adv. and a. Now only arch. Forms: α. 2 um-wile, 4–5, 7–9 umwhile (4 homwill), 4, 6 umwhyle. β. north. 4–5 umquile (umquil, 4 umquille), vmqwhyle; Sc. 5 umqwhile (9 umquwhile), 5– umquhile (5–6 wmquhile), 5–7 umquhyle (5 wmquhyle, vm-, wmqwhyle); 5 umquhil, 5–7 umquhill (wm-; 7 wmquill). [Representing OE. ymb hwíle (see UMBEWHILE adv.), with substitution of UM- for ymb-. In later use specifically Scottish, whence the usual spelling with -quh-.]
A. † 1. adv. At times; sometimes. Obs.
α. 1154. O. E. Chron. (Laud MS.), an. 1137. Hi læiden gæildes on the tunes æure um wile & clepeden it tenserie.
1303. R. Brunne, Handl. Synne, 2780. Fallace ys, as who seye, ‘gyle,’ As many one sweryn ymwhyle. Ibid. (c. 1330), Chron. Wace (Rolls), 1415. Vmwhile west, vmwhile est, þer schipes driuen in many tempest.
a. 1340. Hampole, Psalter cxli. 6. I fled noght fra tribulacioun in saule, thof i fled vmwhile in body.
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. V. 345. Þere was laughyng and louryng … And seten so til euensonge and songen vmwhile.
a. 1529. Skelton, Agst. Garnesche, ii. 11. Ye countyr vmwhyle to capcyously, and ar ye be dysiryd.
β. a. 1300. Cursor M., 4319. Sua þou mai þe driue to ded, To ded vmquil, and to langur. Ibid., 10323. Þof godd vmquil be funden still.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, III. 262. To stand agayne thar fayis mycht, Wmquhile with strenth, & quhile with slycht.
c. 1400. Maundev. (Roxb.), vi. 20. Ay when him list, he gase to visit þam, and vmqwhyle ledes þam aboute with him.
a. 1500. Ratis Raving, I. 1448. And eild … Wmquhill is twrnyt with inwy, And wmquhill led with lichory.
1535. Stewart, Cron. Scot. (Rolls), III. 525. That all this warld hes bene full of variance; Vmquhill in plesure and prosperitie, Vmquhill in pane and greit penuritie.
a. 1568. in Bannatyne MS. (Hunterian Cl.), 633. Vmquhile I syche and ymquhile I sing…. Vmquhill I lawche and quhill I weip and wring.
2. At one time; at some previous time; formerly. Obs. exc. arch.
c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, iii. (Andrew), 863. Ane bischope vmquhile, I herd say … Sancte Andrew in affecione Had ay.
a. 1400–50. Alexander, 23. Oute in þe erth of Egipt enhabet vmquile Þe wysest wees of the werd. Ibid., 3079. (Dubl. MS.). Nowe am I kest vnder, Þat had of the Orient all ouer homage vmwhile.
1456. Sir G. Haye, Law Arms (S.T.S.), 2. Chaumerlayn umquhyle to … king Charles of Fraunce.
c. 1470. Henry, Wallace, II. 207. O der Wallace, wmquhill was stark and stur, Thow most o neide in presoune till endur.
1508. Dunbar, Poems, vii. heading. Lord Barnard Stewart,… Conquereur of Naplis and vmquhile constable general of the same.
c. 1550. Lyndesay, Tragedy, Prol. 40. I am Dauid, that cairfull Cardinall,… That vmquhyle had so gret preeminens.
1567. Satir. Poems Reform., iv. 1. I, Henrie Stewart, vmquhile of Scotland King.
[1890. Service, Notandums, 88. Her white cheek, umquhile red.]
† 3. At some later time; by-and-by. Obs.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, III. 256. For nane wate, in how litill space That god wmquhile will send his grace.
1513. Douglas, Æneid, II. x. 209. And I wmquhill quhilk sal be clepit thi spous, Quham to sall we be left in this waist hous?
B. adj. Former, late: a. Of persons; esp. = now deceased.
In the first quot. perhaps still adverbial.
1431. Munim. de Melros (Bann. Cl.), 521. Patrike off Dunbarr,… brothir vmquhile of a hee & mychti lorde Sir George of Dunbarr.
1477. Exch. Rolls Scotl., VIII. 403, note. Landis … the quhilkis umquhile Cuthbert Colvile had of ws of before.
1490–1. Acc. Ld. High Treas. Scot., I. 197. A compositioun maid with vmquhile the Master of Craufurd.
1535. Stewart, Cron. Scot. (Rolls), III. 519. James Stewart, Sone and Air … to vmquhill King Robert Stewart.
1583. in Montgomerie’s Poems (S.T.S. 1910), 300. The testament … pertening to vmquhile ane richt honorabill Ladie Margaret Fraser…, relict of vmquhile Iohne Montgummerie.
1633. Sc. Acts, Chas. I. (1870), V. 26/1. The fruites of benefice givin by his Majestie his said vmquhyle dearest father.
a. 1670. Spalding, Troub. Chas. I. (1829), 9. Lachlan M‘Intosh,… brother to the umquhile laird of M‘Intosh, William M‘Intosh,… son to umquhile Lachlan Angus-son.
1714. Ramsay, Elegy J. Cowper, xiii. Of umquhile John to lie or bann, Shaws but ill will.
1784. in Nairne Peerage Evidence (1874), 72. The goods and gear which pertained and belonged to umqle miss Brabazone Nairne.
1814. Scott, Wav., x. The estate which devolved on this unhappy woman by a settlement of her umwhile husband. Ibid. (1816), Old Mort., iii. His uncle, as well as his umquhile father, is a roundhead, I presume.
1874. Hislop, Bk. Sc. Anecdote, 725/1. The ‘leader of the psalmody’ as umquhile ‘precentors’ are now termed.
1886. Ruskin, Præterita, I. 408. Her father visited his umquwhile clientage at the coal-wharves.
b. Of things. rare.
1548. Compl. Scotl., i. 21. Quhat sal be said of athenes, the vmquhile fontane of sapiens.
1843. F. Trollope, Vis. to Italy, I. x. 161. I went to see Europe’s umwhile wonder and delight.
1854. H. Miller, Sch. & Schm. (1858), 356. When I last passed along the Coal-hill, I saw my umquhile bouse existing as a bit of dingy wall.
