Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 2000 (DOST Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Sary, Sory, Sorry, adj. Also: sarye, -ie; sairie, -y; sarrie, sorye, -(i)e, -ey; sorri(e. [North. ME sari (Cursor M.), sary (a1400–50), ME and e.m.E. sorie (c1200), sori (Cursor M.), sory (Piers Plowman), sorry (c1555), OE sárig.]

1. Of persons, etc.: Full of distress or sorrow; distressed, vexed, unhappy; regretful; sorrowful, sad. Also transf. Variously const.(1) predic. 1375 Barb. xii 141.
The lave … Off thar tynsaill sary and wa Ib. xix 41.
That mycht all his mengne se Sary and wa Ib. xx 298. a1400 Leg. S. xxiii 123.
Sary ware thai thane ilkane Ib. l 1025.
[Th]ane that tyrand can rodly rare, As man that had bene wondit sare, Na he sicht nocht priwely, As men dois quhile that are sary Ib. xxv 247, etc. ?1438 Alex. ii 9841.
His battale than men mycht haue sene Sary and wraith, abaisit and mad, And Porrus battall blyth and glaid c1420 Wynt. v 1458.
That bathe scho sek was and sary, And all lyk for to be dede, Bot gyff scho sonnare gat remede Ib. 1966.
Wpe sho ras, and … Owte off the tempyll gretand yhede, … dulefull and sary Ib. vii 1278.
The modyr than, that … saw [pr. swa] hyr barne deyd, wes sary c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 178/10.
The stait of man dois change and vary Now sownd now seik now blyth now sary Ib. 185/37.
Lat us in hairt nevir moir be sary c1520-c1535 Nisbet 2 Cor. vii 8.
Thouch I made yow sarie in a pistile Id. Matth. xxvi 37, c1520-c1535 Luke xviii 24.(b) ?1438 Alex. i 2770.
Thocht he had ire Was na ferly, And Gaudifeir Was mair sory Than man that war … disherist aganes richt Ib. ii 4389.
Sory and wraith war thare menȝe a1500 Henr. Fab. 698.
Art thou contrite and sorie in thy spreit c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 109/27.
Welcum, oure indeficient adjutorie … That never saw Scot yit indigent nor sory Bot thou did hym suport 1530 Lynd. Test. Pap. 369. 1533 Boece 135b.
King Corbrede sorie and trist … departit to Scotland 1535 Stewart 52636.
This ilk captane vpoun the wall that stude, Richt sorie wes and murnit in his mude 1558-66 Knox II 358.
Scho was angrye and sorye for a seassone a1585 Maitl. Q. 144/84.
Quhen syt and sorrow semis superlatiue Sagis sould seme leist sussious and sorie a1578 Pitsc. I 319/7.
The king was werie sorrie and cryit on all his serwandis … to ryde to the feild and stanche slaughter Ib. II 50/34.
Quhan the governour got this letter … that the erle of Angus … sould haue sufferit he was vondrous sorie c1600 Montg. Suppl. ii 13.
Quhaireuer I ryde or go, Ȝe sall nocht sorie beattrib. c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 147/19.
The drerie damiesall Distres And eik hir sorie sister Hivines 1573 Sempill Sat. P. xxxix 211.
Sum stuid besyde ane wondderous sorie manellipt. 1540 Lynd. Sat. 107.
Als lang leivis the mirry man As the sorytransf. 1540 Lynd. Sat. 290 (B).
I latt no lovaris pas with sorry [Ch. ane sair] hairt 1551 Hamilton Cat. 152.
My saule is sarie [L. tristis] and sad evin to the dede 1560 Rolland Seven S. 87.
With wonder sorie hart With few hors men [he] fra his camp did depart 1604-31 Craig ii 100.
When my hopes proue naught with sory mind, I sigh & say vnkind, vnkind(2) 1375 Barb. ii 65.
He [sc. King Edward] wes off his [sc. Bruce's] eschap sary Ib. v 450.
[Clifford] That for his tynsaill wes sary a1400 Leg. S. xxxvi 521.
He worth sary for to be, For the gret aith that mad had he c1420 Wynt. v 290.
Quhen deide wes he … few for that cas wes sary c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 184/9.
Fortoun … For quhois fals change suld none be sary(b) ?1438 Alex. i 2136.
The king and all his barnie Sall of thir tydingis sory be Ib. 2180.
For Sampsoun war thay all sory [: tenderly] c1400 Troy-bk. ii 2680.
The king Acastrus richt gretly Of his sonnes was maid sory That was slane 1562-3 Winȝet II 56/9.
For he saw afoir the errouris tocum, for the quhilkis he also afoir wes sorie 1569 St. A. Kirk S. 330.
And the said Christen being sorye thairat, the said Patrik said, ‘Christen I promit I sal nevir have uthir wyf bot yow’ 1590–1 Crim. Trials I ii 236.
In respect that hir prayer stopit and that sche wes sorie for itt 1596 Dalr. I 242/16.
Donalde now being the kingis frinde, was sair sorie for his deith 1614 Aberd. Council Lett. I 128.
Quhair ye wrytt the counsell cannot understand the benefett thay sall have [etc.] … I am sorie thairoff 1617 Aberd. B. Rec. II 353.
And that thairby he kyitchis [sic] to be sorie and grewit for the same c1650 Spalding I 97, 294.(3) 1375 Barb. ix 44.
For nane wes in that company That wald haiff bene halff sa sary For till haiff sene his broder ded 1543 Corr. M. Lorraine 36.
I am verray sary at my herte to se samony that suld be noble men gevin to mak lesingis(b) c1568 Lauder Minor P. iii 78.
The godlie luffis thair pastours … And will be sorie to se thame want or wrangt 1588 Cal. Sc. P. IX 649.
I am sorie to know from Scotland that [etc.](4) 1560 Rolland Seven S. 5016.
The pure pepill … was wonder sorie That thay war sa destitute of sic glorie 1562-3 Winȝet I 44/3.
We ar rycht sorie that this is treu for the maist part and mair 1563 Ferg. Answer in 1563-72 Tracts 48.
I am the more sorie in deid that suche as ye are hath interteniment in the palaices of princes 1576 Douglas Corr. 206.
I am sorey that ony sic attemptat suld fall out 1599 Maxwell Mem. II 9.
I ame sorie that ye uas so nyce uith the Lorde Murley, for he is my olde freinde 1602 Misc. Spald. C. II 289.
We ar sore we can nothe expeid our selfis but your lordschipis miscontentment 1606 Laing MSS I 107.
Yet I soulde be sorri he soulde be to dow yow any onkindnes 1638 Balfour Ann. II 267.
Wee ar heartily griued and sorey, that [etc.](5) ?1438 Alex. i 999.
Quhen Gaderanis saw sa hard ane pais Be held thame, thai war all sary Ib. 1972. c1420 Wynt. ii 48.
Quhen that scho herd off this cas Suppos in hart scho sary wes Ib. v 2730.
And quhen he herd that stedfastly The caus that made thame sa sary 1528 Lynd. Dreme 997.
My hart was wounder sarye Quhen comoun weill so sopit was in sorrow 1540 Id. Sat. 4375 (B).
Ȝit quhen scho sichis, my hairt is sairy — 1586 Laing MSS I 57.
Bot I think and my moder wer levand I wald be richt sorey and she wer in sa hard estate

2. Expressive of or displaying distress or sorrow.(a) 1375 Barb. xix 83.
With sary cher he held him still a1500 Seven S. 1238.
Than answerd scho with sary cheire Ib. 1256.
Than … the stewart … Past furth and maid a sary mane(b) 1560 Rolland Seven S. 1258.
The empreour … Hard the loud schout and sorie pieteous call Of the emprice 1567 Sat. P. iii 4.
His sory sang was ‘Oche and wallaway!’ 1567 G. Ball. 89.
Quhen sall my hart ceis of this sorie sang?

3. Involving or accompanied by, invoking or causing distress or sorrow.(a) c1420 Ratis R. 571.
Hop … can refresch a sary thing And mak with wyt recomfortinge a1500 Henr. Fab. 1938.
Thir hid nettis for to persaue … This sarie calf wyislie to vnderstand a1500 Bernardus 75.
Drunkynnes … May be reput of sorow and of syne A sary smyt tyle hyme that leffys thar in c1475 Wall. ii 109 (McD).
Ane othir aukwart a sarye straik tuk thar 1513 Doug. ii iv 26.
[The serpents] with thar cruell byt and stangis fell … tuke mony sary morcell [L. miseros morsu artus] a1568 Bann. MS 271b/18.
Tha sary bukis makis mention How wemen betryit in speciall Adame Dauid Sampsone and Salamon(b) a1500 Henr. Orph. 550.
This warldis vane prosperitie Quhilk hes thir sory properteis thre That is to say gottyn with grete laboure Kepit with drede and tynt is with doloure c1475 Wall. iii 239.
Leif I thaim thus, blamand thar sory [1570 sary] chance 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 932.
I standand bundin in ane sorie plite c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 207.
That sory [M. sary] sicht me sudaynly affrayit 1513 Doug. iii iv 13.
Furth of the flude of Stix that sory place Ib. vii v 101.
Ane of the sory furyus sisteris thre … quhilk causis all myschefe Ib. vi viii 116. 1567 Sat. P. iii 206.
The causis all of his sory banishement c1568 Lauder Minor P. i 599.
Couatus men … Sall nocht at lenth eschaip ane sorye end 1571 Sempill Sat. P. xxviii 40.
Hammiltoun he me huif, I ȝow declair, Ane sorie surname 16.. Herbarius Latinus Annot. (Bot.).
In the begynnyn of the seik[nes] at the vring is reid & thik … sall the seiknes seikerlie be sorieproverb. a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 1148.
Manie mirrie evening maks manie sorie morning

4. Of a person or animal: a. That has suffered misfortune, hapless, pitiable.(a) c1420 Wynt. vi 1117.
‘That sary Benet,’ [he] sayd, ‘am I’ 1513 Doug. vi Prol. 50.
Feil woful turmentis of wrachit catyvis sary [: tary] Ib. v 159.
‘Palynurus,’ quod scho, ‘thou sary syre’ 1535 Stewart 58111.
Doutles richt sone this sarie fox war slane(b) a1500 Colk. Sow i 136.
For brawle doggis at the dure All settis on the sory hound That lyis euir at the grund Ib. ii 179.
For sory swyne for thair golfing affraid 1513 Doug. iv i 42.
Sen the deces Of my sory husband a1568 Bann. MS 211b/2.
Lyke as the littill emmet haith hir gall The sorie banestikkill haith hir fin we sie

b. Habitually grieving, plaintive, miserable. a1500 K. Hart 511.
Bot, wit ȝe weill, he wes ane sory man; For falt of gude he wantit all his will 1600-1610 Melvill 323.
In place of a sarie las that never leuche, God gave me … a pleasand boy

5. Wretched, worthless, of little value, pitiful, mean. a. Of places or things, material or non-material. b. Of persons or animals. c. proverb. d. adv.a. c1420 Wynt. viii 5577.
That sary lyff contenwyd he a1500 Henr. Fab. 277.
The eldest sister sperit at hir gest Giff that scho thocht be ressone difference Betuix that chalmer and hir sarie nest 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 103.
With ery curage, febill strenthis sary c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 96.
Bot soft and soupill as the silk is his sary lume 1513 Doug. iv Prol. 20.
Ȝour sary ioys beyn bot ianglyng and iapys Ib. v xiii 50.
Scho thinkis it nocht eneuch … fortobe wrokin … Apon thar sary levingis and remanys c1554 Misc. Bann. C. II 29.
Incaise Harbargary had bene the name of ane village or sary toun a1599 Rollock Wks. I 305.
Not ane sarie house, as this eirthlie bodie was, bot ane fair buylding Ib. 325.
Faith hes bot ane sarie licht, bot the licht be presence is mervellous Ib. 397.
Is sarie base wordis changed in glorious wordis for nathing?b. a1500 Henr. Fab. 1493.
Vnhelsum meit is of a sarie mous c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 105/18.
And settin down lyk sarye crockis a1570-86 Maitl. F. 193/3.
At hame remanis the sarie lairdis That giffis no giftis nor ȝit rewardis a1605 Montg. Flyt. 386 (H).
They seing this sarrie thing, said to themselves [etc.] Ib. 494 (T).
Quhair, sevin ȝeiris, it sowkit, sweillit, singit and sarie [H. sarrie]c. a1598 Ferg. Prov. No. 334.
He is a sairie begger that may not gae by ane mans dore Ib. No. 474.
It is a sairie brewing, that is not good in the newing Ib. No. 762.
Shee is a sairie mouse that has but ane hole Ib. No. 775.
Sairie be your meil poke and ay your neive in the nook of it Ib. No. 369, 512. a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 192.
Sarie Ib. No. 689.d. a1600 T. Maitland in Watson's Coll. ii 54.
Sarie shitten … ill shapen shit