A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1531-1583
[0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0]
Unsped, Wn-, Onsped, p.p. and ppl. adj. [ME and e.m.E. vn-spedd (Cursor M.), unsped (Gower); Sped(e p.p.] p.p. a. Of an errand, etc.: Not accomplished, discharged or expedited (to a person). b. Of a person: Not having succeeded (in (of) an errand). ppl. adj. That has failed to achieve its purpose; unsuccessful. —p.p. a. 1531 Bell. Boece II 334.
He pretermittit na thing unsped to King Johne, quhare he micht find ony commodite efter following 1535 Stewart 28402.
This messinger … Come hame agane and his erand vnsped —(b) 1583 Perth B. Ct. 14 Aug. (see Unpassit p.p. 2 a).
Onsped —b. 1535 Stewart 52859.
Wnsped also of thair erand war fane Withoutin skaith for to pas hame agane —(b) 1535 Stewart 44769.
Bot leit him pas … Hame to the paip of his erand onsped —ppl. adj. a1568 Bannatyne MS 217a/8.
Onsped speche [had] bettir vnspokin be
You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Unsped p.p., ppl. adj.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 13 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/unsped>
