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

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First published 2000 (DOST Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Scarsly, Scairslie, adv. Also: scarc(e)-, skars(e)-, skarce-, schars-; skairs(e)-, skairc-, skayirs-; skers-, scers-; skirs- and -lye. [ME and e.m.E. skarslich(e (14th c.), scarsly (Chaucer); Scars(e adj.]Cf. Scars(e adv.

1. Barely; only just; not quite. Passing into 3 below.Modifying (chiefly) verbs, also numerals and, rarely, adjectives. Freq. disjoined from the word, or word group, modified.Sometimes with inversion of subject and verb.(1) 1375 Barb. xx 38.
The king Robertis sone Dawy … than bot fyve ȝer had scarsly 1531 Bell. Boece I 40.
This prince rang skarsly two yeris 1560 Rolland Seven S. 2360.
Ane word to me skarslie scho had to speik 1558-66 Knox II 444.
When skairslie coulde ten be founde into ane contrie, that rychtlie knew God 1576 Orkney Oppress. 44.
Thair was scarslie the ane halff of the assyis cuntriemen 1600 Melville 6.
Skarslie the half of the materialles, lyme and stean 1649 Laing MSS 248.
Skersly consisting two hundreth and fortie communicants(2) 1407 Montgomery Mem. 20.
Quhilk infeftment is weill auld, the letteris … consumit, and be schort spaice the same wil becum skairclie legiable 1513 Doug. vi xv 39.
His vissage semyt scarsly blith, … He was … no thing lycht(3) 1513 Doug. v v 37.
Sa paysand was this cote that scarsly mycht Phegeus and Sagaris … Bair it on thar nek 1531 Bell. Boece I 268.
The lift micht skarslie be sene above thair heidis Id. Livy I 250/23.
Sa wery that he mycht skarsly draw his aynd 1558-66 Knox II 358.
The quene … skarselie wold geve a good worde … to any … favoraris of the Erle of Murray 1568 Skeyne Descr. Pest 12.
And skarslie in so lang tyme is the air mouit and reneuit 1581 Burne Disput. 134a (Jam., s.v. Imminish).
Rome … sal skarslie haue the maiestie of ane impyre 1585 Calderwood IV 310.
I have evin now gottin it, and skarslie read it over digestlie 1581-1623 James VI Poems II 80/18.
The sea so calme as scarcelie ebbs or flowes 1600-1610 Melvill 116.
Sa of a noble and ritche prince as ever governde in Scotland, he [sc. the Earl of Morton] becam a pure prisoner, wha skarslie haid to furnise his necessitie Ib. 145.
My wound, skarslie stemit, beguid to blude apace Ib. 435.
And skarslie … gott sa mikle as a fear answer 1611 Reg. Privy C. IX 267.
In poore menis names skarslie knowne in Scotland or England 1630 Aberd. Council Lett. I 331.
Ten thousand punds will scarcelie mack conquese above five hundreth punds of constant yeirlie rent 1648 Sc. Hist. Rev. XIII 384.
Scarcely 1679 Laing MSS 419.
Scarclie(b) c1522 Doug. in Doug. (Sm.) I p. cix.
Mony vtheris small wardis and mariagis, quhilkis skairsly may be nowmerit 1531 Bell. Boece (M) II 325.
Skairslye 1596 Dalr. II 325/24.
Thair gouernour skairslie know gif he had to the foir aucht hunder futmen c1610 Melville Mem. 45.
Skairsely(c) 1596 Dalr. II 294/4.
Sum vtheris tounes and dorpes, quhilkes a hail ȝeir skirslie culd be clinsed(4) 1531 Bell. Boece (M) II 128/23.
Thai … mett him with sik properant fury that skairsly had ony of the sydis lasar to cast thair darttis a1570-86 Arbuthnot Maitl. F. 49/24.
Scarslie wait I … Quhat till eschew or quhat for till embrace 1594 Lett. Jas. VI to Eliz. 102.
As no reason could satisfie him, so scarcelie could he haue patience euer to heare it offerid

b. Preceding a temporal clause introduced by quhen, virtually = no sooner … (than). 1513 Doug. ii iii 53.
Skarsly [Sm. scharslie, Ruddim. skarslye] the statw was in thar tempill vpset Quhen all hir membris bittir terys swet Ib. xi 23.
Scarsly the auld thir wordis had warpit owt, Quhen sone the ayr begouth to … rowt Ib. v xiv 57. 1630-1651 Gordon Geneal. Hist. 144.
Flanders, … wher he had scarslie remained tuo yeirs, when he wes agane recalled

c. Scarsly gif, ? probably … (not). Appar. indicating the probable non-fulfilment of the action of the following verb(s). 1564–5 Reg. Privy C. I 312.
And scarslie gif the said Hector of Coill dar meyn ta the quenis majestie or … persew … Hector [of Dowart] thairfoir … becaus of his creweltie and tyranne, quhilk he will use aganis … Hector of Coill. … And siclike, because the said Hector of Coill dar nocht persew … the said Hector [etc.] 1591 Aberd. B. Rec. I ix.
The wreit … quhilk is not now vsit; and skairslie gif ony man can reid the samyn

2. a. ? In a small degree. b. Scantily; inadequately; sparingly, parsimoniously.a. a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 771 (Asl.).
Gif for him self euery man scarsly [Arund. scersly, Harl. skerslie] May for his faltis schawe sure sufficiansb. c1520-c1535 Nisbet 2 Cor. ix 6.
He that sawis scarslie sal alsa schere scarslie c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus ii 473.
He … on his veyage past Fameist for fude and richt skarslie repast 1562-3 Winȝet I 122/24.
Skayirslye 1558-66 Knox II 13.
Thai sowped skarslie becaus thair schippis war takein in the quhilk was thair victuellis

3. With difficulty.There may be some overlap with i above. 1513 Doug. v v 51.
Quhen from the scharp rolk, scarsly, with gret slycht, Sergestus gan vpwreil hys schyp 1535 Stewart 21441.
Skarslie als he chaipit with his lyfe, He wes so straitlie sted 1560 Rolland Seven S. 8745.
Thir twa ȝoung men … war sa wonder like … Skarslie micht nane knaw the ane be the vther 1558-66 Knox II 389.
I can skarslie weill abyd the tearis of my awin boyes whome my awin hand correctis 1573 Davidson Sat. P. xlii 489.
Quhen ane man hes vnder cure Sa mony thousandis, … Skarsly will he ken ilkane Quhen twentie ȝeiris ar cum and gane a1578 Pitsc. I 110/17. c1590 Fowler I 101/119.
Men culd skairslie contene thameselffis from teiris and murning ?a1600 Cochran-Patrik Coinage I 104.
Bot … the puiris bene far fra the cunyehous can scairslie gett for the xvj s. pece xij s. or thairby 1600 Reg. Privy C. VI 112.
He is scairslie able to draw his end or to speik 1600-1610 Melvill 170.
A sweik thik mist … wherby we might bot skarslie gis at the sight of the land