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.
Quotation dates: 1513, 1637-1663
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Towartly, Towardly, adj. (adv.). Also: towartlie, towarlye, tauardly. [e.m.E. towardly (1481), towardlie (1587), towardli (16th c.); Towart adj.] a. adj. Docile; dutiful. b. adv. Docilely, tractably; gently, carefully. —a. 1513 Doug. iii viii 70.
The sammyn four futtit bestis … Beyn oft vsyt, ful towartly [Sm. towartlie, Ruddim. towarlye] and meik, To draw the cart and thoil brydill and renȝe 1654 Douglas Corr. 266.
I … beseech you to countenance him, not acording to the merits of his unfortunat elder brother both as … the towardly inclination of this youth will deserve 1663 Laing MSS 339.
The young man being towardly and dextrous in business —b. 1513 Doug. x xiv 94.
Ful towartly onane The steid bekend [he] held to hys schulder plat, And he at eys apon hys bak doun sat 1637 Baillie I 1.
Ar we so modest spirits, and so tauardly handlit in this matter, that ther is apeirance we will imbrace in a clap such a masse of novelties
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"Towartly adj.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 14 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/towartly>
