Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1974 (SND Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1829-1902
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UNPURPOSE, adj. Untidy, badly ordered (Abd. 1825 Jam.; Rxb. a.1838 Jam. MSS. XI. 199; Dmf. 1899 Country Schoolmaster (Wallace) 355); unmethodical (Lnk. 1973); awkward, clumsy, unsuited to its purpose. useless (Abd. 1825 Jam.; Cai. 1904 E.D.D.). Hence unpurposelike, id. (Sc. 1825 Jam., Cai. 1904 E.D.D., Cai. 1973); unpurposeness, slovenliness (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 203).Slk. 1829 Hogg Poems (1865) 364:
It turned an unpurpose and beggarly ram.Bwk. 1876 W. Brockie Confessional 179:
Whene'er they [clothes] grew unpurposelike, I aye had siller to get new anes.s.Sc. 1902 Border Mag. (Feb.) 40:
A buxom lass, smartly dressed, is "no sae verra unpurpose like."
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"Unpurpose adj.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 15 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/unpurpose>
