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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)in, Quhairin, interrog. and rel. adv. Also: qwhar-, whar-, quair-, quhaer-, whair-, vhair- and -ine, -en. [North. ME whare-in (c 1400, c 1440), -inne (c 1400), early ME war-in(n)e (Layamon), Quhare C 5, In prep. CF. Quherein.]In early texts quhar(e)in is appar. commonly written as two words; in later texts quhar(e)in and quhairin are commonly written as one.

A. interrog. a. In what place? b. In what respect? c1500 Harl. MS 4700 fol. 282a.
[The tenant ought to take witness] apon his distrublance quhat tyme … and quhair in his distrublance wes maid 1584 Conv. Burghs I 195.
To considder be the comptes of the Collectour Generall of the saidis customes … quhairin the burrowis ar deterioratt or aduancitt thairby

B. The simple relative, in restrictive, descriptive and resumptive uses. 1. In local senses. a. In which (place, thing or the like); also, and in that place etc.(1) a1400 Leg. S. v 532.
A[l]s he prayt fore that place Quhare-in to wryt is custum ves That [etc.] a1500 Henr. Fab. 2441.
The wodds waist quhairin wes the wolf wyld 1566-70 Buch. Common on Virgil Æn. ii 503.
Thalami: cubicula nuptiala quhairin thair wes mariyt folk 1587 Edinb. B. Rec. IV 501.
For taking vp … ane barrell quhairin the laird of Knokdoleanes bowells and intrallis wes bureit 1593–4 Reg. Privy C. V 135. 1633 Culross I 170.
The kirk quhairine the cure hes beine servit 1642 Kinghorn Kirk S. 46.
To … repair the house quharin the bell presentlie hings c1650 Spalding I 81.
Fauldis quhairin beistis war keipit(2) a1400 Leg. S. xxxvi 764.
Thre iorne lang is that cunctre, Quhare-in [is] Smarag the cyte c1400 Troy-bk. i 345.
Chambris wight … Quhar-in the benkis war … Our-spred with goldin claithis 1533 Boece 121.
Quharein(b) ?1438 Alex. i 1638.
Alexanderis baner braid Quhairin his awin figure was maid a1500 Henr. Fab. 420. 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 151 (L).
Ald rottyn runtis quhairin [E. quhairen] no sap was leuyt c1500-c1512 Dunb. (O.U.P.) lii 134. 1535 Stewart 51832.
Quhairin a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. clxxv 50.
The hewin sa he Quhair in thair is perfyt kyndnes a1578 Pitsc. I 154/13. 1580 Edinb. B. Rec. IV 175.
That ane hous or librair be maid … quhairin sall be putt in keping the saidis buikis dotit Ib. 178.
The schip callit the William quhairin [ed. quhuirin] the said pest was brocht frome Danskin c1590 Fowler II 20/29.
The hail contents of his treatise … gatherit out of the bordel, quhairin he euer maist hantit 15.. Crawford Mun. Invent. II 111 (15 April).
[He] hed preparit for ws … ane logynge quhairin we have two chalmeris ?1549 Monro W. Isles (1961) 57.
Besides this ile … is ane uther … quhairin thai had thair counsellhouse biggit a1595 Descr. Isles 431. 1596 Dalr. I 30/9, etc. 1624 Justiciary Cases I 18. 1627 Rep. Parishes 197.
A populous toune quhairin thair is fortie single roumis

b. In which (writing, book etc.). a1400 Leg. S. xxxvi 1215.
In ane wthire buk I made Quhare-in I recordit the genology Of oure lady c1520-c1535 Nisbet I Prol. 2.
Quharin 1562-3 Winȝet I 2/15.
With thre wryttingis deliuerit to the said Iohne: quhairin is replyit aganis his ansueris [etc.] 1581 Hamilton Cath. Tr. 7b.
Thair vas not ane lyne in the Bybill quhairin thai vald not haif fund [etc.] 1614 Denmylne MSS in Highland P. III 157.
The copie of the letter … whairin he conceded some credite … to Bryce Simple 1633 Acts V 162/1. 1646 10th Rep. Hist. MSS App. i 79.
I reseavett ane laiter whairin yow desyr [etc.]

c. Into which (place or situation). a1400 Leg. S. xxxiii 666.
Quhar-in [sc. streets] a[l] ȝed with grete glew For to se George sacryfy 1490 Irland Mir. I 2.
Paradice … quhar in Adam was put & Eue was maid c1590 Fowler I 146/8.
Nor can I see how to avoyde the snaire Quhairin I rin

2. In non-local senses. a. In which (state of affairs, condition), in which (agreement or compact), in which (utterance), at which (meeting). a1400 Leg. S. xxx 239.
I wil tel thé a thing quhare-in Thu wil sla thi saule for syne 1490 Irland Mir. I 10/4.
Than the nobilite of that pepile and of Grece … had gret contencioune togiddir. Quhare in the gret nobilite of Troy … passit fra this mortall and wrechit lif 1535 Stewart 14092.
He … left the gait quhairin he first began c1552 Lynd. Mon. 5111.
And vtheris strange infirmeteis, Quharein mony ane thousand deis 1565 Facs. Nat. MSS III lvi.
In this extremite quhairin thei presentlie stand 1610 Laing MSS I 118.
If ony sic case fall out quhairin the person is miserabill or the debtis desperat c1616 Hume Orthog. 14.
To use anie Latin word, quharein now we sound c as s, in their tymes it sounded k 1662 Highland P. III 22.
The divill … woon her hayre quairin she promised to be his servant etc 1664 Kingarth Par. Rec. 30.
Ane Session in Kingarth Kirk quhairin were present Askog, elder [etc.]

b. In, at, during or on which (time, date, etc.). a1400 Leg. S. xxxiv 237.
Wa be the day quhare-in thu Wes borne! 1560 Rolland Seven S. 8033.
Ane doutsum day, The seuint and last quhairin maist perrell lay 1588 King Cat. Sig. g. viii.
In the same session and tyme of ȝere quhairin thay war constitut in the beginning c1590 Fowler I 275/10.
Whairin 1677 Inverness Presb. 79.
In the day quhairin He will mak up His juells

c. In various other applications of In prep. (including 15 a and 17 b). c1420 Wynt. ii 625 (C).
Off vynys the subtilite, Qwhar in he connande was in all 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 204.
Of ladyis fair and gudlie men arrayit … With degest mind, quhairin all wit aboundit 1537 Lynd. Depl. Magd. 199.
Thou hes slane the heuinly flour of France, … Quharein all Scotland saw thair hail plesance 1560 Rolland Seven S. 789.
Quhair twa illis dois appeir Lat vs that tak quhairin lyis leist dangeir 1567 G. Ball. 50.
The sylk and sandell thé to eis Ar hay, and sempill sweilling clais, Quharin thow gloris 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 372.
Vpoune Robert Campbellis landis in Kynȝeancleucht, and quhairin the said Paule is ellis infeft 1588 Exch. R. XXI 396. 1590 Treas. Acc. MS 6.
The vnlaw quhairin he wes adiugit c1590 Fowler I 222/13.
Al my hap and houpe quhairin I trust Ib. II 13/16.
That nothing remanis quhairin this Godles apostat may iustifie him selfe against me Ib. I 313/52. 1596 St. A. Baxter Bks. 61.
The foure pundis quharin he is alrady vnlawit a1605 Montg. Sonn. xxvii 2.
To look on that vhairin I most delyte 1607 Facs. Nat. MSS III lxxxvi.
For the same maters of the vnioun, quhairin they had commissioun of befor 1623 Fam. Rose 312.
Giue thaer be any thing quhaerin I can plesur you 1629 Aberd. Council Lett. I 304.
A suspensioun … whairin we ar advysed … not to insist

d. Where the antecedent is a fact, action or circumstance to be inferred from the preceding context: In which, and in this; also, in respect of which, and in this respect.Also quhare-in that. a1400 Leg. S. v 526.
Quhene he suld the ewangel wryte Quhare-in that he had gret delyte Ib. xviii 470.
To fil myn flesche sa ȝed I wod; … Quhare-in I mysded maste to kynd 1551 Hamilton Cat. 24.
The peple of the Jewis … thocht thame self innocentis and without sinne wharin thai falyeit mekil 1562-3 Winȝet I 99/14.
And as St. Paull ordinat Timothe and Tite, geueand thame pouer … to ordour wthiris, quharein apperis the lauchful ordinatioun of ministeris c1572 Buchanan in Facs. Nat. MSS III lxvi.
To mitigat … the acerbite of certaine wordis and sum taintis quhair in he has followit to muche sum of your Inglis writaris 1581 Burne Disput. 8b.
Quhairin ȝe follou the futesteppis of Symon Magus c1590 Fowler II 74/13.
Quhairin 1638 Johnston Diary I 340.
Young Durie spak to me to be moderat in my advyce to the noblemen; quhairin I told him my mynd of not … minching, carving be halfes as Gods cause 1672 Argaty Baron Ct. 6 Jan.
Patrick Squyre … restis ane yeiris teind … conforme to his awne confessioune, quhairin he is lykwayes decernit … to [etc.]