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

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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Uncertantee, -an(e)tie, n. Also: uncertainty, -ayntie, oncertanetie, -aintie, -ayntee. [ME and e.m.E. uncerteynte (Wyclif), vncertaynte (1395), vncertainte (1565); Certan(e)té n. Cf. Incertantie n.]

1. (A) state or condition of being uncertain, lack of certainty, unsureness. Also pl.(a) 1572 Buch. Detect. (1727) 10.
He … was reddie to die and caryit into … the Hermitage with greit uncertanetie of his recoverie 1614 Fraser P. 116.
[They] settis doun thair marcat … ane myle or mair fra the ordinarie place … quhairthrou … oure leigeis ar put in ane grete vncertantie quhair the said marcatt is keept 1683 Sinclair Nat. Phil. (1683) 295.
[Boring as compared with sinking] leaves the master at an uncertainty [as to the quality of the coal] 1678 Mackenzie Laws & C. i xxiv 4 (1699) 122.
Least the people should be at an uncertainty in criminal cases, which were dangerous(b) 1637 Fraser P. 120.
Oncertanetiepl. 1561 Cal. Sc. P.I 588.
Let me tak no voyage on hand, onelesse the success may fall out according to my desire, for I list not alwayes travell in oncertaynetees—he that will alwayes hasard, must sometymes lose

2. Instability, unpredictability. c1520-c1535 Nisbet 1 Tim. vi 17.
Comand thou to the richemen of this warld … nouthir that thai hope in vncertantee [P. vncerteynte] of richessis, bot in the leuyng God 1624 Melrose P. 554.
We hauing … conferrit the present estait of the tennents, and the oncertaintie of the rent, with the constancie of a settled rent … wee ar all of ane opinion, that it is most expedient for … setling of ane constant and onchangeable rent … that [etc.]

3. Lack of resolution, hesitancy. 1635 Dickson Hebrews x 242.
Doeth not this exhortation importe the elects vnsetlednesse and vncertayntie of persevereance?