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 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Sindry, -(i)e, -ye, Sundry, -ie, adj. Also: sinderie, syndry(e, -i(e, -é, -a, syndery, synry, -ie, sendry, -i, -é, senderye, sundrye, -i, sunddrie, swnndrie, sundery, sondrye, -ie, sonndryie, sondery; soundry, -ie. [ME and e.m.E. sindri (Layamon), sundri (c1250), sondry (Piers Plowman), soundrie (1495), OE syndriᵹ.]

1. sing. Different, distinct, separate.(a) 1375 Barb. vi 577.
Ilk man a syndri gat is gane a1400 Leg. S. xiii Prol. 58.
Ȝet thane of tham has ilkane A syndry forme be hym allane 1424 Acts II 8/1.
Of ilk sindry craft … be chosyn … a … man … quhilk sall be haldyn dekyn a1570-86 Dunb. Maitl. F. 184/15.
His baner … Quhairin wes cloutis mony score Ilkane of sindrie [B. diuers] hew 1549 Compl. 65/19.
Ilk ane of them hed ane syndry instrament to play to the laif 1549 Compl. 98/23.
To pas vitht tha cattel on the feildis … and ilk ane in ane syndry part be hym self c1600 Montg. Suppl. iv 40.
Ilk day to die ane sindrie deid(b) 1517 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 41.
This inquest ordanis our common seill to be kepit … in a kest with iiii lokkis and ilk ane of thaim said parteis to have the ane sundry keye 1605-6 Welsh Forty-eight Serm. 525.
Thir two gates will have two sundry ends

b. In sindrie partis, in opposite directions. 1533 Bell. Livy I 68/3.
He gart … band … Mecius … betuix the twa cheriottis and quhen the hors was chasit in sindri partis ilk cheriott reft and dysmembrit sa mekil of him as was bund to the cheriot

2. Various, diverse, (many) different. a. pl. b. sing. with pl. sense. Also, on, upon, in, be sindry wise, in different ways, variously.a. 1375 Barb. v 7.
For to mak in thair synging Syndry notis, and soundis sere 1380 Jervise Memor. Angus & Mearns I 226.
[To receive 35 merks] at syndry termes as he is wyrkand c1390 Reg. Morton I xl.
Oxin and ky … of syndri eildis and syndri hewis c1420 Wynt. ii 13.
All the landys off Sythy, And othir natyownys thare syndry 1528 Lynd. Dreme 821.
The lustie loochis, with fysche of sindry kyndis 1533 Bell. Livy I 13/13.
Sindri opiniouns are in this mater. Sum historicianis allegeis [etc.] 1544 Corr. M. Lorraine 102.
Yowr grace sall pleis witt my lord cardinall send ther synry writyngis to me to Innerpeffry 1545 Douglas Corr. 161.
Sendre 1571 Canongate Ct. Bk. 337.
Calland hir ane filthie and commoun abusar of hir bodie with ane greit number of sindrie men 1586–7 Elgin Rec. II 6.
Sindrye c1590 Fowler II 173/17.
Nyne actours … cumming fra soundry [parts] and by dyvers tymes 1606 Birnie Kirk-b. xviii.
Like the commixtion of sundrie seeds 1618 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 96.
For laying of sindrie soirtes of tymber 1638 Nat. Covenant in Facs. Nat. MSS III xcvii.
The true Christian faith and religion … receaved beleeved and defended by many and sundrie notable kirks and realmessuperl. 1597 Dalyell Darker Superst. 5.
By knitting rountrees or sundriest kind of herbes to the haire and tailes of the goodes [sc. cattle]b. (1) 1375 Barb. iv 406.
Of Ynglis men thretty and ma, Chargit all with syndry thing a1400 Leg. S. xxxiii 371.
Syndry kynd of torment ?1438 Alex. i 2149.
His hors hurt in sindrie place c1420 Wynt. iii 535.
Eftyr syndry gret melle c1475 Wall. x 708.
The king changyt on syndry hors off Spayn c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 38.
As thai talk at the tabill of mony taill sindry 1531 Bell. Boece (M) I 212.
This wall wes reparit with sindry ingyn of craftismen c1590 Fowler I 16/11.
In statelye verse … with a store of sindrie sort of historeis 1647 Dumfries Kirk S. 29 April.
In respect they both have sundrie bussines of good concernement with his lordship(2) 1375 Barb. iv 748.
Nigramansy … kennys men, on syndry vis, … To ger spiritis to thame apeir a1400 Leg. S. v 558.
He taucht tham in syndry vyis c1420 Wynt. iv 570.
At thare awld ceremonyis That thai oysid on syndry wyis In to thare devotyown c1420 Wynt. vii 903 (C).
Be syndry wyis c1500-c1512 Dunb. (STS) lxxxi 8.
Sum ȝoung, sum old, in sindry wyse arayit

c. In predicative use: Distant, apart (one from another). 1513 Doug. i Prol. 232.
Thus ay for Tibir Touyr puttis he, Quhilk mony hundreth mylis syndry be 1513 Doug. i v 4.
Pepill dwellyng on costis fer syndry [L. latos populos] 1521 Douglas Corr. 80.
The Queyne [and] the Duke … ar never syndry bot every day togidder

3. Preceded by many or a numeral. Also absol. c1420 Wynt. i 1361.
Fyffe wrakys syndry has oure-tayne Off [Goddis] lykyng this Bretayne 1456 Hay I 106/32.
We sulde understand how the emperour has mony syndry kynde of peple under his wand 1501 Treas. Acc. II 81.
To the Kingis offerandis in Quhithirn at five sindry places v Franch crounis 1549 Compl. 69/3.
Ane syde mantil … the quhilk hed bene tissu ande vrocht be thre syndrye fassons of verkmenschips 1560 Rolland Seven S. 3498.
A thousand sundrie gaitis thay haue 1563 St. A. Kirk S. 7 July in Misc. Maitl. C. III 336.
Ane hwyr mongar hawand twa syndry women instantly with barne to hym 1576 Digest Justiciary Proc. G 8.
Wounding of the said George in fyve sindrie placis of his faice 1590 Crim. Trials I ii 202.
Ane pece of eird lyand betuix twa sondrie superiouris landis 1593 Acts IV 12/2.
Efter I haid knokit sex sindrie knokis with the mair at the ȝettis 1599 Skipper's Acc. (Morton) 35b.
With moneye senderye wther thingis 1637 Rutherford Lett. (1894) 486.
It is not good that your love and your Lord should be in two sundry countries 1642 St. A. Baxter Bks. 110.
That na brother of craft … tak vpone hand to baik tuo sindrie kyndis of bredabsol. 1456 Hay I 45/3.
The quhilkis governouris was ordanyt to governe, ilke ȝere twa sindry

4. As an indefinite numeral: A number of; several. Also (once) sindry several.(1) 1375 Barb. v 506.
Bot ik haiff herd syndry men say … That [etc.] a1400 Leg. S. ii 26.
Sailand in Italy In parelis wes he stad sindry c1420 Wynt. vii 2231.
[A custom] Confermyd be autoryte Off syndry Papys successywe 1471–2 Aberd. Acc. fol. 4a.
For wyn gyffyn in syndra tymis to my lord 1524 Douglas Corr. 94.
Yesterday I receivid sondery letters and writinggis frome oute of Englande 1547–8 Corr. M. Lorraine 214.
Synry 1549 Lamb Resonyng 23/25.
James, Erle of Arrane … wes nocht fred for na requeist of the guid-sone nor for sindre ambaxatouris sending 1567 G. Ball. (1600) title.
Sundrye a1578 Pitsc. (1814) I 247.
Also they could speak sundrie leadis 1578 Acts III 103/2.
Thair is sindrie vtheris burrowis haiffand the samin letter Ladie day appointit to thame for thair fairis c1590 Fowler II 100/5.
Italye thairefter was devyded in sondrye states and dominions 1633 Maxwell Mem. II 228.
The morne, the towne of Edinburgh moosteris and makis swndrie bonie pastymis 1645 Anal. Scot. I 110.
She demanded of sundry her marrowis quhat [etc.] 1647 Dumfries Treas. Acc. MS 9.
Sunddrie(2) 1576 Glasgow B. Rec. I 51.
Sindrye sewerall peces of oure communitie

b. In the phrases mony and sindry, divers and sindry, sindry and divers. 1456 Hay II 122/30.
And syne ger bring before the mony and syndry divers maneris of metis 1490 Irland Mir. II 11/23.
The thinge that the faith oblissis ws to trow ar … provit … be mony and sindry miraklis 1547 Elgin Rec. I 91.
Sche hes put sindre and diuers tymes handis in hir said moder 1555 Glenartney Doc.
The deir … ar slane … be diuers and sindrie personis 1584 Edinb. Test. XIII 151b.
I grant me to haif … with my clathis & arrowis wark aucht cuscheounes … with diuers & sindrie vther thingis 1585 James VI Ess. 54.
Sen sa mony learnit men … hes already written thairof in dyuers and sindry languages 1660 Dumbarton B. Rec. 79.
The former magistrates … have continewed in the office of magistrats sindrie and diverse yeirs togither contrair to the act of burrows

c. ellipt. and absol.: Some people.coll. 1375 Barb. xix 15.
He had gottyn with him sindry, Gilbert Male-herbe Jhone of Logy [etc.] 1399 Melville Chart. 15.
Williame of Ross, chapellane, Adam of Carry, notare, … with othir syndry 1562-3 Winȝet I 20/2.
Thar ar sindry offendit with ȝour terrible exclamatioun towart vs 1580 Skeyne Descr. Well Sig. A 2b.
Quhilk spring of watter … being drunkin, is laxatiue to sindrie 1570 Cal. Sc. P. III 192.
Quhairof [there are] synrie deid sen syne 1574 Misc. Maitl. C. I 115.
Syndery boyith of the citie and … upaland 1584 Gowrie P. 35.
Takinge the cup [he] dranke to sundry, did shake hands with others 1584 Misc. Bann. C. I 91.
Having conference with soundry, depute be his Majestie to confer with him c1590 Fowler I 208/10.
Soundrie c1590 Fowler I 321/6.
Sonndryie 1597 Acts IV 142/1.
Sinderie c1630 Scot Narr. 112.
Sundry of the sincerer sort wer put on the leets 1646 Baillie II 385.
I caused buckle up … sundry of my pamphlets for yow 1682 Fountainhall Decis. I 184.
He with sundry of his servants and tenants fell upon thempl. 1608 Kinghorn Kirk S. 11.
In respect that syndries sat out of the sicht of the preachour and behind baks 1608 Kinghorn Kirk S. 11.
Comperit syndries of the people of Cardoun and of the Touchis 1625 Bk. Carlaverock II 69.
Ther hes bien sindries killit on the uayes since your honour did depairt 1629 Black Orkn. & Shetl. Folklore 77.
Ye wald giff her ane guid sheip luck as ye haid given to sundreis in the Ile 1661 Lamont Diary 143.
Sundrys of them [were] brunt 1688 E. Fife Admir. Depute Ct. Bk. 28 July.
Ther are sundries who [etc.]

d. In sindry, in pieces. 1538 Acta Conc. Publ. Aff. 473.
That the kingis grace caus me be furnist with silvir outhir in sindry or in lingottis

5. All and sindry, every individual, every single (person or thing); all people, one and all. Also (once) all uther and sindry. Also absol.For further examples of all and sindry, see All adj. 5 b.(1) 1425 Acts II 9/1.
All & sindry the kingis liegis 1439 Edinb. Chart. 64.
Oure baileye off fee and herytage of al and sindry oure landis 1471–2 Banff Ann. I 20.
In al and sindre there gud and … richtwis causis 1480 Exch. R. IX 120 n.
Sendri 1490 Irland Mir. I 7/19.
The sone of God Jhesus … that thai of all and sindry thar thocht wound and deid & gouernaunce mon ansuere to 1493 Lennox Mun. 148.
All and sundry the lafe of the landis 1550 Coll. Aberd. & B. 181.
Syndrye 1644 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 32.
To do all and sindrie vther things quhilk they sall … esteime … necessar for the guid of the said burghe 1663 Acts VII 525/1.
Libertie to search out, worke & vse all and sindrie mynes and other mineralls within the paroche of Sidweik & Cowane(2) 1516 Reg. Privy S. I 431/2.
With power … all uther and sindry thingis to do(3) absol. 1388 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 14.
Tyll al and sendry that this present writ heiris or seis be it kende that [etc.] 1438 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III 265.
Tyll all ande sundry that this present wryt sall her or se 1469 Echt-Forbes Chart. 65.
This til al and sindri to quhame it afferis 1498 Acta Conc. II 269.
Til al and sundri quhais knaulage thir present letters salcum