Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

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

Unworthy, -ie, adj. (adv.). Also: -worthi, -e, -wourthy, -wirthy, -ie, -wordy, -ie, -vordie, wnworthy, -i(e, -é, -woorthie, -vorthé, -wordy, onworthy, -ie, -ee, -woorthie, -vorthie, -wordie, -wirdie. [ME and e.m.E. unwurði (a 1240), vnworthi (Cursor M.), vnworthy (c1400); Worthy adj. (adv.). Cf. Unworth adj. (adv.), Wanwordie adj.]

A. adj. 1. a. Of a thing: Of little value, insignificant, worthless. b. Of a person or place: Lowly, of little status.a. ?1438 Alex. i 662.
Ane pure man … That had nocht bot his hors … Ane sheild, ane helme [etc.] … And thay ȝit sa vnworthie ware That nane that worth war, wald thame c1420 Ratis R. 194.
And for it [sc. the sense of taste] seruice al comonly, It aucht nocht be the mar vnworthy a1500 Henr. Fab. 1427.
Than spak the lyoun to that cairfull mous: ‘Thow catiue wretche and vile vnworthie thing’ 1540 Lynd. Sat. 2861 (Ch.).
Now for ane vnworthie vickarage, Ane preist will rin to Rome in pilgramagecompar. c1520-c1535 Nisbet 1 Cor. xii 23.
And thailk that we gesse to be vnworthiar membris of the body, we gefe mare honour to thameb. 1375 Barb. iv 196.
Him [sc. King Edward I] worthit … abid In-till ane hamillet … A litill toun & wnworthy [C. vnworthy] 1568 Haddington Corr. 269.
Williame Maitland quhome from ane simple unworthie page … we … promouit to the office of secretar

2. Unfit, undeserving; of insufficient merit or worth. Also const. of, to, to be, have or do (something), or noun clause. a. Of persons. Also absol. b. Of things.a. (1) 1456 Hay I 109/36.
Gif he be ane unworthy persone … he [sc. the Pope] degradis him 1456 Hay II 36/36.
And … a lord mak ane unworthy creature knycht, he puttis his honour in dangere c1460 Wisd. Sol. (STS) 448.
I saw … wnworthy men rydand one hors as lordis, and worthy men gangand one fut as pagis or seruandis c1490 Irland Asl. MS 47/5.
Thocht thow be litill and wnworthy, ȝit thow maye ask mekle at Him a1578 Pitsc. I 108/16.
Wnworthe a1578 Pitsc. I 166/31.
[The king was] ewer inquirand at Couchrane and the laife of his wnworthie consall a1605 Montg. Flyt. 370 (T).
Thow art markit for a meischeif Foule vnworthie [H. wnwoorthie] worme!(b) 1460 Hay Alex. 10339.
And he that oure soildin is and spekis oure still Traist wele he has ane hede vnwourthy will c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 120/53.
Unwourthy I amang the laif Ane kirk dois craif and nane can have(c) a1538 Abell 16b.
Bot now tha that ar wnwordy and wikit of life ar chosin in the court and be the king a1538 Abell 59b (see B below). 1583 Maxwell Mem. II 153.
Vnwordie(d) 1622-6 Bisset I 112/26.
To incuraige … sic as ar furnisched with meriting giftis … and … beir a bak utheris … unwirthie(e) 15.. Bk. Dean Lismore p. 77.
So wemen wairris thair virgeinite On catyve creaturis moist onworthee c1500-c1512 Dunb. (STS) lxxxiv 14.
Onworthie 1513 Doug. iv v 77.
Parys … With his onworthy [Sm. wnworthy, Ruddim. vnworthy] sort, skant half men beyn [L. semiviro comitatu] 1615 Denmylne MSS in Highland P. III 192.
I hope … ȝiour Majestie shall find him prowe nather onwoorthie nor oncapabillabsol. 1562-3 Winȝet I 106/27.
Ȝe … quha ministrat the sacrament (gif we may sua call it with ȝou) to the vnuorthy(2) 1565 Facs. Nat. MSS III xlix.
The greit honour we did vnto thame thai being thairof maist vnworthy maid thame to misknaw thame selffis 1589 Burntisland B. Ct. 4 Nov.
For … misscallinge off the saidis bailleis and officiaris callinge [them] sowlibbaris onwirdie off thair officis 1635 Dundonald Par. Rec. 399.
If any sturdie beggars, how unwordie so ever wther wayis of the leist help, sall … fall seik(3) 1456 Hay II 34/31.
Thus [sic] squier, but lufe and but drede to do mys, is unworthy to the ordre(4) a1400 Leg. S. vi 293.
Thi bruthyre has hym-selwine mad Vnworthi thare-in fore to be c1420 Wynt. vi 1494.
The Cardynalys … hym decleryd wnworthy [C. wnworthi] Till hawe halowyd sepulture 1456 Hay II 27/18.
Gif a knycht himself be the manetenar or doare of thir thingis [sc. robbery, etc.], he is unworthy to bere the ordre for his wikkitnes c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 120/49.
And sum unworthy to browk ane stall Wald clym to be ane cardinall 1531 Bell. Boece I 84.
The nobillis thocht this effeminat monstoure … unworthy to be thair prince 1619 Garden Elphinstoun 922.
Unworthe(b) 1608 Lett. & St. P. Jas. VI 143.
I wald think myself onwordie to be leiuand, gif [etc.](5) 1562-3 Winȝet II 72/7.
He sal be iugeit vnworthy that he mycht be sene frome aboue amangis thame quha ar vnyit be fayth 1611-57 Mure Early Misc. P. xiv 14.
Glaidstones is gone, his corps doth heir duell … Wnwordy the earth sould ȝeild him a graueb. (1) 1568 Hosack Mary Q. of Scots I 535.
The quene … causit him cum to the vther vnworthy hous prepairit for his distructioun, quhilk was vnmeit in all respectis for ony honest man to luge in(2) a1578 Pitsc. I 141/25.
The king … reffussit thair bandis and kyndnes allutterlie as wnworthie of credit(3) 1533 Boece 364a.
Sic thingis as war inhonest & vnworthy to be herde c1530-40 Stewart in Bann. MS 216a/5.
For to declair the he magnificens … My barbir tung is vnwirthy, I wis 1566-70 Buch. Comm. on Virgil Georgics iii 5.
Inlaudati, unworthie to be spoken of c1590 Fowler II 20/28.
Almaist the hail contents of his treatise, vnwordy to be written 1591 St. A. B. Ct. 23 Oct.
Onvorthie

c. Of an action: Unbecoming, to the discredit of (a person). c1615 Chron. Kings 18.
Argadus … maid na act unvordie of ane wertious prince

3. Undeserved; unwarranted; indefensible. 1456 Hay II 24/34.
Thai geve him unworthy counsale, to do apon his subjectis extorsiouns 1490 Irland Mir. I 121/17.
And hou wnworthi was, that sa vile and cruell officiaris sa lang tyme suld haue regne and dominacioune 1513 Doug. vi iii 14.
Thai gan behald … Mysenus new slane be onworthy [Sm. wnworthy, Ruddim. vnwourthy; L. indigna] ded 1533 Bell. Livy II 54/31.
Thay … thinkis [it] vnwourthy that ȝe suld haue the forme & ymage of men 1533 Bell. Livy II 72/15.
With mony vthir nocht vnwourthy lovingis 1568 Buch. Indict. 33.
Ane informatioun … quhairbie it apperis evidentlie that the quene … ves previe of the horrible and wnvorthe morthour a1578 Pitsc. I 52/6.
It was thocht it was wnworthie manteinners of theiffis and murtheris [should have] bene surrogatit in thair placeis 1596 Edinb. B. Rec. V 175.
That the lyke unworthie misordour aryse nocht in any tyme to cum to the disobedience of your Maiestie

B. adv. In an unworthy manner; improperly; wrongly. = Unworthily adv. 1490 Irland Mir. III 82/27.
[He] fylis him self mar in syn that wnworthi resauis or ministeris thir haly sacramentis 1533 Bell. Livy I 198/27 (B) (see Unworthily adv.).
Wnvorthe a1538 Abell 59b.
Ane synnar that hes offendit God thinkand wnwordy & beand wnwordy