A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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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.
Quotation dates: 1375, 1535-1664
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Up-cumming, Upcuming, -com(e)ing, vbl. n. Also: up-cummyng, wpcum(m)ing, -cummyng, oupcummyng. [ME vp-comminge (Rolle), upcomynge (Trevisa), vp-coming (14th c.); Cum v.]
1. The action of coming, climbing, riding (etc.) up; ascent; rising. Freq. in weakened sense, passing into journeying or arrival, more generally. (Cf. Up adv. 4.)(a) 1375 Barb. vi 146.
He stekyt the hors & he gan flyng & syne fell at the wpcummyng [C. vpcummyng] 1375 Barb. x 414.
Or he wes vp gottyn all He at that ward had in keping Met him rycht at the wp-cummyng [C. vp-cummyng] 1572-5 Diurnal of Occurrents 109.
In thair vpcuming [sc. from Holyrood], my lord of Ergyll bure the croun … and in thair passing doun … my lord Huntlie buir the croun 1584–5 Cal. Sc. P. VII 569.
[We have taken occasion by the] wpcumming [of one from Scotland to return the bearer hereof] 1590 Edinb. B. Rec. V 332.
The day of the upcuming of hir Maiestie to the abay 1630 Maxwell Mem. II 212.
I gat the favour as to kis the Kingis hand within short spaice after my wpcuming [sc. to the court] 1643 Baillie II 106.
I cannot but second the earnest desyre of all here for the upcoming of a committee from our estates … I doubt not bot … the affair will make yow quicklie send up that committee 1646 Baillie II 420*.
A little above the parke … I halted … after the upcoming of these regiments, the Marquess of Argyle … with some others, came up 1654 Johnston Diary II 292.
The Lord forgive me my misrelations of circumstances … for this checked me in the up-coming out of Leyth 1664 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. I 574.
The saids defenders … should be decerned to desist … from … stenting of netts thorow the watter for hindering of the upcoming of the fish, and from casting any thing in the watter for scaring the fish in their upcomeing(b) 1568 Cal. Sc. P. II 536.
[The] oupcummyng of thir men [to London]
b. A way up, ascent, slope. = Up-come n. a. 1375 Barb. vi 81.
Swa strait wes the wp-cummyng [C. vp-cummyng] That twa men mycht nocht samyn thring 1375 Barb. vi 169 (see Up-come n. a).
Wpcummyng 1565–6 Inverness Rec. I 131.
In the hie way the vpcuming out of the said chappell yard to the tolbuyth
2. transf. Rise; development, growth (to maturity or prominence). 1535 Stewart 41811 heading.
Of the Scrymgeouris and thair vpcuming 1638 Henderson Serm. 270.
If ye would consider of the different times of the upcoming of the kirk … 1. In her infancy. 2. In her youth [etc.]
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"Up-cumming vbl. n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 12 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/up_cumming>
