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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.

S(c)hortnes(s, n. Also: schortenes, scortnes, chortnes. [ME and e.m.E. schortnesse (Wyclif), late OE sceortnysse, f. sceort S(c)hort adj.]

1. Schortnes (of time). a. Also of life, the day, etc.: Shortness of duration. b. Also of advertisement: Shortness of notice.a. (1) 1424 State P. MS (Reg. H.) No. 14.
For schortenes of time … we micht nocht certify yhour excellence of the soume 1478 Acta Aud. 59/2.
He has vther pruf the quhilk he mycht nocht get for schortnes of tyme 1526–7 Liber Aberbr. II 460.
Swa that tha ma nocht for schortnes of tyme hald thar iustice ayr a1538 Abell 7*b.
Lyffys schortnes considirit Kyng Xerses 1562-3 Winȝet I 4/4.
We haue collectit, as we mycht for schortnes of tyme, our apperand resonis Ib. 4/22.
War not the vrgent schortnes of tyme and imminent dainger of deth afore our eis 1568 Skeyne Descr. Pest 4.
Quhilk … sall … treit this samin argument at more lenthe, quhilk presentlie for … schortnes of tyme, is mouit to set furthe almaist rude and imperfite 1583 Edinb. Test. XIII 52.
Mairiorie Fynlasoune … calling to rememberance the schortnes of mannis lyf … makkis … hir last will(2) 1428 Liber Melros II 520.
Bot because of schortnes of the day … the assis mycht not abyde at that tyme to mak ful depertison 1536 Reg. Episc. Brechin. II 318.
To haf na tyme of licence of dennar nor none schankis becaus of the schortnes of the dais 1596 Dalr. I 5/28.
Contrare in winter … the lenth is payed with the schortnes 1667 Dunkeld Presb. II 74.
In respect of the season of the ȝeir and shortnes of the dayb. 1572 Buch. Detect. (1727) 106.
Being oftintimes callit to haue compeirit … compeirit Robert Cuninghame … seruand … and producit the wryting underwrittin. … The caus of his absence is the schortnes of tyme [etc.] c1575 Balfour Pract. 278.
Thay [sc. the tenants] may be callit with sic celeritie and schortnes of time to certane dayis … be thair over-lordis 1614 Crim. Trials III 267.
In respect of the schortenes of tyme quhairupoun thay ar charget … desyres … ane continuatioun to Fryday nixt 1677 Dunkeld Presb. II 449.
It would be a sufficient apologie for me to alleadge the shortness of advertisement [etc.]

2. Shortness in extent, brevity (of a writing, etc.). b. For schortnes, for the sake of brevity; in order to save time or space.a. 1490 Irland Mir. I 20/21.
Jhesus has gevin ws a schort and litile orisoune in wourdis … for the schortnes of it [sc. the prayer] schawis that it is nocht noysum 1562-3 Winȝet II 20/21.
Thir thingis … may be maid mair plane be exemplis … leste be the studie of immoderat schortnes the wecht of the mater be swiftnes of speche suld nocht be persauitb. a1586 Maitland Ho. Seytoun 21.
The landis … of Barnis … with dyuers vther landis quhilk I omit for schortnes 1562-3 Winȝet I 92/5.
Albeit we may bring intellable testimoneis theirof, ȝit for schortnes we will adduce bot a certane to ȝour memorie 1568 Lyndesay Pref. (STS) 400.
Mony vther histories alswa, quhilkis for schortnes I omit 1596 Dalr. I 161/33.
For chortnes we lettiris put for wordes and mar. for martyr

c. Shortness in spatial extent. 1456 Hay II 108/5.
The diverse movingis of the planetis and the kyndis of the constellaciounis and schortnes of cercleis, with the kyndis of divers condiciounis of influences of the hevin

3. The fact of not lasting, enduring, being valid, etc., for a long time. 1445–6 Aberd. B. Rec. MS V ii p. 712 (18 Feb.).
Because of scortnes of his condit for the tyme that he bydis … in the havynnis of Scotlande 1456 Hay II 63/29.
Think on the schortnes and the wrechitnes of this warld … and of the grete joyis … of hevyn

4. Imperfection; defectiveness; ? badness. Cf. Schortcoming n. a1568 Bann. MS 135b/71.
Thus schortnes of wit movit me to mak c1615 Chron. Kings 106.
The queine, … be the gritt trauell and schortnes off the wedder, … contrackis ane deidlie fewer