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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.

Quharefor(e, Quhairfor(e, interrog. and rel. adv. Also: quhar-, qwhar(e)-, quare-, qwar-; wharfore; quhayrfor, quhair(f)foir, -foyr. [North. ME quar-, whar-, warfor (Cursor M.), wharfore (c1400), south-western and southern ME ware uore (1297), war-fore (a1400), midl. and south. wherfore etc. (see Quher(e)for), early ME quor-fore (Gen. & Exodus), hwarfore (c1200), Quhare C 5, For prep.More often written as one word.]Also quharefor that (appar. chiefly or only in B).

A. interrog. For what cause or reason, to what end, why. In a. direct, and b. indirect, questions.a. 1456 Hay I 187/33.
Quharfore than may nocht … the pape mak were aganis thame? a1500 Prestis of Peblis 879.
Quhairfoir sould ȝe dout or be a-dred Ib. 962.
Fra hyneforth now quhairfoir may not sa be? 1560 Rolland Seven S. 440.
Thay said, quhairfoir luk ȝe sa fast about Ib. 9652. 14.. Acts (1566) To Reader iij.
Thair is … na excusatioun to the man pretendand ignorance of the law. Quhairfoir? Because [etc.] 1588 King Cat. 130.
Quhairfoir than art thow proude, thow earthe and assis? c1590 Fowler II 51/2.
Quhairfoir suld they be reput as theauis and halden as reuars? Ib. I 285/109.b. a1400 Leg. S. ii 773.
At his mastere askit he, Quhar-for his birth wes sa wile Ib. xv 69.
To wit quhat-kyn men ve be, And quare-for we cum her a1500 Seven S. 2169.
Trow ȝe ȝe can Tell me quharfor I may nocht se 1490 Irland Mir. II 50/27.
It may be sperit at me sene this is the faith of Jhesu that all maner of pepil ar oblist to trowe quharfor I prove it and allegis sa mony autoriteis 1513 Doug. v i 11.
The Troianys in thar breistis tuke a ges Quharfor it was 1549 Lanark Sheriff Ct. MS 18b.
He gaif him the same he wattis nocht quharfor 1560 Rolland Seven S. 249.
Quhairfoir c1568 Lauder Minor P. i 310.
Now falls it weill to vs to wey but moir Quhat wes the cause, the reasoun, and quhairfoir The Papistis said [etc.] 1570 Sempill Sat. P. xii 102. 1585 James VI Ess. 54.
Quhairfore c1590 Fowler II 87/6.
Some may iustlye wonder … quhairfor it proceded that Alexander the Great [etc.]

B. relative. 1. With specific antecedent, esp. caus, resone: For, on account of, which (cause, reason or purpose). c1400 Troy-bk. i 359.
Jasone … Tald to the kyng … The cause quharfor that he come thare 14.. Burgh Laws c. 30 (B).
Gyf aburges chalange that man of ony thyng qwhar for bataile mycht ryse 1456 Hay I 266/30.
But ony resoun or rycht, or just caus quharfore bataill is tholit c1460 Wisd. Sol. (S.T.S.) 22.
To gyf a resone for al thingis that God has maid in this erde quharfor thai ware maid c1460 Alex. (Taym.) (ed.) 2430.
Quharefore 1490 Irland Mir. I 24/6.
Quharfor 1535 Stewart 147.
Thair is no caus quhairfoir that ȝe suld faill 1569 Reg. Privy C. II 33.
Thai wald knaw na thing … but wald execute thair interpryise quhairfoir thai wer then cumin to the Cannogait c1575 Balfour Pract. 313.
And the cause quhairfoir the samin is clamit 1581 Burne Disput. 43b.
Thair is na caus quhairfore ve sould pas from the inflexibil vord of God

2. Where the antecedent is a fact, circumstance or consideration to be inferred from the preceding context: On account of which, arising out of which, for which reason. Esp. in resumptive use: And on that account, and therefore, and so.(a) 1375 Barb. i 308.
Quharfor, in all his lyve-tyme, he Wes in gret payn [etc.] Ib. 567. 1389 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 18.
Quharefor we ordane and demis [etc.] c1400 Troy-bk. i 49.
Quharfor he bad me to ȝow say [etc.] Ib. ii 897 (C).
Wharfore [D. Quharfore] fayre Troye … Inne full blak smek our-rekand was 1401 MacRae Early Sc. Texts No. 8.
Qwarfor der lord it is our consale [etc.] 1402 Dundee Chart. No. 22.
Qwharefore we put sylence to thaim of Perth … for euermare c1420 Ratis R. 779.
Quharfore 1421 Montgomery Mem. 23.
Qwharfor ?14.. Ship Laws c. 9 (B).
And thai of Normandy sal hafe twa maner of kychyne qwhar for thai haf bot aa drynk 1466 Reg. Great S. 215/2. c1475 Wall. i 44.
Quharfor [1570 Quhair throw] thair rais a full grewous debate c1515 Asl. MS I 257/25.
Quharfor he was inwyit and hatit with mony c1500 Crying of Play 129. 1513 Doug. ii i 24, etc. c1520-c1535 Nisbet Heb. viii 3.
Quharfore c1520 Reg. Episc. Aberd. I 385.
I heff na petis … Qwarfor I pray your l. … gif me your leif to [etc.] 1526 Douglas Corr. 115.
Quharefore his hienes … has grete caus to gif ȝoure grace grete thankis 1537 Kennedy Aberd. Ann. I 70.
Quharfor it is our wyll [etc.] 1549 Compl. 2/9.
Quhar for ȝour heroyque vertu is of mair admiratione, nor vas of Valeria 1562-3 Winȝet I 121/16. c1590 Fowler II 87/2.
Quharfore Ib. 114/23.
Quharfor(b) a1500 Henr. Fab. 1200.
The tyme is feriate, Quhairfoir na iuge suld sit … Sa lait at euin Ib. 394, etc. a1570-86 Kennedy Maitl. F. cxxxi 15. c1500-c1512 Dunb. (O.U.P.) xvi 95.
Quhairfoir weill say I dar All luve is lost bot [etc.] Ib. 101.
Quhairfoir I counsall every man that [etc.] Ib. lii [C] 15. 1532–3 Dunferm. Reg. Ct. 87.
Tuecheyng … the Hale Bluyd akyr na thyng vas shavin, quhayrfor it is continwit to the nixt curt 1533 Ib. 93.
Quhairfoyr 1535 Stewart 23108.
Quhairfoir richt loud of him I trow tha le 1560 Rolland Seven S. 1006.
Now will I go Dioclesiane to se, Quhairfoir that ȝe my best clething bring me Ib. 1136. 1562 Grant Chart. 127.
Thai culd fynd na persone to mak ansour: Quhairfoir the said Jhone Grant … causit leddyr the said castell 1567 Sat. P. iv 178. 1575 Edinb. Test. III 412.
Forsamekill as I … is boun … schortlie … to Flanderis … Quhairfore for … the wele of my bairnis [etc.] a1578 Pitsc. I 36/5.
And to be the onlie cause of sa greit thift [etc.] … quhairfoir the haill realme may be an easie pray 1578 Waus Corr. 190.
Ye knaw I haif lettlie delyuerit sum silvir to your l., quhairffoir I am nocht veill boddin at this present 1583 Misc. Spald. C. II 340.
Quhairfore we charge … yow [etc.] 1596 Dalr. I 12/5.
Our cuntrey men vses valayes to cal dales … quhairfor al the south cuntreyes … haue this worde dale affixte Ib. 133/24. 1635 Dundonald Par. Rec. 396.
And confessit thair playing on the Sonday, quhairfor it was ordained that thair parents sould … pay them befoir the minister