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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Few, Feu, a. Also: fewe. [ME. feu(e, fewe, OE. féawe, féawa pl.]

1. Small in number; not many: a. Attributive with plural or collective nouns. 1375 Barb. ix. 516.
He vith fewar folk thaim met c1420 Wynt. ix. 1480.
The few folk of Scotland c1450-2 Howlat 175.
Of fewe wordis … thai war c1460 Wisd. Sol. 756.
Better is fewe worthi men in batall, na mony comonis c1475 Wall. xi. 982.
He with him mycht bryng few chewalre 1490 Irland Mir. 297 b.
Powere abone monyare ore feware pepil c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 172.
He wes … fresche within this few ȝeris 1558-66 Knox II. 379.
So the Protestants had the fewar unfreindis 1583 Wemyss Corr. 98.
To present thir feu lynis to your maisterschip 1596 Dalr. I. 40/22.
I can nocht tel, gif evir … mae in fewar ȝeiris … hes bene takne 1610 Misc. Hist. Soc. II. 154.
Withe feu and smal eases & refreschments

b. Absolute or in complement. Also with of. 1375 Barb. ii. 340.
Quhen schir Amer has sene … sa few abid to fycht Ib. iii. 13.
All to few with him he had a1400 Leg. S. xv. 36.
Thare wes corne mekil Bot few war to set in it sekil c1420 Wynt. vii. 470.
Fewe wyst thare-off the manere Ib. viii. 3269.
Feware thai ware noucht than fyfty Hevyddis 1456 Hay I. 195/11.
Thare is few of sik men in Fraunce, bot in Lombardy … thare is mony c1475 Wall. v. 891.
Cowartis ye ar, that for so few wald fle 1489 Acts II. 220/2.
The nomer of vj persounis at the fewast 1513 Doug. i. viii. 78.
Hidder … ar few of ws arryve 1556 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 258.
Four, five, … ten, ma or fewar as tha suld think expedient 1571 Events Q. Mary & Jas. VI 60.
We find bot feu that takis the mater to heart a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. xcix. 25.
To reif the pure rycht few hes now petie 1615 Highland P. III. 245.
No feware could adventare … the persute

c. A few, a small number. c1420 Wynt. viii. 5370.
Off thare folk a few ware slayne Ib. ix. 380.
Alysawndyr … wyth a few … Barganyd thame

2. With singular nouns: Not numerous or great. 1375 Barb. xiv. 322.
That twis in-to battell was he Discumfit with ane few menȝhe c1420 Wynt. viii. 4960.
Wyth a few folk … He held all prewaly his gate 1456 Hay I. 100/32.
Suppos a king … wald with a few menȝe passe that voyage 1533 Bell. Livy II. 105/18.
He past fordwart with ane few cumpany c1610 Melville Mem. (1735) 13.
He did ride to the parties himself with a few company

b. A few nowmer, a small number. 1531 Bell. Boece I. 206.
Becaus he wes bot ane few nowmer, he partit his army at ane gret strenth 1558 Peebles B. Rec. 248.
To ordour ane [watch] of few or greit nowmer as efferis 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 176.
[The] erle of Buchane, with ane few nowmer of vther mene gentilmene a1578 Pitsc. I. 120/15.
The langer he delayit he wald be the fewar nomber 1590 Conv. Burghs I. 313.
Becaus thay … ar onlye chosin be ane few number of thair awin freyndis priuatlye

3. Having few followers, or companions. c1420 Wynt. viii. 5375.
For he wes few, and Inglis men Sexti armyt come on hym then c1475 Wall. iv. 438.
Wallace was few