A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1375, 1450-1586
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Derf, Darf, a. Also: derff. [ME. derf (c 1200), darf, ON. *dearfr (Icel. djarfr). Only in poetry.]
1. Of persons: Bold, daring, brave, hardy. 1375 Barb. xviii. 307.
The frer furth than his way he tais, That wes derff, stout, and ek hardy c1460 Thewis Wysmen 369.
Thai ar sa darf in thar entent, Thai dreid nocht Goddis iugment c1460 Ib. 413.
Thai ar darf and full of fellony, Quhar thai have ourhand or maistry a1500 Prestis of Peblis 179.
With ane hiely hart bath derf & daft, Thai ay begyn quhar at thair faderis left 1513 Doug. ix. ix. 22.
Turnus the prynce, at was baith darf [v.r. derf] and bald 1513 Ib. x. 29.
We, that bene a pepill derf and dour
2. Of things: Violent, severe, cruel. c1450-2 Howlat 575.
The landis of Lawder … With dynt of his derf swerd the Dowglas so dew Wan wichtly of weir c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace vii. 239.
Thus xviij scor to that derff dede thai dycht c1475 Ib. x. 857.
The derff schott draiff as thik as a haill schour a1500 Golagros and Gawane 859.
Thai lufly ledis … Delis thair full doughtely mony derf dynt a1570-86 Maitland Folio MS clxx. 97.
Sic destanie and derf deworing deid Oft hes ȝour hous in hazard put of auld
3. Difficult, hard to traverse. a1500 Taill of Rauf Coilȝear 383.
He … catchit on his way Ouir the daillis sa derf 1535 Stewart 52221.
The darfast way, for feiring of thair fo, Tha tuke the gait without rangat till go
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"Derf adj.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 6 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/derf>
