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

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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. X).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Sumpart, n. and adv. Also: sume-, som- and -parte, -pairt(e, -pert. [Sum(e adj. and Part n.]

A. noun. a. Of things: A certain measure or amount; a little. b. Of persons: Some, a few (out of a larger group).In many instances the word is written sum part, and could equally well be analysed as Sum(e adj. qualifying Part n. See Part n. 1 b (4) for examples.a. a1400 Leg. S. Prol. 38.
I hafe translatit … Sume part, as I fand in story, Of Mary & hir sone Jhesu ?1438 Alex. ii 6373.
Ȝe may knaw sumpart of our stait a1500 Henr. Fab. 1486.
It will degraid sum part off ȝour renoun To sla ane mous a1500 Henr. Orph. 490.
I sall thé tell sum part, as I haue red a1500 Henr. Robene & M. 77.
Be that sum pairte of Mawkynis aill Outthrow his hairt cowd creip c1475 Wall. iv 357.
Ȝe may get fude suppos I duell so lang. Sumpart ȝe haif and God will send ws mair c1475 Wall. xi 1450.
Thir twa gert me say that ane othir wys; Till Maister Blayr we did sumpart off dispys 1531 Bell. Boece I 118.
Thir novellis maid Cesius to defaik sum part of his curage 1648 Hamilton P. 226.
It is beliued that som parte of the caus is from Scotlandb. a1400 Leg. S. Prol. 162.
Sum part be eleccion Efter Cristis ascensione Apostil syne chesit Paule 1460 Hay Alex. 1219.
Ane hundreth thousand in his gouerning Sum pairt of Grece bot mest of Macedone c1475 Wall. iii 203 (McD.).
On hors sum-part to strenthis can thame found To socour thaim, with mony werkand wound 1528 Lynd. Dreme 313.
Sum part thair [sc. in hell] was of vnleill lauboraris 1533 Boece 42b.
Sum parte … allegit that … thay suld invaid thai tratouris c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus Prol. 110, 111, 113.
For sum part ar fraward and meik agane Sumpart mansweit, sumpart betuix the [twane] … Sumpart ar dry and sum are mitigait

c. attrib. or quasi-adj.: ? Partial; ? small or insignificant in amount. 1529 St. P. Henry VIII IV 572.
Be oure other letters past fra ws, of before condicioune and sumpart graunt maid be ws

d. With in (into) or of, in adverbial phrases. Also (once), in sumpartis. = B adv. below. c1475 Wall. xi 961.
Off wer he was in sumpart yrk 1513 Doug. v xiv 1.
Glaidnes and comfort than, in to sum part, Begouth to kittil Eneas thochtful hart 1533 Bell. Livy I 129/14.
That euery ane of thame mycht haue bene iustly namyt foundaris of Rome, in sumparte ekit be thare industrie to Romane pepill 1561 Q. Kennedy Compendious Ressonyng (ed.) 150/3, 4.
The sacrifice of the croce and the sacrifice of the mes in sumpart aggreis and in sumpart differis — c1400 Troy-bk. ii 2919.
And thai maid stout answer him to And in-to sumpart bustuously — 1561 Q. Kennedy Compendious Ressonyng (ed.) 158/20.
In sumpartis thay differ, that the lordis body was offerit vp apon the croce in the awin forme, visible and sensible — c1475 Wall. iii 444.
Off Inglismen of sumpart spek I will

B. adv. Somewhat, to some extent; a little. 1460 Hay Alex. 232.
His teith was scharpe, and sum part lang and quhyte 1460 Hay Alex. 2377.
He wist King Philip was sumparte seik a1500 Henr. Fab. 1548 (Bann.).
Now wer I fals and rycht vnkynd, Bot gife I quit sumpairte thy gentilnes Thow did to me c1475 Wall. iv 22 (McD.).
Wallace sum-part befor the court furth raid c1475 Wall. vi 494.
Now off a thing we do sumpart amys c1500 Fyve Bestes 183.
He couth wele reid & sumpart write & dyte c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 193/47.
Ȝit quhone the nycht begynnis to schort It dois my spreit sum pairt confort 1517 Acta Conc. Publ. Aff. 100.
It is undirstand to the lordis that the toune of Edinburgh is sumpart dangerus of pestilence 1521 Doug. in Facs. Nat. MSS III xv.
Gif it had nocht bene for this he fest … and als that I am sumpart accrasyt … I suld [etc.] 1540 Lynd. Sat. 4618 (B). c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus i 38.
Howbeit the day was sumpart set with weit 1552 Prot. Bk. R. Lumsdane 20a.
Passand est sum part to the northt betuix [etc.] 1553 Reg. Privy C. I 140.
How he, in his minoritie, hes sumpert hurt his leiving and heritadge, be reassoun of his yowtheid a1556 Corr. M. Lorraine 440.
I have writin sumpart scharpe unto your grace a1561 Q. Kennedy Breif Tract. (ed.) 112/13.
We vil ressone the mater sumpart 1569 Kirkcaldy B. Rec. App. 323.
His kill sumpert biggit upone the commonitie 1573 Tyrie in Cath. Tr. 3/22.
That the rest of his followars … lerne to be sumpart moderat, and mair circumspect in thair writting 1573-1600 Burne Disput. in Cath. Tr. 139/5.
Ye surpas thame sumparte in sic impietie 1601 Mackie Denmilne MSS 24.
To procuir … ane suir freindschip in England, and that state being sumpart distracted