6 (M).
A fule quhidder [Bann. thocht] he haue caus or nane Cryis gif me 1560 Rolland Seven S. 8882.
Quhidder he speid or nocht 1567 Anderson Collect. Mary II 280.
And how they wald proceid, quidder we wald or nocht a1568 Bann. MS 223a/28.
Quhiddir 1622-6 Bisset II 72/14. 1642 Melville Chart. 171.
That it be payed to thame quhidder alyue or not

II. 3. As a simple conjunction. = Quhether 3. a1500 Henr. Fab. 1206.
Twa arbeteris … For to declair … Quhidder the scheip suld answer in iugement c1520-c1535 Nisbet II 12 marg.
He sal knaw quhyddir this doctrynne be of God 1532 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 124.
Michaell layt it to … Jhone Mithag aytht quhydder thair vas four stane 1570 Leslie 23.
Few … durst tell quhidder he was the kingis man 1600 Misc. Bann. C. I 159. 1606 Dundonald Par. Rec. 98.
To giue hir direct ansuer quhidder scho wald proceid to mariage with him c1650 Spalding I 8.
The principall malefactouris … declairit what they had gottin, whidder meit money clothing [etc.] … and the like commoditeis

III. 4. As an interrogative marker, either simple or correlative, introducing a direct or rhetorical question. = Quhether 4.(1) c1500-c1512 Dunb. (O.U.P.) xli 6.
Schir, quhiddir is it [M. quhidder it is] mereit mair To gif him drink that thristis sair, Or fill a fow man quhill he birst? 1513 Doug. iv Prol. 27.
O luf, quhiddir art thou ioy or fulychnes? 1531 Bell. Boece II 132.
Quhidder ar thir doingis faith or desait? 1540 Lynd. Sat. 2028.
Quhidder say ȝe that law is evill or gude? Ib. 2255. 1560 St. A. Kirk S. 44.
And also sperand vayn questiones … videlicet Quhidder come the Fathir frome the Sone or the Sone fra the Father 1562-3 Winȝet I 73/1.
Qvhidir affirm ȝe ȝour selfis only … to be the said haly Catholik Kirk … or nocht? 1567 Acts III 41/1.
Quhidder Orknay and Ȝetland salbe subiect to the commone law of this realme or gif thai sall bruke thair avne lawis 1603 Philotus 1012.
Quhilk is the wysest of vs twa, Man quhidder [H. whither] thow or I?(2) 1568–9 Bk. Univ. Kirk 107.
Item qwhidder it be lawfull to ane minister … to sett tacks 1588 King Cat. 67b h. of ch.
Quhat is baptisme? and quhidder it be necessare to all mankynd?

IV. comb. 5. Quhidder that.a. = 1 a above, Quhether 5. b. = 2 above. c. = 3 above.a. 1540 Lynd. Sat. 1674 (Ch.).
I vnderstand nocht … Quhidder that he be freind or fay 1549 Compl. 23/17.
To get ane iust iugement, quhiddir that this … afflictione be ane vand of the fadir to correct … the sone … or gyf it be ane rigorus mercyles decreit of ane iuge a1568 Scott xxxi 12.
He sall nocht wit Quhiddir that it Be panefull plesand weill or wo 1622-6 Bisset I 300/9.
And on theme … be it quhidder that his ilk denyell be of awaill or nochtb. a1500 Seven S. 1725.
Bot quhiddir that it be les or mare The half ȝe hecht ws till our scairec. 1527 Carnwath Baron Ct. (S.H.S.) 86.
Ane inqueist quhidder at the saidis personis … had brokin the saidis fensmentis 1549 Compl. 164/34.
I reffer the expositione of this text to be iugit … quhiddir that Inglis men be excommunicat and denuncit Goddis rebellis

6. Quhidder gif.

a. = 1 a above. b. = 3 above, Quhether 6 a. c. = 4 above, Quhether 6 b.a. 1513 Doug. ix iv 46.
Quhiddir gif the goddis, or sum spretis sylly Movys in our myndis this … fyre, Or gif that euery manis schrewit desyre Be as his god … I wait nevir how it standis c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus ii 147.
Percust he was into perplexitie: Quhidder gif he sould enter thair or no 1562-3 Winȝet II 50/8.
Because the Lord … temptis ȝow quhiddir gif ȝe luue Him or nocht [L. utrum diligatis eum an non]b. (1) 1513 Doug. ix iii 164.
All man may knaw Quhidder gif the wight wallys of Troy thai saw … Rent and bet down c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus iii 843.
Considder … quhidder gif Chestitie Be not mair clene … Than Venus warkis — 1571 Ferg. Tracts 78.
Proue my credite thairwith, quhidder gif I will not thankfully pay ȝow agane?(2) 1560 St. A. Kirk S. 32.
And being demandet quhidder give sche ever hard sche saiis [etc.] 1562-3 Winȝet II 64/1.
Sum men may speir quhiddir gif hæretikis vseis … the diuine scriptuirc. 1513 Doug. iv i 65.
Quhiddir gif thou wilt alane … thus waist away thy ȝowthed? Ib. vii 15. c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus ii 618.
Quhidder gif I dar anter on ȝone [Fate's] threid? 1581 Hamilton Cath. Tr. 160b.
Quhidder gif this confessioun tendis to sedition [etc.]? Ib.
Quhidder vald he declare ȝou triple traitoris?

B. pron. Which (of the two). = Quhether pron. a1500 Prestis of Peblis 448.
Fallis me [to tell] Gude tail or euil, quhider that euir it be 1572 Buch. Detect. (1727) 3.
Douting quhidder of thame scho had rather to have the victorie