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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.

Unknaw(in, p.p. and ppl. adj. Also: un(e)knawine, unknawyn(e, -en, unknawne, wnknawin, -yne, -yng, wnknaw(e)n, -knawne, onknawin, -yn, -en, onknauin, -en, unknowin, -known(e, -knewing, -knowe, -knewe, wnknaw, onknaw. [ME and e.m.E. vnknau(e)n, -in (all Cursor M.), vnknowen (Manning), unknawen (Rolle), vnknowe (1340-70), onknowyn (Chaucer), unknown (?c1600), OE unᵹecnawen.]

A. p.p. 1. Of a fact, state of affairs, event, place, etc.: Unknown, of which one is ignorant. Also const. to (of) a person. b. In neg. const.: Known, familiar to a person, etc. c. ellipt. In quasi-adverbial usage: (In a fashion) not known to anyone else, secretly.In quot. Reg. Cupar A. prob. with reference to the extent of land.(1) a1400 Leg. S. xviii 113.
That abbay … was ȝete sa vnknawyne That few come thare bot thayire awne 1456 Hay II 112/14.
And men wist … that it suld be a calde wynter … men wald se for wod and eldyn [etc.] … And rycht sa of ane unkynde ȝere of distresse of cornis and vittailis, men may better purvay na it war unknawin na unpurvayde of before c1460 Wisd. Sol. (STS) 204.
Quha may wyt quhethir the spreit off man gais vpwart ore the spreit of the best gais dounwart sen baith wnknawyng elyk pasis? a1500 Henr. Fab. 405.
Sa different thay [sc. animals] ar in properteis Vnknawin vnto man and infinite 1492 Myll Spect. 285/20.
That I cast me to luf in sic a place quhar it may be kepit secret that all be it chi[lder] be gottyn, it sall be vnknawyn opynlye c1520-c1535 Nisbet 2 Cor. vi 8.
Vnknawne 1533 Boece 109b.
In Orknay … vse of medicinaris was almaist … vnknawin 1533 Boece 115b.
Vespasiane … be passagis vnknawin to Romanis passit [etc.](b) 1513 Doug. ii ii 5.
A ȝong man … that wilfully fortobe tak Rendrit hym self, onknawyn [Sm., Ruddim. vnknawin] the caws quhy 1542 Reg. Cupar A. II 196.
Wille Brisaucht for his part and myln, with the land onknawyn, viij^lib 1573 Tyrie in Cath. Tr. 20/2.
Ane citie situat vpon ane montan can nocht be onknawen or hid(c) a1500 Quare Jel. (1976) 529.
Quhare is thi wit or thy discrecioun Quhich be thine euill ymaginacioun In sewing thingis the quhich that bene vnknew[e](d) 1611-57 Mure Dido & Æneas iii 28.
[Dido] vagabounding in ane heavy cace Through fields vnknowne accompanyed by none(2) a1400 Leg. S. xvi 788.
Thar scho dwelt thretty ȝere Vnknawine to man that lifand vere a1500 Colk. Sow ii 245.
In the hurd quhill it [sc. money] lyis It servis nowdir the warld nor multeplyis And gif thow deis, it is vnknawin to men 1490 Irland Mir. I 79/15.
[The rivers] pas … fra Paradice within certane conditis of the erde wnknawin to us a1500 Seven S. 142.
Bot all wnknawin Was to the empriour hir wikit thocht 1503 Orkney Rentals i 59.
Schir Robert Sutherland hes haldin the Kingis scattis … in Ovir Garsend on knawin to my Lord Sinclair 1525 Douglas Corr. 98.
Ane gret commissioun … as I consyder uneknawine to ȝow, with a speciale artikle agains me 1596 Dalr. II 233/17.
Quhairfor he prepairis to pas in France with fyue shipis, vnknawen to the hail nobilitie 1596 Dalr. II 309/10.
Strangeris, to quhom baith was our grunde wnknawen throuchout our land … and the maneris of our peple 1611 Inverness Rec. II 86.
The said Donald wyiff … lockit the dur, and thow being thairin onknavin to hir [etc.](b) 1513 Doug. vi ii 52.
Virgyn, na kynd of pane may rys Onknaw [Sm. vnknaw, Ruddim. vnknawin] to me 1513 Doug. vii xi 46.
Ful prevely, onknaw [Sm., Ruddim. vnknaw] of ony wight, The woman mydlit with the god went bond(c) a1500 Quare Jel. 64.
I Am turment thus, withoutyn cause or quhy … For it the quhich is vnto me vnknoweb. 1416 Red Bk. Menteith I 284.
It is nouch vnknowin to yhow that [etc.] c1409-1436 Kingis Q. § 105.
Ȝong man, the cause of all thyne inward sorowe Is noght vnknawin to my deite 1533 Boece 556b.
The bischop (to quhom the cays was nocht vnknewing) 1560 Waus Corr. 21.
Becaus the continnew off my vreting is noth onknawin to yow a1561 Q. Kennedy Breif Tract. (ed.) 133/6.
It is nocht onknavin to me quhow thair is sum that allegis the vordes of S. Augustine schortlye folouand 1567 Anderson Collect. Mary I 91.
At quhilk tyme he maid mony nobill interprysis not unknawen to baith the realmis a1578 Pitsc. I 38/1.
Wnknawnc. a1540 Freiris Berw. 427 (B).
I haif ane pege full prevy of my awin Quhen evir I list will cum to me vnknawin 1560 Rolland Seven S. 6509.
Culd we this gold vnknawin get in our hand

2. Of a person: a. Not of one's acquaintance, unknown. b. Not recognised; unidentified. c. Displaying a lack of knowledge, ignorant (to do something).a. c1420 Wynt. v 2774.
Quhy suld we slay … oure awyne And thai forber that are wnknawyne [C. we forber that ar vnknawyn, W. forbeire vther at ar vnknawin]? 1521 Douglas Corr. 82.
I, quhilk am onknawyn wyth his Magestyeb. c1400 Troy-bk. ii 875 (C).
Pollicena tok he And wnknawin [D. vnknawin; L. incognite] with hym hyre led And put hyr in o pryvee sted 1531 Bell. Boece (M) I 163.
The king of Pichtis … but his coit of armour … wes slayn thair, vnknawin quhat he was a1538 Abell 22a.
And sa onknawin for king he wes slane a1578 Pitsc. I 243/3.
The king iustit him selff dissaguysed onknawin and he was callit the blak knicht 1596 Dalr. II 73/15.
Subiectes … war sa opprest with the weiris, that quhen a man war asket … quhais man he war, he wist nocht quhat to say … the men of weir on baith partes cam sa thik wnknawnec. a1500 Rauf C. 127.
Now is anis said the Coilȝear kynd aucht to creip Sen ellis thow art vnknawin To mak me lord of my awin

B. ppl. adj. 1. Unknown; unfamiliar; that has not been encountered or experienced. a1400 Leg. S. xxvii 1367.
Quhat thinkis thou As alyene to leff me now Ymang vnknawine men 1513 Doug. i vi heading.
Ene … rakand throu the schaw Met with hys modir into habit onknaw [Sm. wnknaw, Ruddim. vnknaw] 1513 Doug. i vi 49.
Of men and land onknaw [Sm., Ruddim. vnknaw] we are drive will By wynd and storm of sey 1513 Doug. Concl. 5.
Quhen that onknawyn day … endis the dait of myn oncertan eld c1520-c1535 Nisbet Acts xvii 23.
I passit and … fand ane altare, in quhilk was writtin, to the vnknawne [W., P. vnknowun] God 1549 Compl. 21/36.
The iugement of Gode (quhilk virkis al thyng) is ane profound onknauen deipnes 1562-3 Winȝet II 55/19.
Quhat thing promiseit thai quhen thai errit? Bot ane new and, I wait nocht quhat, vnknawin leirnyng 1571 J. Maitland in Sat. P. xxvii 32.
Bewar … With oncouth coursis, and onknawin coist 1590 Welwod 71.
Contributioun aucht to be common ouer schip and guds for pilotfie in ane unknawin port 1596 Dalr. II 6/14.
Suirlie the ma deip daingeris vnknawne and vnkente thay vndirly 1608 Crim. Trials II 543.
Scho … be hir sorcerie and witchcraft cuist ane heavie and vnknawin seiknes vpone Alexander Fairlie his sone 1611-57 Mure Hist. Rowallane 237.
The familie … being continwed in the same race & surname to us the present possessours, from wnknawne antiquity

2. transf. Of a person: Not possessing prior knowledge; lacking local knowledge. c1650-1700 Descr. Zetland 82.
Gundaseatter Voe, a good harbour but a bad entry to unknown sailors, by reason of some hidden rocks that ly in the mouth thereof