(freq. act in O. Ir. glosses). See
GOI § 908
. Later ach.
I As prep. with accus. (see
Ériu xvii 79
,
ZCP xxv 237
,
Ériu lx 137-42
)
(a)
save, except (lit. outside, Thurn.): cách act tiamthe
`every one save Timothy',
Wb. 23d5
.
bacc de echaib a.¤ serrchu,
Laws ii 118.9
.
a.¤ cuit naige fine,
iv 194.26
. roslechtsat do
Patric a.¤ cóicḟir all except five bowed to P.,
Trip.² 1652
. fiche a.¤
sé bliadna
i.e. 14 years,
LL 15069
.
ar di-legad síl Dubthaig Daīl ... acht claind Moathaire 'for [all] the descendants of Dubthach the Beetle were destroyed ... except for the kindred of Mothaire',
Aided Echach 96 §4 (g) (h)
.
di-legath síl Dubthig Dōeltengath and act cethra conchuiriu,
Aided Echach 94 § 1
. achd ré n-aithrighe
d'fhagháil save that there was time for repentance,
DDána 64.9
.
(b) More freq. after neg. vb. as in: act aní ropridchussa
dúib (nothing) save
gl. nihil . . . sapietis,
Wb. 20b4
. nand asse
díchenglad cor mbél . . . inge (acht, MS) nóe curu it is not
proper to dissolve contracts . . . except for nine contracts . . .
Ériu xvii 66 §§ 4
,
5
.
(c) Hence in sense of Engl.
only, merely
, etc. (cf. Fr. ne . . .
que): ar ni arilsem-ni act dígail for we have deserved only
punishment,
Wb. 20d14
. ni bí nach dethiden foir act fognam
do día his only care is to serve God,
10b9
.
ni gessid . . . act
búaid precepte,
26a34
.
nicon chloor act for caínscél,
23b41
.
connaccon bet a.¤ degnimai less so that he may have only good
works,
Ml. 129a9
. ní rádat som a.¤ bréic ┐ togaís they speak
only lies and deceit,
31a18
. in tan nád techtat a.¤ oin aimsir
`when they have only one time',
Sg. 5a10
. nī fūar a ssēt a.¤
Maire `I have found not her like save Mary',
Thes. ii 349.4
(Hy. v). a.¤ fo thri nico rotroisci M. `that M. never fasted but
thrice',
Mon. Tall. 157.5 (§ 72)
muna bed a.¤ don dornsann
ní himtecar la suidaib,
Laws iv 158.5
.
nach ístais biad . . .
a.¤ biad Conchobair,
IT i 75.15
.
conna-ruc a.¤ oīnchois ūaim,
Sc.M² 12
.
ni boi arm la Hiruath . ... a.¤ bocṡlaitt moir,
PH
850
(a.¤ bocslat mor, v.l.,
ZCP xiv 147.7
). na déantar lámh
dhearg a.¤ dí let none but her be outlawed(?)
Dán Dé ix 9
. nach
fuil a.¤ talam ┐ luaith san cholainn daonna nothing but earth
and ashes,
TSh. 432
. gan a.¤ mac tíre 'na sesamh rena brollach
only a wolf standing at her breast (instead of her own calf),
BNnÉ 164 § 34
. Note also:
dearna a láimhe a.¤ a lámh oile /
clár do b'áilne snoidhe sain,
DDána 32.22
, where a neg. is
implied (see notes).
(d) With emphasising nammá, amáin: a.¤ comparit neutair
nammá gl. non inuenitur nisi neutri generis,
Sg. 41a8
. act seircc
ndée tantum (= nammá) gl. non quaerit quae sua sunt,
Wb. 12c2
. a.¤ nammá renders Lat. nisi forte,
9d21
,
12c32
.
a.¤
éolas nammá,
TBFr. 392
.
ní thérna díb a.¤ oenchóicer namá,
BDD² 1494
. teach . . . cen dorus . . . a.¤ seinistir ┐ forleas namá
a house without any door but a window and skylight only,
81
.
a.¤ dá angel amáin ní bátar and,
LL 291a3
. ní bhí a.¤ an
moladh amháin / ní don domhan a.¤ díoláimh `save praise
alone',
TD 31.8
.
a.¤ trōcaire Dé amhāin,
Fl. Earls 134.20
.
(e) So also with follg. mad (cf. acht má as conjunction
infra): a.¤ mad a claind `unless it be her (own) children' (gl.
docere autem mulieri non permitto),
Wb. 28b13
.
ni ruc . . .
claind . . . a.¤ mad óeningin,
IT i 130.14
.
nád aithgainethar . . .
a.¤ mad indred n-indligthech,
Críth G. 564
.
noco ria nech
dib ar éc . . . a.¤ mad Essu ┐ Caleb,
SR 4732
.
a.¤ mad aenfer,
Anecd. i 63 § 115
.
indis dam firindi, riam nucha n-ebartais
a.¤ mad guth ceart,
Fen. 156.21
. ni bhíodh neach aga ghoire a.¤
madh na hoighe allaid `save only the deer',
ZCP i 64 § 57
.
(f) Hence in adv. phrase a.¤ (mad) becc lit.
except (but
only) a little, hence almost: combo marb a.¤ bec until he was
almost dead,
LU 3290
(
SCC 8
). a mboi de ór . . . oca a.¤ becc
almost all the gold they had,
PH 999
. fāsughudh C. . . . a.¤ becc
`almost total devastation',
RC xvii 384.23
(Tig.).
corloiscit
cella fer Midhi a.¤ mad becc,
389.7
.
II As conjunction
(a) In sense save only that, except that
(folld. by nasalising rel. clause in O.Ir., see
GOI
§ 503
) (freq. with nammá): ro legsat canóin amal rundalégsam-ni
a.¤ ronda-sáibset-som tantum `they have read the
Scripture text as we have read it save only that they have
perverted it',
Ml. 24d24
.
accobor la mmenmuin maid do
imradud act nandléicci concupiscentia carnalis
,
Wb. 3d13
. Borg
Emna ro tetha / a.¤ mairte a clocha `save that its stones remain',
Fél. Prol. 194
.
is bēlra dligthech concanat, a.¤ nat aithgnet
cluasa dōine,
Ériu ii 118 § 54
.
a.¤ nach deachaidh tar muir
Manann, riámh ní rosgabh rí ba fearr,
Keat. ii 5755
. So also in
the following (where rel. not marked): haue a.¤ ro noebad / do
Dunlang `a grandson, save that he has been hallowed, of D.',
Fél. April 11
. manid caindleóracht in tige as ail duit do
chosnamh a.¤ namá bid mó bas loscud don tig oldás bas suillse
don tegluch except that the house is more likely to catch fire than
its inmates to get light,
LU 9197
(
FB 92
).
conrotacht . . . a tech
. . . fo chosmailius na Cráebrúadi . . . a.¤ nammá ro derscaigestar
a tech so . . . do thigib inna hamsiri,
8046
(
FB 1
). coro
ṡollsigset in catraig na dluma derga . . . a.¤ ni loisctís nech
nama without however burning anyone,
LB 152b41
.
(b) With má, mani, cé (see Vendryes,
Ériu xvi 21f.
). With
má
except if, unless: act ma chotchela gl. numquid Israhel
non cognouit,
Wb. 5a9
. act massu made in chretem rochretsid
gl. nisi frustra credidistis,
13a34
. act mad melltach lassin
fer `unless it be agreeable to the husband',
9d17
. act mad
óentu dúib occa gl. ex consensu,
9d22
. tír Cannain . . . / nista
. . . / a.¤ ma rannait . . . / for meic iar for n-adnacul unless your
sons divide it
SR 4735
.
ní dligther fothud a thige do neoch . . .
a.¤ ma ḟrisnasar a ḟlaith,
Críth G. 79
.
nocho chumcaid-si
imchaisin Críst a.¤ ma blasti bás ar thús,
Trip.² 1147
. ní
talla a léni de a.¤ mad fria huaim `he may not take off his shirt
except it be to stitch it',
Ériu vii 140
. Note also:
a.¤ má dothísad
Arddrí secht nime dó ní reg-sa,
Trip.² 1354
.
(c) With mani except if . . . not. So in some early exx.,
but later = a.¤ má or mani: a.¤ manidchomalnid a rropridchad
dúib gl. nisi forte reprobi estis (you show that God is in you
except you fulfil not what has been preached to you,
Wb. 18b7
.
ni ba messi dogena a.¤ manimléicther ind it is not I who will
do it unless I am not allowed in i.e. provided I am not forbidden
to enter,
RC xxv 26.9
. noco mberthar uaimse ait na halma
ass (leg. a.¤
Vendryes, loc. cit.)
manip aúrderg limsa,
LU 5029
(TBC) unless I do not consider them visible i.e. worthy of being
seen (Vendryes). a.¤ minab edrud ┐ grian, `provided it be not
between thee and the sun',
Ériu viii 122.28
. In follg. exx.
= a.¤ má, a.¤ mani: ni segar baithis acht menip dóig bes
marb in gein unless the child seems likely to die,
Ériu ii 208
§ 32
. fotdáilfind i n-ilpartib . . . a.¤ manibad F. were it not for F.
LU 5673
(TBC). ?is mesi . . . dliges a caurathmir a.¤ mani
brister anfír form unless I am treated unfairly,
LU 8986
(
FB
74
). ni raga ass . . . a.¤ manit ainge ben unless a woman protect
you,
3352
(
SCC 14
).
ní maith duit imthecht t'oenur a.¤ mani[d]
dáil fir no thēig,
Fing. R. 91
. acht mana maidi in talam
found unless the ground breaks under us,
TBC-I¹ 3577
= mono
thaeth (muna maidhi, muna maoighthfe v.ll.),
TBC-LL¹ 5975
.
ni ra cotail C. risin re sin, a.¤ mani chotlad fithisin ṁbic . . .
C. did not sleep during that time except for a little while,
2473
=
a.¤ mad mani chotlad,
LU 6338
. nach fer gentor a.¤ mona
bentar a cend de unless his head is cut off,
RC xii 88 § 99
.
a.¤ mana bera lat in topur so `unless you take away this well',
Lism. L. 4669
. a.¤ muna faghbam ní dar cobair orra sin ní bia
duine a mbethaid unless we can find something to protect us
from them there will not be a person alive,
Acall. 6174
.
ní dénann
urchóitt do neach acht mona derna nech urcóit di,
Maund. 33
.
nad ḟetar-sa . . . act manip íat in Galían,
CRR 11
.
a.¤ munab
í M. th' iarraidh,
Eachtra Uill. 4300
.
(d) With cia
even though, even if: act ci nip lour `even
though it be not sufficient',
Wb. 11d15
. nach facamur riamh
roimhi, / a.¤ gér cian ar comnoide though long has been our
sojourn,
Ériu iv 114.32
.
tu easbal dob annsa leis /. . ./ a.¤ ger
ionmhuin gach easbal,
Dán Dé i 9
. ba menmarc leis co
mberadh buaidh a.¤ ge bhadar ced fan fer `he wished to defeat
them even though they were a hundred to one',
Stair Erc. 1471
.
acht gidh mór do maith doronuis co ró-so,
ZCP vi 67.8
.
for
imegla a bhāssaigthe a.¤ ge ro baoi i n-a Pāpa,
Fl. Earls 206.20
.
a.¤ gér laoch mear even though he was a swift warrior,
LBranach
7210
.
Samson, a.¤ gér chalma a neart,
Éigse iv 188.71
.
(e) In conditional sense if only, provided that (folld. in O. Ir.
by perfective subj. except where an impossible condition is
implied, see
GOI § 904
): bíth and beos acht
ropo i tuil dée `let him still abide therein provided it be in God's
will',
Wb. 10a25
. act ní arbarat biuth inna túari provided
they eat not the foods,
10c1
. bid maith mo menmese act
rocloor for cáinscéilsi `my mind will be glad provided I hear
good news of you',
23d2
.
atá comeisseírge act rocretem oipred
dæ,
27a15
.
ni imned lim act rop Crist pridches,
23b24
. buí
cara damsa isin tírsea . . . a.¤ rofeasmais conair dá thig if only
we knew the way to his house,
BDD² 262
.
a.¤ rop coir ní gellas,
Críth G. 505
. a.¤ ropom airdric-se (ropa airdercsa LU),
maith lim cen co bend buan acht oenlaa,
TBC-I¹ 571
. ata lasna
tuati beith lór dóib do ascnam nime acht doratat ní dona
hanmchairtib (sic leg.) `the lay folk deem it enough to win a
place in heaven if only they have given something to their
confessors',
Mon. Tall. 141.16 (§ 35)
.
doémat na trī sailm-sea
. . . acht rogabthar gach dīa,
ZCP iii 30.23
. With non-perfective vb.: a.¤ ni bed úall and `if only there were no pride in it',
Wb. 10b27
. nico mórbrig laisim and a.¤ ní cometestar dond
accobar `he counts it no great matter provided there be no
yielding to desire',
Mon. Tall. 152.7 (§ 63)
. a.¤ com-messind-se
mo maccu nī diṅgentais do chride chrád if only I were able
to control my sons,
Fing. R. 498
. Note also: noco nindligthech
do gin co tuca abad acht techtugad do breith `provided that he
has brought the means of taking possession',
Laws iv 4.15
.
(f) Similarly with follg. co n-: ríge láech nErend . . . dait
. . . a.¤ co nderna mo chomarlisea provided thou do,
LU 8114
(
FB 8
).
a.¤ cor damthar fír fer dam ol sé atbér,
9213 (94)
. a.¤ co
rabat glinni mo diṅgbála ria provided there are sureties to satisfy
me,
MU² 64
.
a.¤ co nde[r]nat maith / flaith uaidib co bráth,
Trip.² 1798
.
cretfemit do Christ a.¤ co ro-fhindamm a nert,
PH 345
.
nis-fil do plāig . . . for bith nachus-bera sin for cūlu,
a.¤ corup léir guidter Dia occai,
RC xii 430 § 21
. With non-perfective vb.:
asbert . . . nod lemad a mbrethugud a.¤ co
ndaimtis nammá fora breith,
LU 9012
(
FB 76
). dá fessed a.¤
combad fer ulcach nod ngonad no mairfedsom he ind (mixed
constr.)
6110
(TBC).
cuma a dteasda uan dom aois / gan suan
feasda a.¤ go bhféadmaois,
Dán Dé xvii 5
.
a cōir féine a.¤ go
bhfagha / ni dóigh Éire i n-aontamha,
TD 24.1
. Hence as soon
as: act arroilgither ind epistilse dúibsi berthir úaib Laudocensibus gl. et cum lecta fuerit apud vos aepistola [haec] facite ut
et in L. aeclesia legatur,
Wb. 27d13
. aiggelat sa hé a.¤ co roisc
int oirned as soon as the ordination is ended,
RC xlii 134 § 9
.
acht co ndernair hoc rechtair romhat dochum an prainntighe,
RC xxvi 374.1
. With non-perfective vb.: ragat a.¤ co fiasur in
n-airm atá I will go as soon as I know where he is,
LU 3373
(
SCC 17
).
bérthar cainnli duit acht co tumthar,
Lism. L.
1996
.
(g) In adversative sense but:
énirt a cocubussom . . . act
nosnerta in sonirt,
Wb. 10c3
.
coir irnigde tra inso act ní
chumcamni,
4a27
.
robatar leosom eter desciplu . . . act
dorigénsat in descipuil dechor etarru,
7d10
.
cenél Maicc
Ercae as tressam . . . a.¤ nochon follamnaiget amal ardrígu,
Trip.² 1064
.
lánsíth i nHérinn . . . a.¤ buí imneissi chatha
iter dá Chorpre,
BDD² 230
.
(h) Often introducing a positive clause oppd. to a preceding neg. one or vice versa:
ni imdibe dualche . . . act is imdibe
colno,
Wb. 21b11
.
conibé eter in peccato act co beid in
pænitentia
,
9b2
.
ní bo ar seirc móidme act conrobad torbe
dúibsi triit,
17a13
.
ní dron act is diuit et is glé,
17b4
.
ni ar
Abracham . . . a.¤ is diar foirbthetuni,
2d2
.
ni delb ad-rorsat
act is cosmulius delbe,
1b19
.
ba torad saithir dúun . . . act ní
bad nertad na mbraithre,
10c21
.
is hé láech is áildem . . .
a.¤ níba s[h]uthain,
TBFr. 5
. ni hainfis a.¤ día necar doniam
indnos it is not in ignorance, but to set them forth that we
proceed in this way,
Mon. Tall. 154.27 (§ 66)
.
co rrabe . . .
cen dig cen biad, a.¤ 'co immorchor ón taíb co araile,
Sc.M² 3
.
In sense
at all events, however:
mór di ḟertaib . . . doróne . . .
acht aisnédfimne úaiti do ilib díb,
Trip.² 110
.
nī himda persa
. . . is fessach crēd . . . in bāss geipit, acht nī thernoighit tar
aiss amach go bráth,
Fl. Earls 70.31
. Note also: munup do
saighe selbha a.¤ for ecin `unless he seizes land by force only',
Laws iv 26.16 Comm.
nídnanaid a crothad nach a flescad a.¤
a nidi `it is no protection to shake or beat it, but only to wash it',
Mon. Tall. 155.2 (67)
.
ná dearbh as a.¤ go hairech,
Content.
vi 27
.
(i) On cases where the prec. neg. sentence contains a word
meaning only: ni hed a méit nonchretidsi act fodaimid
fochidi airi `not only do ye believe it but ye endure sufferings
therefor',
Wb. 23c7
.
nípat hé . . . nammá beite isind inducbáil
sin a.¤ bieit cit geinti,
4c40
.
nirbo chuit eperte tantum act
robatar cid ferte dia imthrenugud,
24c5
.
ni namá na duile
aicside do chumscugud . . . a.¤ ro-chumscaigit gráda nime,
PH 152
.
(j) In the idiom a.¤ ní . . . ní
not only not . . . but not (cf.
sech): a.¤ ní ructaisseom airesom ní rucadsom foraibsom not
only could they not get away from him but he could not catch
up with them,
BDD² 300
and note.
a.¤ nis leicim nis étaim,
TBC-LL¹
2334
(= sech LU).
a.¤ ni trebad ni coimge,
Metr. Dinds. iv
332.36
.
a.¤ ni gonab-sa ni gonfa-sa mo moindter-sa,
Ériu v
32.23
. a.¤ ní mó a cách ní lugu `not only is it not increasing but
it is not less',
Otia ii 81.2
. In positive constr.:
acht ba dimdach
ba debthach,
SR 5688
. atbert in drui: a.¤ saerfaithir do
mathair doberthar duit na bú as well as freeing your mother
the cows will be given to you,
IT i 40.x
. Note also:
a.¤ ní buaid
a denam imbáruch is mó is dimbúaid a denam innocht,
TBC-LL¹
1866
.
(k) With cia: cindas rainnfither in mucc . . . cīa indas . . .
a.¤ a-rann ar chomramaib in what other way,
Sc.M² § 6
.
cid,
ol si, acht maillechut-sa tú co sír,
PH 8262
. Introducing a
phrase: cid fil ann didiu (sic leg.)
a.¤ amal itcualae,
PH 834
.
cid fil ann immorro acht ni dechaidh aonnech ina ndocum,
Stair Erc. 449
. Note also:
aní ná roich lám, cid a.¤, / is écen
dam a dúthracht,
LU 3935
(`yet'
SCC § 44
).
(l) As quasi-conjunction in idioms with
cen (gan): gan é a.¤ i
naois ōiglenaib `seeing he was but of young child's age',
O'Gr. Cat. 381.13
.
gan lios . . . a.¤ lán do dhoire dharach,
TD 28.7
.
gan duine a.¤ ag dol ar séad,
Dán Dé ix 34
. gan duine . . .
do dol faoi . . . acht le custam do dhīol `that no one should go
under it without paying custom',
Fl. Earls 90.4
.
brugh. loch.
Lugh inand ghabhaid a.¤ gan illradh ag Lugh,
IGT Decl. p.
81 § 29
. Note also:
ní fuil mac Gaoidhil ná Goill / a.¤ lán dá
éanghrádh uile,
TD 17.57
. ní bhí leó a urdail a.¤ d'ór /. . ./
cinn a bhfagha suaine a sleagh / nó truaille tana dtroigheadh
`they have not so much as the heads of their javelins . . . but is
gold',
9.29
.
In introductory phrases:
a.¤ chena is alaind cech nderg,
LU 3914
(
SCC 43
).
gabhuis Columcille in salm . . . acht cena ni
rolegh-som acht aibghiter namá cosin,
Lism. L. 823
. a.¤ nammá
atáa mí nád n-imthet rí a.¤ cethrur however there is a month
when a king goes about accompanied by four only,
Críth G.
535
.
acht atá ní chena, bar F., is fiach fola ┐ feola dó-som
é,
TBC-LL¹ 2989
. See also cena. cid (trá) a.¤, cid fil and (trá) a.¤
etc., see trá II(b). a.¤ (mad) énní
however, nevertheless, at all
events:
achtmadh enní, do marbhadh ceithre fir décc [dibh],
AFM v 1328.4
.
acht aenni, do bitis debtha dermara eturro,
Ann. Conn. 1315.4
.
acht aen ni . . . bemitt ar aenconair,
1315.8
.
III As subst. ise cuit in achta ann this is the function of
the word `acht' in that passage,
O'D. 745
(H 3.17 col. 541)
(possibly to be referred to 2 acht).