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: 1375-1596
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Efter, Eftir, adv. Also: eftere, eftire, eftyr(e, efftyr(e. [ME. efter (var. of after), OE. æfter.]
1. Afterwards; subsequently.(a) 14.. Acts I. 330/2.
Syn efter salbe callyt the balȝeis … of that place 1456 Hay II. 123/36.
It war gude to drink culand thingis efter a1500 Bk. Chess 36.
The manere of office … Of kingis and lordis sall he efter knaw c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 136.
His purse pays richely in recompense efter 1535 Stewart 744.
In batell ost tha met efter but baid 1572 Satirical Poems xxxiii. 188.
Better in tyme to beit nor efter to big(b) 1375 Barb. i. 170.
Quhar-throuch fell eftir mekill ill a1400 Legends of the Saints iii. 249.
Syne eftir hapnyd of case [etc.] c1460 Wisdom of Solomon 714.
Quha sa dois biding felis na ill eftire c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace i. 38.
Wilȝame als, … Quhilk eftir was the reskew of Scotland 1490 Irland Mir. I. 69/34.
Wthire ressounis sal be schawin sone eftire 1533 Bell. Livy I. 17/18.
This Rhea … , brocht atanis to the licht twa twynnys, namyt eftir Romulus and Remus a1568 Balnavis Bannatyne MS 139 b/112.
Quhen best is play, pas hame away, Or dreid war eftir cum 1596 Dalr. I. 187/24.
Nocht lang eftir, Carancie … conueinet baith the Kingis(c) a1400 Legends of the Saints xvi. 23.
We fynd … ful mony that synful were, That thu had eftyre in daynte c1420 Wynt. ii. Prol. 27.
Tyll the time, that efftyre felle, Quhen Jugis jwgyde Israelle c1420 Ib. i. 31.
It happnyd eftyr on a day 1456–70 Reg. Aberbr. 107.
That percais the smyth … suld eftyr … pretend ony clame of rycht tyll the said landis c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace viii. 900.
We sal be bundyn … nocht efftyr to wait yow with na ill
b. With addition of syne or than. c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 1003.
Eftre syne disponed they Inne hye frome Troye to pas away c1420 Wynt. iv. 2407.
The empyre efftyre than Wes all subjecte till a man c1420 Ib. v. 319.
The neyst yhere efftyre syne He turnyd the wattyr clere in wyne 1567 Satirical Poems v. 125.
Set all at rest, and efter syne With all the rest concur togidder
c. Efter sone, soon after. ?1438 Alex. i. 1443.
Efter sone sic vther thre … to erd laid he a1500 Prestis of Peblis 200.
And eftir sone than salit he the sey a1500 Buke of the Sevyne Sagis 1904.
The burges for erandis … passit efter sone Fra hame
2. In the subsequent text of a document or narrative. 1385 Rotuli Sc. II. 73/1.
The forsayd lordes are acordit in specialte as efter folowes 1429 15th Rep. Hist. MSS. App. viii. 10.
Yt is accordit in furm and in effect as eftir folowys 1436 Ib. 45.
That thai ar accordit in maner and forme eftyr folowand 1524 Thanes of Cawdor 142.
In maner … and effect efftyr following 1549 Complaynte of Scotland 40/17.
Thai cryit thir vordis as eftir follouis 1550 Glasgow Protocols Abstracts I. 18.
We … devyidis the said land and tenement as eftir followis 1585 James VI Ess. 62.
Quhilk I haue set doun in reulis as efter followis
3. a. Behind, in the rear. b. Back, aft. 1375 Barb. x. 649.
As wood men thai clame eftir all 1549 Complaynte of Scotland 40/28.
Hail doune the lufe close aburde, hail eftir the mane sail scheet
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"Efter adv.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 6 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/efter_adv>
