Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

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First published 1971 (DOST Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Ned(e)wayis, -ways, -wais, adv. Also: neid- and -wayes, -wais(e, and Nedewise. [North. ME. ned(e)wais (Cursor M.), f. Nede n.] By, or as a matter of, necessity; necessarily, unavoidably, inevitably. (Cf. Nedis adv.) (Chiefly early.) 1375 Barb. v. 242.
Neidwais [E. nedwayis] I will wend And tak auentur Ib. vii. 177.
The Kyng that all for-travalit was Saw that hym vorthit slep neidwais Ib. xi. 285.
Thair behufis thaim neidwais gay a1400 Leg. S. i. 244.
Ȝet ȝarnyt he … With Petir to disput nedwaise ?1438 Alex. i. 346.
I will abyde with thé neid-wayis, To helpe thé to pas this pace Ib. ii. 2114.
I sall aduyse me neidwayes To answer him adwysedly 1453 14th Rep. Hist. MSS. App. iii. 9.
Gyf ony of thaim … mone nedways pas of the cuntre 1515 Douglas Corr. 71.
Quhylk [matter] man nedways redund to our profyte