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

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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Allace, int. Also: alace, alaice, allais; all-, aleace, allece, aless; allas. [ME. alace, alaas, allas, alas (c 1260), OF. a las, ha las, f. a, ha ah! and las weary, wretched (L. lassus). The usual Sc. form is that with the long vowel.]

1. As an interjection (sometimes doubled): Alas! a1400 Leg. S. xvi. 461.
Allace! nov is the barne sa borne Ib. xxix. 472; etc.
Allace! allace! wa is me c1420 Wynt. iv. 2305.
Bot wytht twa traytourys syn, allas! He falsly dyssaywyd was Ib. viii. 1855.
Allace, Allace, now, Lord, we cry … Mercy c1450-2 Howlat 480.
Quhy leif I, allace! quhy? Ib. 958.
Allace! I am lost c1475 Wall. ii. 235.
In Inglismen, allace, quhi suld we trow 1490 Irland Mir. MS. 334 b.
Allace, than is this realme at vndere c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 214.
Quhy was thou blyndit, Resoun? quhi, allace! 1513 Doug. i. vii. 76.
Allace! behald, se ȝondir kyng Priam 1549 Compl. 34/6.
Allace! al thir seuyn elementis … ar ouer abundand vitht in oure affligit realme 15.. Clar. i. 472.
Ane pitious voice he heard crying Aleace! a1568 Scott ii. 193.
‘Allais!’ said Sym, ‘for falt of law That bargan get I nane’ a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 557.
Allace! man, thy cace, man, In lingring I lament 1600 Crim. Trials II. 182.
As he wes fallin, he … cryit ‘Allace! I had na wyte of it!’ 1622-6 Bisset II. 181/3.
Auch, allace, vo is ws that wantis him 1640 Lithgow Poet. Rem. 233.
Our lives are short, ... Except in troubles, miseries, alace! [: place]

b. Followed by that and clause, or other additions. a1400 Leg. S. xxxiii. 765.
Allace for wa! quhat aylis the? c1420 Wynt. v. 3734.
Allace! allas! that I borne was a1500 Rauf C. 709.
Allace, that I was hidder wylit a1500 Quare of Jelusy 202.
Allace, the wo! Allace, the sad greuance! c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxvi. 53.
Allace [M. Allece] that courtis … Of thame can nevir be quyte 1513 Doug. ii. xi. 95.
Allace to me, catyve! Ib. iv. Prol. 222.
Allace thy dolorus cays and hard myschance 15.. Clar. ii. 660.
Alleace, That ever thay sould depairt so suddantlie 1567 G. Ball. 9.
Our poysound nature (allace thairfoir) Can neuer mair this law fulfill

2. The use of the word as an exclamation. a1500 Seven S. 918.
Thai grat with mony saire allace c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxxiii. 15.
Than may thow say thir wourdis with allace c1552 Lynd. Mon. 4015.
This prophesie, it come to pas, That day with mony lowde allas Ib. 5733.
All salbe present in that place, With mony lamentabyll allace!