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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.

Quhar(e)fra, Quhairfra, interrog. and rel. adv. Also: quhayr-, whare-, whair- and -fre, -frae, -fro. [Quhare C 5: cf. Quher(e)fra.]

1. interrog. From what place, whence? 1513 Doug. ix vii 106.
Hys ferys lukis about on euery syde, To se quharfra [Sm. quhayrfra] the grundyn dart dyd glyde c1520-c1535 Nisbet John viii 14.
For I wate fra quhyn I com … Bot ye wate nocht quharfra I com 1560 Rolland Seven S. 8701.
Quhairfra 1596 Dalr. I 25/4.
This guse ȝeirlie in the spring tyme returnes to ws: quhairfra can na man tell 1605-6 Welsh Forty-eight Serm. 473.
Then he considers, wharefrae come these?

2. The compound relative in definite use: To the place from which. 1581-1623 James VI Poems I 54/205.
He tauld me than hou sho fleu bak againe Quhairfra [v.r. Where fra] sho came

3. The simple relative. a. With antecedent denoting a place or thing as source: From which, whence. b. From which (course of action). c. As a result of which (circumstance).a. 1375 Barb. vi 552 (C) (see Quhare B 2 f).
Quhar-fra 1492 Myll Spect. 283/17.
Scho … roif hir self throw the hart quharfrae the blud come in sic aboundance that [etc.] c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 57.
Amang the grene rispis … Arrivit sche [sc. the ship], quhar fro anone thare landis Ane hundreth ladyes 1513 Doug. iii ii 77.
Inhabyt with a hundreth citeis gret, Quharfra [Ruddim. quharfro] thar com … Our gret forfader Ib. v xiii 81.
Quharfra thou hes thi first original c1520-c1535 Nisbet III 256. 1572 Sat. P. xxxii 99.
Of vitious deidis thow art the only fontane, Quhairfra all vice … springis a1578 Pitsc. I 234/11.
That we may be laide … in the earth quhair fre we come 1588 King Cat. Sig. h. iv.
It behoueth the cowrse of the dominicall lettre to be interrupted euerie hundereth ȝere quhairfra is subduced ane day 1616 Misc. Spald. C. II 157.
The workis of your majesties most excellent wisdome whairfra all men expect gude helpisb. 1561 Kennedy Oratioun 4.
Quharfra … for bud nor boist … I intend nocht to desist 1585–6 Waus Corr. 345.
Quhilk is the speciall caus of seiking of remeid as ve do, quhairfra ve sall nocht ceis wythout ve haif ane farder securytie nor fair generallisc. 1596 Dalr. I 79/5.
Quhairfra began the taken of gud luk of a kingdom to follow