Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1976 (SND Vol. X).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

ONWAAR, adj. Unexpected, unlooked-for, from some hidden source. [ɔn′wɑ:r]Sh. 1899 J. Spence Folk-Lore 154:
Most forms of illness were supposed to be either an “evil onwaar,” or “hurted frae da grund.”

[A conflated form from Un-, pref. and Norw. dial. uvar, ovar, O.N. úvarr, unaware, unwary, úvart, unexpectedly.]