A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1983 (DOST Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1375-1420, 1475-1699
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Other sum, Uther sum, pron. and a. Also: othir, -yr; uthir, wther and some. [Early ME. oðer sum (c 1250), ME. other sum (Cursor M.), e.m.E. othersome (1575).] a. pron. Some others. (Said of persons or things.) b. adj. Some other.Freq. correlating with sum or fele in the preceding clause.a. (a) 1375 Barb. i. 52.
For sum wald haiff the Balleoll king … And othir sum nyt all that cas 1375 Ib. iv. 591.
Othyr sum 1375 Ib. x. 107.
Feill the lyffis thair has lorne And othir sum thai flede avay c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace viii. 649. a1500 Quare of Jelusy 393.
Sum sleuth his lady and othir sum his wife 1513 Doug. i. vii. 18.
Sum grathis fast the thak … , Sum chesia officeris … , Ȝonder othersum [Sm. wther sum] the new havyn holkis 1513 Ib. iv. ix. 31.
This woman hechtis … From luffis bandis to lows … Quham so hir list and bynd other sum 1681 Colvil Whig's Suppl. i. 84.
Other some(b) c1420 Ratis Raving 183.
The lypir and the faland ill … With vthir-sum ar les to dout a1500 Tale of the Colkelbie Sow i. 328.
Sum noisit Napillis anone And vthir sum of Arragone a1500 Bk. Chess 26.
Vthersum 1528 Lynd. Dreme 247.
Vther sum 1535 Stewart 49766. 1572-5 Diurnal of Occurrents 301.
The aill wes sauld for 12 d., sum for fourtene penneis, and vther sum for xvj d. the pynt a1578 Pitsc. I. 189/12.
Wther sum a1578 Ib. II. 185/29.
Vthir sumb. 1618 Master of Works Accounts (ed.) II. 105.
For garnesing a pair of cart quhellis … and other sum turnes done to the chancellaris folkis in the abbay 16.. Alchem. MSS. v. 1 a.
In sum metalls is luna and in vther-some metalls is sol
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"Other Sum pron., adj.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 5 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/other_sum>
