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

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First published 1983 (DOST Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Onwait(t)ing, vbl. n. Also: -waiteing, -wayt(t)ing, -vait(t)ing, -wating, -vating, -vyting.

a. Long waiting; prolonged, and sometimes enforced, tarrying in expectation of something. b. A long wait. c. Attendance, attention or service given to another person or to a charge or task.The contexts often fail to distinguish the individual senses.(1) 1590–1 Crim. Trials I. ii. 235.
Sche delyuerit tuentie schilling to Gray-meill, quha wes with hir in the said schip, for his on-waitting 1592 St. A. B. Ct. 14 Nov.
The said Jhone Watsoun protestat for his expensis maid be him wpon the onvating of the said Dauidis persute 1598 Elgin Rec. II. 70.
For onvaitting on the offerand and taikins appointit at the kirk dur [two elders], for onvaitting at the queir dur [four elders] 1599 Acts IV. 183/1.
To the said Eustachius for his seruice and onwaitting in setting fordward the said wark 1602 Treas. Acc. MS. 214.
In consideratioun of … pane … tane … in onwayting vpone the prince grace 1605 Misc. Spald. C.V. 77.
For his chairges in on vyting in Lauren fair 1605 Elphinstone Fam. Bk. II. 152.
In counsall and sessioun whair my attendance and onwaitting hes bein contenualie c1610 Melville Mem. 261.
Bot serue all his affections with gret deligence and continowell onwating and ye salbe sure of a reward 1611 Lett. Eccl. Affairs I. 277.
His awne ecclesiastic charge avocats him from onwaitting on our turnes 1611 Prot. Bk. R. Broun 160.
And becaus efter long attendance and onwaiting … and that the said Ninian nor his saidis curatoris [etc.] … comperit 1616 Cranna Fraserburgh 208.
In continwall on-waiting upon his calling 1617 Edinb. B. Rec. VI. 380.
Onwaytting 1618 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II. 108.
To Henry Lauder for onwaiting the space of xx weikis for ressaving the hors meit and delyverie of it 1620 Dumbarton B. Rec. App. i. 7. 1624 Edinb. Test. LII. 223 b.
For attending & onwaitting on … my sone 1628–9 Treas. Acc. MS. 618 in Mill Mediæv. Plays 211.
To William Bannantyne for onwaytting on Alexander Law and his boy quhen he payntit the staiges 1634 Edinb. Test. LVI. 226.
To my ante … for hir serwice and onwaitting on me the haill tyme of my seiknes 1637 Rutherford Lett. (1894) 350.
That which idle onwaiting cannot do misnurtured crying and knocking will do Ib. 342. 1638 Henderson Serm. 344. Ib. 490. 1646 S. Leith Rec. 71/1. c1650 Spalding II. 96.
Aberdene … had send him over as thair commissioner … and had allowit to him four thousand merkis for his onvaiting, charges and expenssis 1649–50 Edinb. B. Rec. VIII. 426.
For uther chairges that day during their onwaiting at the water ghaitte 1650 Kingarth Par. Rec. 28.
Report being made of the proficiency of the scholers and onwaiteing of the scholemaster is that the children profitts very wele and that the scholemaster does his duetie in his attendance 1651 Stirling B. Rec. II. 309. 1669 Fleming Fulfilling Scripture (1801) i. 67.
Prayer with quiet on-waiting in the use of means c1680 W. Row Blair 134.
He gives you an account of his journey, tedious onwaiting, good success at last(2) 1616 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II. 20.
To the porteris of the castell of Edinburgh for ther extraordinarie panes and travellis and continuall onvaittingis be ressone of his maiesties varkis 1638 Rutherford Lett. (1894) 547.
They thrive who in that on-waiting make haste and din and much ado for their lost and hidden Lord Jesus 1638 Henderson Serm. 325.
The continuance of this onwaiting of the kirk until that He have mercy upon us 1649 Sel. Biog. I. 408.
I will wait on: he is worthy the onwaiting