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

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

Warst, Werst, adj. (adv., n.). Also: verst(e, worst, woorst, wersid, wariste. [ME and e.m.E. wurst adj. (a1200), werrst adv. (Orm), werste adj. (c1200), werst adj., adv. (Cursor M.), worst adj. (14th c.), warst adj. (c1400), woorst n. (1568), OE wyrresta adj., wyrrest adv., ON verstr adj., verst adv.]

A. adj. 1. Of a situation, state, etc.: Most unpleasant or unfavourable; most difficult to bear, most painful. Also ellipt. Also, werst of all.(1) 1375 Barb. iii 192.
Disconford … Is the werst thing that may be, For throw mekill disconforting Men fallis oft in-to disparyng c1420 Ratis R. 1145.
I bles it [sc. childhood] nocht as best Na ȝit I wary it nocht as verst c1475 Wall. ix 174.
I traist to God our werst dayis ar gane c1520-c1535 Nisbet Rev. xvi 2.
The first angel … sched out his phiale into the erd. And a wound feers and werst was made on al that had the carectar of the beestellipt. a1568 Bann. MS 263b/16.
Now is it nocht a foly to begin To cheis a lyif of all the warld the werst(b) c1590 Fowler II 147/8.
Here consistith wisdome, to knaw the qualetie and nature of these dangers and to tak the least warst for the best(2) c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 38/9.
Be ȝe ane lear, that is werst of all; Be ȝe ane tratlar that I hald als evill ?1548 Corr. M. Lorraine 240.
Bot werst off all, thocht I wald waire my self to obtyn honor, I want substance to pwtt me therto c1552 Lynd. Mon. 398.
And, werst of all, quhen we leist wene, The creuell deith we mon sustene

2. Of persons: Most cruel or evil, most wicked or morally reprehensible in behaviour or character. Also ellipt. a1586 Maitland Ho. Seytoun xii.
Be inuentioun of new lawis … and uther ewill consaitis; or, werst of all, be reif a1500 Seven S. 2074.
Awaye his wyf gart care Sayand fair on foull mot thé fall All thar werst women of all With me thow sall na langar duell 1513 Doug. xi Prol. 92.
Resist the fendis slycht with all thy fors He is thy ancyent ennemy, werst of ane 1533 Boece 100a.
Evene … abone all vtheris werst and maist vnwourthy a1538 Abell 11*a.
Tyrannys at cvmmys last ar comvnly werst a1538 Abell 13a.
Thi gudchere wes ewill and tuk mekill of my geire fra me. Thi fadir wes wor and herit me. Bot thow art werst of allellipt. a1500 Bk. Chess 1555 (see War adj. 1 ellipt.). 1562-3 Winȝet I 12/36.
The thrid idoll and werst of all is the fals precheour sittand in the temple of God

3. Least desirable, most inferior, of poorest quality. Also the warst end, the most undesirable lot or deal. Also ellipt.(a) c1515 Asl. MS I 309/3.
To Sem … the best and mast part Asia … to Cam the lest and werst part callit Affrike a1568 Flemyng in Bann. MS 160b/41.
Ane evill wyfe is the werst aucht That ony man can haif(b) ?1438 Alex. i 1445.
Sic vther thre … to erd laid he That the worst was of grete valour ?1438 Alex. ii 7749.
Quhare-in thare was neuer ane stane Na the worst was precious 1550 Reg. Privy C. I 107.
The best moutoun for ix s., the midiling moutoun for viij s., and the worst moutoun for vij s. a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 1204.
Perceive then, ȝe have then The worst end of the treeellipt. 1531 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. II 56.
The said prouest … assignis to the saidis fermoris ane of the saidis mylnis quhilk is werst to grynd malt vpoun continuallie c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus Prol. 28.
Of the planetis aspectis and complexiounis … The last and worst is callit Melancoly 1562-3 Winȝet I 114/16 heading.
The best geris tane away and sauld, and the werst reseruit

B. adv.a. Most unfavourably or ineffectively; most badly; in the most inferior or least effective manner. b. In a manner that is most evil or wicked. c. Least well, to a lesser extent.a. a1500 Colk. Sow i 34.
The hid penny thinkis me Wes werst bestowit of the thre For it wais fro the vse of man c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 158/22.
Ȝe tailȝouris with weilmaid clais Can mend the werst maid man that gais And mak him semely for to se 1533 Gau 26/1.
He lwffis best quhilk lwffis notht hime selff bot his nichtburs and he lwffis warst quhilk lwffis hime selff and notht his nichtburs 1549 Compl. 69/30.
The thrid part of hyr mantil … was verst grathit a1568 Scott xvi 46.
Thay cary victuallis to the toun That werst dois dyne(b) 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 43.
This monstre [sc. the chameleon] being vnder coverture [of a] mannis figure, may easeliar endommage and wersid be eschapit than gif it wer moir deformeb. 1597–8 Crim. Trials II 30.
To dispose the haertis of the nauchtiest and warst inclynit peopill to miscontentment and rebellioun 1641 Baillie I 392.
The king came up … to the parliament, and near fyve hundred of sojours, and the worst affected men about him, with their armes in a minaceing wayc. a1568 Scott xxxiii 41.
Thay furdir werst in the confydis 1632 Lithgow Trav. iv 142.
The Turkes Sabboth is worst kept of all for they will not spare to do any labour on their Holy Day 1679 J. Somerville Mem. I 376.
He is the worst spoken of men, namely, of his owen, both menyons and gentlemenproverb. a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 1265.
Quhair he is best kend, he is worst loved

C. absol.as noun. 1. The most wicked or morally reprehensible behaviour, action or speech. a1400 Leg. S. xlv 100.
Scho [had] delt thame [sc. idols] al away, & brokine thame in pecis smal. That hyme thocht verste of al a1500 Henr. Fab. 805.
Off euill cummis war, off war cummis werst of all a1500 Bk. Chess 1582.
Awarice … is the werst that is of wycis all 1570 Reg. Morton I 51.
Ȝe sall neuir lett malitius toungis be talking the werst thai can 1615 Highland P. III 223.
The only man who reportid warst of my self, to haue gottin my lyfe with my lands, the only feir thairof maid me flie with my lyfe

2. The most morally reprehensible person; a cruel and wicked person. Also in reference to the Devil. ?1438 Alex. i 400.
For the worst that amangis vs is Me think that ȝe haue chosin me ?1438 Alex. ii 5826.
The warst, to myne auyse, Hes sa great wirship and valour That he aucht haue all honour a1540 Freiris Berw. 522 (M).
The werst is all away And mak mirrey and se ȝe murne na mair a1568 Bann. MS 258a/2.
Ane of the warst that evir was in erd Was Gezabell

3. The most unpleasant or unbearable period of one's life, circumstances, etc.; the most unacceptable aspect of a situation, character, etc.; the most unfavourable or grievous outcome of a situation, etc.(a) c1475 Wall. xi 1222.
Off Wallace end my selff wald leiff, for dredis To say the werst; bot rychtwysnes me ledis 1533 Boece 240b.
Britouns … suld … erare tak thare aventure of the werst mycht be, than be … ourethrawin 1571–2 Reg. Morton I 73.
Prouide for the werst quhill ȝe see to quhat liklyheid thingis drawis 1610 Hist. Carnegies 343.
The grytest confort that the medicins gaiff ws wes, that thair culd be nothing luikit for bot the worst 1619 Innes Sketches 522.
All the honest men of the ministrie heir luikis for nothing bot the werst, for the bischopis and they will nocht agree with ws heir(b) 1582 Cal. Sc. P. VI 146.
It is come for the wariste to the beshope(c) 1608 Crim. Trials II 272.
They conceiue not things to the woorst

4. a. A commodity of the most inferior quality. Only fig.b. The lowest possible level of interpretation, communication, etc.a. 1637 Rutherford Lett. (1671) 215.
The worst of Christ, even His chaff, is better than the world's cornb. 1540 Lynd. Sat. 1500.
Let na man … Tak our words at the warst: Quhat ever wee do … I pray ȝow tak it all in play c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus iii 608.
All chronikles that ony man of reidis, Ȝe sall not find a taill ane vther mend. Bot to the werst it will ay condiscend