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

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

Schrewit, S(c)hrewd, adj. (n.). Also: -yt, -ide, -ed; schrewde, s(c)hreud, -it; shroud, schrowit; shrud. [ME and e.m.E. shrewed (Manning), scherewed, schrewde (both 14th c.), e.m.E. also shrode (1482), shroad (1605), shrowd (1594); prob. f., or f. as, S(c)hrew n. Cf. however S(c)hrew v., the p.p. of which ‘may be the source of some of the senses’ (OED s.v. Shrewd adj.).]

1. Of a custom, or a way of doing things or behaving: Bad; harmful; pernicious. 14.. Acts I 11/2.
Na sal it be lefful to thaim … thar awyn landis to spare and othir mennis landis to wast and … oise. That schrewyt custum [L. pravam consuetudinem] … to thaim the kyng forbiddis c1475 Wall. ii 94.
At thi shrewed ws thow wenys me to leid a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 237 (Harl.).
For … schrewit exemple of synnaris can ws smyt Ib. 783.
Quharthrou ȝow syn … Ȝoure schrewit exempill hes sic continuans a1500 Seven S. 1475.
Neuer ȝit ws twa betwene Was nevir hard sic schrewit thing 1570 Sat. P. xviii 62.
Schrewit is that seruice ȝe haif schawin to ȝour king

2. Of a person, also of a class of persons or community: Evil, wicked; crooked; malevolent, mischief-making. a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 177 (Asl.).
Schrewit aduocatis … be thair practik the sentens sa resplatis Quhill that the pley oft pas the principale a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 496 (B).
Ane schitt, but witt, schrewit and injurius 1513 Doug. vi i 41.
The monstruus Mynotawr … Ane horribill takin of schrewit Venus wark Ib. xi viii 69.
This ilk schrewit [Ruddim. schreuit] wight, That is controvar of mony wykkyt slycht Id. Conscience 5.
Eftir that come schrewit Correctioun And thocht that Conscience had our large ane weid c1520-c1535 Nisbet Philippians ii 15.
In the myddis of a schrewit natioun, and a wawart Id. 2 Timotheiii 4.
Traitouris, schrewit, bolnit with proude thochtis 1533 Boece 206b.
This schrewit tyran … vsit fellony apoun Scottis nobillis Ib. 211b.
His kinrik, sa oftymes assailȝete be maist schrewit inemyis 1554 Duncan Laideus Test. 162.
I … With shreud [pr. srheud] lymmaris wickitlie contrafit, In hoill and cave wald ly quhill it wer lait

b. Cross-grained; contumacious. a1500 Bk. Chess 4.
This schrewit Saturnus … Crabit felloun and noyand till euery thing a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. 287/62.
Gif ȝe be meik ȝit thai mistak ȝour mynd And sweiris ȝe ar far schrewdar nor ȝe seme

3. Of an action: Fierce; vicious; evil.(A) schrewit turn, an evil or malicious deed; an act intended to hurt or distress.Also, transf., (a) schrewit occasioun, an opportunity to perform evil deeds.(1) c1475 Wall. iii 118.
He had on Scottis maid mony schrewide wiage 1513 Doug. ii iv 53.
Laocon iustly … Has deir ybocht his wikkit and schrewit deid Ib. vii ix 14.
Lo, now, discord perfornyst, as thou wald, With schrewit batale and carys monyfald(2) c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus Prol. 254.
Perauenture sum of thame or they come hame, For schrewit turnis (nocht causles) got sum blame Id. Seven S. 4721.
To hir husband scho did schrewde turnis thre(3) 1572 Buch. Detect. (1727) 68.
To mak wyser men suspicious, and to give nouchtie men schrewit occasionis

4. Of something said: Evil in its intention, influence or consequence; malevolent.(a) c1475 Wall. ix 1424.
The captane than a schrewed ansuer him gaiff 1513 Doug. iv v 29.
Fame … Als weil ramembring fenȝeit and schrewit sawys As scho the treuth and verite furth schawis Ib. 57.
This ilke kyng … for thir schrewyt rumouris sor ammovit [etc.] Ib. vii ix 23.
With schrewit rumouris I can amang thame skaill c1520-c1535 Nisbet Acts xx 30.
And men speking schrewit thingis sal rijse of you self, that thai lede away(b) 1666-74 Fraser Polichron. 85.
By some shrud advice he flatly refused to accept of it Ib. 251.
This good man … could not hear a shrud tale or report of any

5. Of a material thing: Harmful, noxious. 1513 Doug. ii viii 57.
The edder, with schrewit herbis fed

6. Of a route or way: Dangerous; ? uneven, ? not straight. 1513 Doug. xi x 90.
Ane narrow peth … Full scharp and schrowit [Sm. schrewyt, Ruddim. schrewit] passage wonder sle c1520-c1535 Nisbet Ep. Ald Test. xxxiii 25.
Quhethir my way is nocht euen, and nocht mare your wayis ar schrewit?

7. Of an immaterial thing: a. Dangerous; ? fearful. b. Of evil character, nature or influence. c. Of an event: Unhappy; characterised by evil or misfortune. d. Of a sign or omen: Unfavourable; portending evil.a. 1513 Doug. ix iv 48.
Gif that euery manis schrewit desyre Be as his god and genyus in that placeb. 1513 Doug. x v 149.
Syrius … with hys schrewyt lyght canicular c1520-c1535 Nisbet Luke iii 5.
And schrewit thingis salbe into dressit thingisc. 1513 Doug. v ix 64.
The feirfull spa men tharof pronosticate Schrewyt chancis to betyded. 1560 Rolland Seven S. 572.
Sum of thame said, it was ane schrewit sing Of ane gude luck sic ane quene hame to bring 1673 Lauder Notices Affairs I 65.
This is a shreud prognostick of what your lordships may expect from thir persons 1666-74 Fraser Polichron. 228.
A gentleman … was killed with a … pistoll. … This … put all in a confusion, lookeing upon this as a shrud omen

8. Of something bad or evil by nature: Grievous; serious; having grave consequences.(a) a1500 Lanc. 1943.
The ilk schrewit harrmful wice, Wich makith o king within hyme self so nyce, That [etc.](b) 1666-74 Fraser Polichron. 345.
Some shroud accidents fell out in this corner(c) 1666-74 Fraser Polichron. 125.
It happened … that by a shrud neglect a fire kendled in or about a nursery in Lovat, which was like to consume the whole court

9. Of a way of interpreting something said or written: Distorted, perverted; dangerously wrong. 1605 Reg. Privy C. VII 141.
Fearing justlie that be the obscuritie of that write … some schreud interpretation may be made of the words thairin 1699 Forrester Bishops Claim iii 12.
The worshipping of … the Golden Calf … with a pretended design to worship … Jehovah was a shrewd and gross interpretation of the second command

10. absol. as noun. A wicked or evil person.But perhaps erron. for S(c)hrew n. 1. a1585 Maitl. Q. 143/38.
The impyire Quhair God sic schreudis sall from his sanctis dissever