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

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

Solitar, Solitarie, adj. (adv.). Also: solitare, soletare, solit(t)air, -er, solyter, solitter, solitarye, sollitar(r)ie, solatoury. [ME and e.m.E. solitary (Rolle), -ie (Wyclif), solitare (Wyclif), solitaire (Trevisa), OF solitaire (late 12th c. in Larousse), L. sōlitār- alone, by itself.]

A. adj. 1. Of a person: Solitary, alone, by oneself. Also, in various phrases with allane (allone). Also transf.Chiefly in predicative use.(1) attrib. a1500 Henr. Orph. 99.
This lady solitar, Barfute [etc.]predic. 1513 Doug. Concl. 17.
My muse sal now be cleyn contemplatyve, And solitar 1531 Bell. Boece II 81.
In ane secrete chalmer, quhare the king usit to be solitar 1535 Stewart 25456.
Thair to remane and duell, Richt solitar all tyme amang thame sell a1568 Wedderburn in Bann. MS 287b/27.
Provokand thy desyre to leif solitar c1590 J. Stewart 48/25.
Fair Angelique vas … As alabast statue solitar suspend 1597 James VI Dæmonol. (STS) 40/31.
In companies wee are not so soone mooued to anie such kinde of feare as being solitare 1587-99 Hume 48/32.
As Elijah lurking lay, Lang solitar by Cherith side 1603 Moysie 60 (see Solitarly adv.).(b) 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 164.
Not but caus my spreitis wer abaisit, All solitair in that desert arraisit 1549 Compl. 9/24, 25.
He vas neiuyr les solitair as quhen he aperit to be solitair c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus i 53.
Twa ȝoung ȝounkeirs, … But companie, bot thame self solitair 1569 Reg. Privy C. II 39.
He to be solitair, the nobill men and utheris of oure Soverane Lordis Previe Counsall being for the maist part absent a1570-86 Maitland in Maitl. F. 286/41.
Gif ȝe be secreit sad and solitair Peirtlie thai speik that privalie ȝe play c1615 Chron. Kings 108.
Solittair(c) a1500 Henr. Fab. 166 (Ch.).
The vther wynnit uponland, weill neir, Soliter(d) 1530 Lynd. Test. Pap. 956.
Solyter 1544–5 Hamilton P. II 554.
J. K. is kepit soliter that it dullis and spyllis his ingyn that he is the mair unable to do guid service 1564 St. A. Kirk S. 215.
[She] is … knawyn to have beyn suspect … wyth … Robert Dauidson, Thomas Anderson [etc.] … soliter and quiet wyth tham selfis in ane clos hows, and the dur stekyt a1578 Pitsc. II 71/28.
It was lawfull for preistis to marie wyffis and nocht to leive solitter a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xxiv 41.(e) a1568 Bann. MS 85b/27.
Bettir it is to leive solitary Than to enhant mekle cumpany 1572 Buch. Detect. (1727) 93.
Hir Majestie is now destitute of ane husband, leuing solitarie in the stait of wedowheid 1607 Orkney Misc. (1953) 31.
[They had wounded them while] at the kirk at their prayers solitarie and alone 1638 Adamson Muses Thr. I 9.
Hence solitarie and poore content I live(f) 1659 Misc. Hist. Soc. VII 31.
Tusday: two bigge botles; sollitarrie; spent 2 s. Scotts 1659 Misc. Hist. Soc. VII 37.
Sollitarie(g) a1550 Lang Rosair 109.
Solatourytransf. 1531 Bell. Boece II 102.
The hevinly plesour that he had in his solitar contemplation 1549 Compl. 68/8.
I beand in this sad solitar soune sopit in sleipe(2) 1456 Hay I 12/17.
A man that … passis in the birnand hill allane solitare a1500 Quare Jel. 19.
Walking … solitare allone without my fere c1500-c1512 Dunb. (STS) xxv 17.
Solitar walkand ȝour allone c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus ii 195.
So furth can he fair … Half wo begone allone all solitair 1611 Crim. Trials III 205.
The said vmquhile Alexander soliter, him self allane

b. Bereft, deprived (of something). c1500-c1512 Dunb. (STS) lxxi 37.
Off gyd and gouirnance we ar all solitair, Dependand ay vpoun thy stait and grace

c. Given to solitude; inclined to shun company. 1494 Loutfut MS 26b.
And quhen he tynt his fallow he becom solitar and hatit the warld

d. In attrib. use, preceded by ane: Single, sole. 15… Sc. Hist. Rev. (1925-6) XXIII 210.
Thair is na man of jugement that wilbelief that his bairnis or freindis will attein to thair perfectioun in the lawis be the hering of ane popular lessoun of ane soliter man without ony farder

e. To put (someone) solitair, to place in solitary confinement. 1544–5 Stirling B. Rec. I 39.
Cristian Huntair to be considerit … gif scho be lipir or nocht, and gif sa beis fundin to put hir solitair

f. Of a thing, in fig. context. c1530-40 Stewart in Bann. MS 94b/24.
Bot fast for thame the gallous cryis That our lang soliter it standis

2. a. Of a building: Unfrequented, uninhabited. b. Of a place: Remote, secluded.a. 1574–5 Reg. Privy C. II 432.
That the tymmer of the frater of the said abbay, quhilk consumis and spillis—and the place altogidder soliter—be tane dounb. a1500 Henr. Fab. 1786.
It wes thair hanting place Mair off succour or ȝit mair solitair 1549 Compl. 14/10.
Thy vane philosophour quhilk hes been neurest al his dais in ane solitar achademya of Greice 1549 Compl. 15/30. c1590 Fowler I 75/224.
They passed on vntill Linterno fort, In whiche so solitare a place that great man did resort 1596 Dalr. I 55/2.
Perchance the Greikis named this ile Man, first, because it was solitar and frome ony vthir appeired to be far seperatsuperl. 1673 Butler Leighton 478.
[One letter speaks of] his disposition to bury himself alive in one of the solitarest hermitages in the world(b) 1572 Buch. Detect. (1727) 74.
Thrust away into solitarie deseirt for ane mocking stock c1590 Fowler I 53/151.
The ins that I did tak And solitarye resting place was then the wellis and woods 1597 James VI Dæmonol. (STS) 40/27.
The cause whie they haunte solitarie places … is [etc.]

3. Of an individual's mode of living, or some aspect thereof: Characterised by absence of companionship, reclusive. Also transf.(a) 1531 Bell. Boece II 101.
He leiffit ane solitar life a1538 Abell 51a.
He besocht God … at he suld nocht be remowit fra his delicius & solitair life to ony temporall dignite(b) 1622-6 Bisset II 106/13.
Paule … as first heremeit laid the foundament … of solitarie leving in wyldernestransf. c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus i 221.
Exalt thy spreit, and mak thé mou[e all fane] Denude thé of that darknes solitair

B. adv. Only; alone. a1568 Scott iii 16.
Forvey no tyme, be reddy day and nicht Vpoun ȝour kneis to serve thame soletare