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

Tymous, adj. and adv. Also: tymus, tym(m)os, tymo(u)se, -ouis, -eus, timous(e, -eous, -ows(e. [17th c. Eng. timous (a1626); Tyme n.¹]

A. adj. 1. Of an action, etc. a. Occurring promptly, timely. Also proverb.attrib. 1456 Hay II 120/2.
The quhilk wayke stomak sone fylis … for fault of governaunce and tymous remedis 1482 Reg. Morton II 246.
I sall nother … see harme … bot I sall mak hyme tymous warnyng tharof 1526 Douglas Corr. 343.
For falt of tymus provisione 1533 Boece 61.
The wyse and tymos ansuere of Ferichare movit Ferleig to devise nane evill contrare his derrest eme 1564–65 Reg. Privy S. V i 532/1.
To rais derth in the cuntrie gif tymous remeidie be not providit 1572 Reg. Privy C. II 130.
His saidis cautionaris … sall gif tymous and sufficient warning to the said Lord Regent upoun the said premunitioun 1581 Acts III 219/1.
To the extreme vndoing … of the puir pepill … gif his hines foirsie not the samin and put not timous remeid thairto 1583 Reg. Privy C. III 576.
For the eschewing of sic dangearis … as … wer to have fallin out without sic tymous preventioun had bein maid 1588 Aberd. Council Lett. I 45.
Timeous 1602 Shetland Sheriff Ct. (ed.) 48.
A greit part of the landis … ar liklie to ly ley without tymous and speidfull remeid 1606 Edgar Hist. Dumfries 153.
Tymeus 1627 Rep. Parishes 89.
The fewaris and vassellis geving moir to get tymous teynding than the trew worth 1627 Orkney Rentals iii 8.
They maye expect a lawfull heiring and a tymous and readie dispatch 1640 Fugitive Poetry II xix 7/80.
For tymous help, lest they in darknesse die a1650 Row 319.
It cannot be a lawfull Assemblie when there is not lawfull and tymous intimation and premonition made 1649 Sc. N. & Q. XII 74.
Timows 1655 Conv. Burghs III 403 (see Birth n.² 2).proverb. a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 205.
A timouse gevar gives tuisepredic. 1645 Baillie II 296.
Parliament is wyse to make … a wholsome purgation, that it may be tymous

b. Occurring by a specified date, in time. Only nocht (not) tymous. 1615 Fraserburgh Kirk S. 45b (17 Jan.).
Reprovit for … the nocht tymous compeiring 1615 Misc. Maitl. C. II 173.
That gude nychtbourheid be keipit … in bigging of ther dykis yeirlie and putting of the swyne to the hill before the fyftein day of Aprile keeping and hirding of the sheip befoir the said day … And incais of contravening … heirof sa that nychtbouris be … hurt be utheris in nocht tymous dyking keiping and hirding [etc.] 1621 Grant Chart. 219.
The sowme of four hundreth merkis money forsaid for liquidat expensis, in cace of nocht tymous payment 1629 Justiciary Cases I 111.
Thraitning utterit … againis Andro Mortoun … for nocht tymous payment to hir of ane certane sowme of money … Lykas the said Andro … haifing anserit to hir that … he sould satisfie hir hir money befoir the day of payment 1649 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 103.
Albeit be the actis of the 22 of September last and fourth of October instant they did … ordaine [etc.] … yet … Aberdein … at Michaelmes last did [etc.] … and being requyred … to rectifie quhat might have been done amisse throughe their not tymous knowledge of the saids acts [etc.] 1689 Urie Baron Ct. 100.
The saids lands to bring forth ther horss … to Stonhyve … and in caice of the recusantis or not tymeus comeing wp to Stonhyve [etc.]

c. Occurring at the appropriate time, opportune. 1637 Rutherford Lett. (1894) 416.
Wait on for God's timeous salvation; ask not when, or how long a1658 Durham Clavis Cantici 131.
He is timous and seasonable in fulfilling his purposes

2. Early. a. In the season. b. In the day. c. Applied to a person.a. c1520-c1535 Nisbet St. James v 7.
Tymouse [P. tymeful] and laatsum fruitb. a1578 Pitsc. I 324/29.
Sayand to him that thai sould haue goode huntting on the morne and bad him be tymmosc. 1587-99 Hume 26/43.
Up braids the carefull husbandman, His cornes, and vines to see, And euerie tymous artisan, In buith worke busilie

B. adv. Early in the day. 1566 Anderson Collect. Mary II 272.
Bothwell this 24th day was found werray tymus weseing the kingis ludging 1568 Hosack Mary Q. of Scots I 534.
Rising in the morning tymous he [sc. Bothwell] past directlie to the Kirk of Feild a1578 Pitsc. I 324/23.
To pas the sunner to his bede that he micht wait wpon him tymmos in the morning a1578 Pitsc. (1814) 333.
[The King] was to ryse tymous a1578 Pitsc. II 135/8.
On the morne tymose in the morning he departit 1596–7 Misc. Spald. C. I 96.
Tymouis in the morning, befor the sone rysing 1632 Fam. Rose 319.
Meit me … on Thurisday at nycht, or tymus on Friday a1646 Wedderburn Voc. (1709) 4.
Deo volente mature adero, with God's grace I shall be here timeous 1652 Edinb. B. Rec. VIII 269.
The commissioun delyvered be Robert Adamsone at Johne Denhames hous yesternight wes sent doun to his hous this morneing tymous 1654 Alyth Par. Ch. 92.
Timowse 1686 Inverness Rec. II 339.