A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1986 (DOST Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quhitnes, n. Also: quhyt-, whit-. [ME and e.m.E. whitenes (Trevisa), whittnesse (Cath. Angl.), OE hwítnes.] White appearance or colour, in various applications of Quhite adj. 1 and 2; whiteness.(1) 1490 Irland Mir. MS fol. 244.
Reale transmutacioun sa that the breid that before was thare vnder the quhitnes rotundite and quantite is nocht thare eftir 1494 Loutfut MS 36a.
Ȝallownes quhitnes & grenes quhilk signifies for ȝallownes noblesse for quhitnes virginite for grenes blithnes 1531 Bell. Boece I xliv.
The perlis … have ane cleir schinand quhitnes 1581 Hamilton Cath. Tr. 146.
As a blak more of India can not be denominat quhyt be the quhytnes of snau, … becaus that qualite is outuard and not inherent Ib. 137.(2) 1633 Cochran-Patrick Coinage II 93.
Be the comones who knowes not a dollour [= dollar] bot be the whitnes of it(3) c1590 Fowler I 152/10.
Faire hurting hand … Whase quhytnes graces and dothe glad my vewe
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"Quhitnes n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 19 Apr 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/quhitnes>
