Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1714-1934
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MISFORTUNE, n. Also Sc. forms misforten (Ags. 1842 Justiciary Reports (1844) 297), -in. As in Eng., adverse fortune; specif. in Sc., a breach of chastity resulting in the birth of an illegitimate child (Gall. 1903 E.D.D.); the illegitimate child itself. Gen.Sc. Dial. or colloq. in Eng. [-′fortən]Sc. 1756 Session Papers, Petition M. Gow (26 Jan.) 2:
Your Petitioner fell into a Misfortune not uncommon to Women of her low Rank.m.Lth. 1794 G. Robertson Har'st Rig (1801) 19:
She with a Misfortune met And had a bairn.Sc. 1818 Scott H. Midlothian xxx.:
Bairns! ye are joking, lad — wha wad touch bairns? Madge, puir thing, had a misfortune wi' ane.Ayr. 1822 H. Ainslie Pilgrimage 233:
Ye'll min' the bit misfortune I had wi' the laird o' Curwhang?Sc. 1866 Carlyle Reminisc. (1881) II. 156:
A special "misfortune" (so they delicately name it), being of Esther's own producing. "Misfortune" in the shape ultimately of a solid tall ditcher.Abd. 1875 W. Alexander My Ain Folk 220:
Fan she first taul' me o' Baubie's misfortune.Per. 1883 R. Cleland Inchbracken x.:
"Ye'se tell me he was sympatheesin' wi' her in her misfortune." "Whist man! Let the lassie's gude name be."
Hence misfortun(e)at(e) (Sc. 1782 J. Sinclair Ob. Sc. Dial. 103; Cai. 1887 B. Watten Stratharran 52; Abd. 1929 J. Alexander Mains and Hilly 19), misfort(i)nit (Abd. 1921. Swatches o' Hamespun 16), unfortunate, unlucky (ne.Sc., Gsw., Uls. 1963); wretched (Cai. 1903 E.D.D.). Also in U.S. Hence misfortunately, unfortunately.Per. 1714 R. Smith Poems (1853) 61:
Misfortunate in everything, He hath been all his life.Sc. 1727 J. Keith Memoirs (S.C.) 71:
We expected immediately to have opened the trenches, but very misfortunately we had no cannon.Sc. 1773 A. & H. Tayler Lord Fife (1925 75:
That horrid misfortunate character of giving your visitors too little drink.Sc. 1818 Scott H. Midlothian xxviii.:
I dinna bid ye mind what I said at our partin' anent my poor father and that misfortunate lassie.Slk. 1822 Hogg Perils of Man II. 254:
Ye shall never rue your kindness o' heart and attentions to that puir misfortunate bairn.Dmb. 1844 W. Cross Disruption xxix.:
A misfortunate affair aboot some siller o' Mr. Duncanson's.Sc. 1881 J. S. Blackie Lay Serm. 246:
One of those men of small notions, . . . who, when perched misfortunately on high places, are always found driving to some terrible catastrophe.Abd. 1900 Abd. Wkly. Free Press (19 May):
That kin' o' fouk that hae misfortinit memories whilk can mind things that everybody else wants t' forget aboot.wm.Sc. 1934 "Uncle Tom" Mrs Goudie's Tea Pairty 23:
It's verra misfortunate for the pairty.
