A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1438-1568
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Unborne, p.p. [ME and e.m.E. unnborenn (Orm), vnboren (a1275), vnborn(e (both Cursor M.); Born(e p.p.] a. Never born, deprived of life. b. Yet unborn, still to be born. Also proverb. —a. ?1438 Alex. ii 6611.
Fezonas that is sa schene Had wele better vnborne bene 1530 Lynd. Test. Pap. 451.
It had bene gude, tha beirnes had bene vnborne Be quhome that nobyll prince wes so abusit a1568 Bannatyne MS 228a/36.
This is ane endles pane allace … It wer for bettir be vnborne —b. 1456 Hay I 77/30.
Quhyne come the bataill betuix Jacob and Esau in thair moderis wame? That is grete mervaille how the barnis that ȝit was unborne suld mak a bataill —proverb. a1500 Henr. Fab. 1764.
The barne is eith to busk that is vnborne
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"Unborne p.p.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 14 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/unborne>
