A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1983 (DOST Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1438-1677
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On-na-wayis, -wayes, adv. Also: on(e)-na-ways, on-na-wayse, -wai(e)s; onawayes; on-nay-wayis; on-ney-wais; on-nae-wayes. Also anglicised variants: on-no-wayis, on nowayise, on novayis. [On prep. 20 and cf. Na wayis. Cf. the earlier On-na-wis(e.]Variously written as one, two or three words.In no way or manner, by no means, not at all, on no account.(a) c1460 Alex. (Taym.) 603.
[He] wald on na wayis ces quhill he him saw a1540 Freiris Berw. 96 (M).
The ȝettis ar closit … , Till our abbay on nawayis may we win c 1560 Old Ross-shire I. 13.
On ney wais 1569 Reg. Privy C. II. 15.
To remane in ward … and on na wayis to … eschew furth of the samyn 1569 Q. Mary Facs. Nat. MSS. III. lix.
That the said pretendit maryage is one na wayis lauchfull 1572 Crail B. Ct. MS. 9 June.
Ordanis this present act one na ways to be brokin 1572-5 Diurnal of Occurrents 32.
Quha wald on nawayis tak nor give 1572-5 Ib. 166.
My lordis of Glencarne and Symple durst on nawayis pas hame for feir of the Hamiltonis c1575 Balfour Pract. 266.
The lordis of sessioun ar on na wayis jugeis competent [etc.] a1578 Pitsc. I. 255/11.
Thinkand on nawayis he could refuse sa fair offeris a1578 Ib. 6/6.
Onnawayis a1578 Ib. 333/19.
On nawayse 1579 Glasg. Univ. Mun. I. 129.
That thai onnawais sell [etc.] ?1438 Alex. (c 1580) i. 583.
I can on na wayis blame thé ?1438 Ib. 1743, etc. 1590-1 R. Bruce Serm. 93.
On na waies 1592 Burntisland B. Ct. 24 April.
And will onnaywayis suffer the officiaris … appryis the saminge 1594 Rec. Convention of Royal Burghs I. 448.
And ȝitt sall nocht onnawayes meyne to enter in Society with thame 1614 Aberd. Council Lett. I. 129.
Quha onawayes will consent [etc.] 1645 Elphinstone Fam. Bk. II. 192.
That they onnawayes trouble … the Lord Elphinstoun c1650 Spalding I. 235.
Traquhair wes onnawayes detayned 1662 Melrose Reg. Rec. II. 33.
Onnaways 1675 Edinb. B. Rec. X. 239.
Onnawayes 1677 Argyll Justic. Rec. I. 78.
On naewayes 1677 Ib. 79.(b) c1500-c1512 Dunb. lx. 37.
On no wayis content is he a1578 Pitsc. II. 168/25.
But on nowayise the protestantis wald fight witht thame a1578 Ib. I. 286/17.
On novayis 1593 Misc. Spald. C. I. 6.
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"On-na-wayis adv.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 18 Apr 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/on_na_wayis>
