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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1974 (SND Vol. IX). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Quotation dates: 1814-1931, 1999

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UNFRIEND, n. Also unfrien, unfreen(d). Dim. unfriendie. One who is not a friend, an enemy, chiefly Sc. in early use and revived in 19th c. by Scott. Also with of, to.Sc. 1814 Scott Waverley xv.:
He is a very unquiet neighbour to his un-friends.
Sc. 1817 Scott Rob Roy xxvii.:
We may fa' in wi' some o' his unfreends.
s.Sc. 1837 Wilson's Tales of the Borders III. 407:
Mony a sair thocht has it gien me that we war unfreens when we parted.
Bnff. 1862 R. Sim Legends Strathisla 59:
He kent o'er late that he was amang unfreens.
Rnf. 1876 D. Gilmour Paisley Weavers 8:
Matthew became a favourite with his former unfriends.
Sc. 1886 Stevenson Kidnapped xvii.:
I am no unfriend to plainness.
Arg. 1896 N. Munro Lost Pibroch 253:
He had no unfriends that I ken of.
Sc. 1931 J. Lorimer Red Sergeant xxxi.:
Ye hed but ae unfrien' left, that pushionous crittur, Mungo.
em.Sc. 1999 James Robertson The Day O Judgement 17:
Tae ither side he'll turn an nixt
On his unfreens in judgment sit;
An open up the wee buiks whaur
Aw human sins are writ

Hence derivs. (1) unfriends, used adv. Of two or more people: on unfriendly terms, in a state of enmity. Phr. to be unfriends wi (Slk. 1973); (2) unfriendship, n., enmity, ill-will (Sh. 1973). Obs. or arch. in Eng.(1) Sc. 1931 I. Burnett The Ravens iii. vi.:
I would fain not part with you unfriends.
(2) Sc. 1819 Scott Ivanhoe i.:
An act of unfriendship to my sovereign person.
s.Sc. 1897 E. Hamilton Outlaws xi.:
The auld unfriendship betwixt the twa houses.

[O.Sc. unfreynd, 1420, Mid.Eng. onfre(o)nd, id. Cf. Mid.Du. onvrient, id.]

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"Unfriend n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 7 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/unfriend>

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