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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.

Quhilum, adv., adj., conj., (n.). Also: quhilom(e, -un, quhylum(e, -om(e, qvhilom, qwhilom(e, qwhylum, -owme, -ome; qwilum, -om(e, qwylum, -om, quilome; whilum, -ome, whylum, -ome, vhylome; quhillum, -ome, quhyllume, qwhyllom, qwyllom; whillome. [Early ME, ME and e.m.E. whilumm (Orm), whilen (Layamon), quilum (Cursor M.), whilome (a1400), whylom (1513), whillon (1582), OE hwílum, -on, -an, dat. pl. of hwíl Quhil(e n.]In later use, chiefly in verse.

A. adv. 1. Sometimes, occasionally. = Quhile adv. 1, Quhilis adv. 1.Also quhilum … quhilum, or with another correlative.(1) 1375 Barb. iii 705.
For quhilum sum [sc. ships] wald be Rycht on the wawys as on mounte a1400 Leg. S. xxiv 321.
Fore-thi quhylum personis il Scornefully wald cum hyme til 1456 Hay I 80/2.
I will nocht say bot quhilum thare is rychtwis weris amang wis men c1460 Thewis Wysmen 105.
Bot syk a bourd may quhilum fall That al mon lauch a1500 Seven S. 1424.
Auld men … quhylom will … snyb full fell c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 302.
And quhilum … Pedder him callit 1513 Doug. i Prol. 116.
So me behufyt quhilum … Sum bastard Latyn French or Inglys oys Quhar scant was Scottis a1568 Bann. MS 135a/44.
He is nocht sa waik a fae Bot he may quhylome [Maitl. F. quhylis] noy a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xlii 24.
For, folou love, they say, and it will flie … Flie vhylome love, and it will folou thee(2) 1456 Hay II 118/2, 3.
That he use quhilum to ressave metis and drinkis that be of gude stark nature of degestioun quhilum that thay be of tender nature of tenderare digestioun c1460 Alex. (Taym.) (ed.) 4138.
Ane flot … Quhilom ane thousand schippis, quhilom ma a1540 Freiris Berw. 354 (M).
And quhylum he sat still in ane studeying And quhylum on his buik he was reyding [etc.] 15.. Clar. iv 458.
Whylome they lewch and quhylome weippit both 1587-99 Hume 20/121, 122. — 1456 Hay II 99/22.
Thouch thai speke quhilum with thé and othir quhilis aganis thé a1500 Prestis of Peblis 461.
Quhyle vp and quhylum doun a1568 Bann. MS 221b/24.
Quhylome I sit, and vther quhylis I stand, Vmquhill I lawche, and quhill I weip and wring

2. Formerly, once. = Quhile adv. 2, Quhilis adv. 2, Quhil(l adv. 2.(1) 1375 Barb. iv 753 (E).
To ger spyritis to thaim apper … As quhylum did the Phitones a1400 Leg. S. xxxviii 265.
Quhylume 1392 Lennox Mun. 47.
The landis that war qwhylome Macolme Murchowsonis c1400 Troy-bk. i 481.
Quhilome 1405 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 61.
The landis of Achyncloch … that qwhilom warr Jone of Achinclochys c1420 Wynt. vii 730.
The Byschope Robert, that before Off Scone qwhylum wes priore 1425 Liber Melros 545.
The qwylke bra & dyke had qwylum a ȝete … for the caryage of tymbyr c1460 Alex. (Taym.) (ed.) 975.
My father quhilum was King Omere a1500 Henr. Fab. 1951.
Qwhylum thair wynnit in ane wildernes … Ane reuand volff a1500 Seven S. 1324.
In this cite couth quhilom duell Ane knycht a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 1515.
Thir cruell dedis quhilum thir dais wes To Ihesus done 1513 Doug. xi xiv 77.
The pepill Tuscane, quhilum cum fra Lyde 15.. Clar. iii 881.
Quhyllume a1585 Arbuthnot Maitl. Q. xlv 10.
The simpill wit … Quhilk quhylome wes now quyte is taine away(2) 1423 Edinb. Chart. 55.
Dene Johne of Leth quhylum Abbot of Halirudehouse 1478 Acta Aud. 71/2.
Isabell quhilum Lady Glammis [supra at the instans of Isabell Lady Kennedy & sum tyme Lady Glammys] 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 1602.
The destructioun Of michtie Troy, quhylum that royall toun Id. Æn. i iii 35.
The Lycianys stowt, Quhilum fallowis to Kyng Pandor in weir Ib. x xii 36.
And Mynas syne he kyllys in the feild, Quhilum to Parys companȝeoun and evin eild 1611-57 Mure Dido & Æneas i 100.
Quhair Troy, (Rome's stately rival whilome), stood

b. spec. During (one's) lifetime; formerly (when alive). Passing into B below. c. Before the decease of the relative or spouse named in the text.b. (1) a1400 Leg. S. xxvi 947.
I ame Nicholas byschape quhylum seruand of Crist 1389 Facs. Nat. MSS II xlvii.
Of gude memore Dauid kyng qwhilom of Scotland 1398 Liber Melros 488.
The son and haire of Sire Dowgall McDowell knygth lorde qvhilom of Malkarston 1437 Cop. St. A. 155.(2) 1381 Douglas Chart. 29.
Our brothir sir Thomas qwhilom Erle of Marr 1384 Misc. Hist. Soc. V 33.
Richart Jonsoun whilum lard of a quarter of Colstoun 1408 Facs. Nat. MSS II lxi.
Till his neveu Johne Kenedy, the son and the ayre of quhilum his son Jamis Kenedy c1420 Wynt. vi 2319.
Robert the Secund, quhylum [C. qwhil] oure kyng 1424 Douglas Chart. 58.
Gert len … till quhilum his deraste brothir, … in his grete mister, certane sowmys of monay 1427–37 Moncreiffs 33.
Quhillum 1436 15th Rep. Hist. MSS App. viii 45.
Betwex him and Elisabeth … qwilum his spows 1441 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III 6.
Gret labouris maid apon me be quhilom my lord Wilyeam the Hay Constabil of Scotland the quhilk God assolyhe Ib. 7.
Quhiylomc. ?1438 Alex. ii 274.
The auld Clarus The brother quhylum of Pyrrus 1402 Scone Indenture.
Jon the Ros the spouse qvhilom of the saide Katerine 1406 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 64.
Dame Elizabeth of Gordon the spous qwilum of … Schir Nichole of Erskyne 1413 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III 364.
The wyffe whilum of Sir Alexander Frasare is joynte fyffare as now 1447 Rec. Earld. Orkney 189.
Me Thomas off Ness, the spowsit sone qwhylowme off Patry off Nesse 1455–6 Ib. 191.
Vs Shir Magniss Nesbytt and Mergret Nesbytt his systir barnis and ayris qwhylum to Meg of Kulane

B. adj. Of a person: Deceased; ‘late’.Cf. 2 b above. 1389 Wemyss Chart. 23.
The ayre of qwhyllom Scyr Dauy of the Wemys Ib.
Qwyllom, qwylom c1390 Reg. Morton I App. xl.
Jonet Gourlay the dowchtir of qwhilome Sir Thomas of Erth 1392 Lennox Mun. 48.
Quhylome Macolme Murthowson 1405 Ib. 57.
Quhilom 1405 Maxwell Mem. I 145.
Qwilome 1408 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 69.
Qwilom 1411 Ayr Friars Pr. Chart. 45.
A nobil … man quhilum Alane of Lawdar 1421 (c1680–1700) Anal. Scot. II 30.
For the deid of quhillome Johne the Malaville 1448 Aberd. B. Rec. I 17.
The land that quhilun [sic] Roger Williamson dwelt in 1455 Liber Scon 185.
Quilome 1504–5 Antiq. Aberd. & B. II 404.
[They] sal stand in unite … richt as quhilum Beatrix … had leiffit and born bairnis 1611-57 Mure Hist. Rowallane 249.
[Whillome 1452 (16..) in Tytler Hist. Scotl. (1864) II 387.]
Whylum

C. Other uses.

a. conj. When. = Quhil(l conj. 4 d, Quhilis conj. 2. b. quasi-noun. Only in adv. phr. this whilome, at this time, now.a. c1420 Wynt. ii 1303.
And the bul quhylum [C. qwhen, W. quhen] he sawe that, This Mynotawre apon hyr gatb. c1620 Boyd Zion's Fl. 72.
I wot not what in mee is come to pass In mee this whilome who most gladely was Set to ov'r see my maids in businesse And now I lusk in sloth and lazinesse