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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.

Sor(r)o(w)ful(l, adj. Also: sor(r)ouf(f)ul(l, soroufule, sor(r)o(w)fow, sor(r)iful(l, sory-, soriefull, sorifoull, sore-, soirfull. [ME and e.m.E. sorhful (a1200), seorhful, soruful (both Layamon), sorowful (a1325), sorouful (Rolle), sorrowful (c1400), sorrowfull (1495), OE sorh-, sorᵹful.]

1. Of persons: Full of sorrow or grief, sad, unhappy; regretful, sorry. Also transf.(a) a1400 Leg. S. v 153.
Thane begouth thai soroful to be ?1438 Alex. i 2022.
Thay that sorrowfull wer fleand In full great hy ?1438 Alex. ii 3118.
Of thy fatheris dede am I Sorofull in hart and richt sory a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 402.
God wait gif Cresseid was ane sorrowfull gest c1475 Wall. i 251.
With hewy cheyr and sorowfull in thocht c1475 Wall. iv 338.
Sorouffull c1500-c1512 Dunb. (STS) xix 11.
Gife I be sorrowfull and sad c1520-c1535 Nisbet Mark x 22.
He was full soroufull [P. sori] in the word and past away murnyng; for he had mony possessiounns 1531 Bell. Boece I 66.
King Ewin, richt sorrowfull of thir novellis a1538 Abell 95a.
The Brus than … sad and sorofull … passit hame in Ingland 1560 Rolland Seven S. 3740.
Sorrofow 1560 Rolland Seven S. 2744.
The lufe I aw to ȝow Makis me mair sturt, in hart mair sorowfow Nor displesour of ȝone dum deuillis deid a1570 Misc. Spald. C. II xxviii.
Sorrofull(b) 1581 Burne Disput. 178.
Bot ȝe … ar verie soriful that thay ar not castin in the middinis 1596 Dalr. II 239/10.
Soryfull 1604 Dundonald Par. Rec. 58.
Scho … lyand in hir yard driereie and soriefull for that caus 1630 Stirling's Royal Lett. II 487.
As we ar soriefull for the same 1676 Aberd. Council Lett. VI 36.
Heiring of the death of … your sone for which wee are reallie sorriefulltransf. 1375 Barb. iii 529.
For quhen men gretis enkrely, The hart is sorowfull or angry a1568 Bann. MS 224b/47.
This sorrowfull hairt of myne 1644 Sc. Eccles. Soc. 306.
Dulefull & sorrowfull Abirdein(b) 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 290.
Vpoun the Weddinsday efter he was buried, being convoyed … with monie a soirfull hart

b. Contrite, repentant. 1573-1600 Burne Disput. in Cath. Tr. 123/21.
That for the offence of God ye haue bene sorifull, hou gret cairfulnes hes it ingenerit in you? 1619 Perth Kirk S. MS 14 Sept.
William Rynd … declairit him vnfeinȝeitlie sorowfull 1650 Falkirk Par. Rec. I 167.
Major James Levingston … declared himself sorrifull and willing to obey

2. Of behaviour, facial expressions, etc.: Indicative of, expressing sorrow or grief. b. transf. Of the behaviour of birds: Interpreted as expressing sorrow; melancholy. c1400 Troy-bk. ii 786.
He ley … One gruff makyng soroufull chere c1500-c1512 Dunb. (STS) lxxiv 32.
Withe sorrowfull teris falling frome my face a1568 Bann. MS 224b/63.
All thus I plene my sorrowfull pane and wo a1568 Bann. MS 246b/25.
My sorrowfull ene ar blyndit with my teiris 1568 Buch. Indict. 42.
The Quene … tuik rest with na sorifoull countenance for ony thing occurrit c1590 J. Stewart 20/175.
Vith ane voce maist sorroufull and lentb. c1450-2 Howlat 187 (A).
Heronnis … Ay sorowfull and sad at evinsang & houris 1513 Doug. xii xiii 171.
[The owl] syngis a sorowfull toyn

3. Involving, or causing, sorrow or grief; distressing, lamentable.(a) a1400 Leg. S. xxxiii 196.
God, that I dede had bene, Or I sa soroful sicht had sene c1420 Wynt. iii 620.
The Maydyn Castell … The Sorowfull [Hill] … callyd was 1456 Hay I 10/15.
Touchand the first tyme of the soroufull persecucioun of haly kirk 1456 Hay I 25/30.
Thre maneris of tymes soroufull is ȝit efter that signifyit to cum 1494 Loutfut MS 11a.
The mast trist and sorrowfull deid 1513 Doug. v xii 124.
In Tartarus, the soroful hellys pyt 1531 Bell. Boece II 122.
Ire and lust, quhilkis ar two maist sorrowful broddis amang wemen 1560 Rolland Seven S. 817.
The case … is wonder sorrowfow 1562-3 Winȝet I 125/13.
Quhat meanis the sorrouful punisment of the hous of Manasses c1568 Lauder Minor P. i 33.
The sorrowfull sentence and terribill decreit c1650 Spalding I 181.
His depairtour wes joyfull to his enemies and sorrowfull to his freindis(b) 1513 Doug. Comm. i i 2 (Sm.).
Sorefull

4. ? Gloomy, sullen. 1513 Doug. vi v 41.
This soroful [L. tristis] boytman [sc. Charon] … Now thir now thame, within his veschel tuke