The word ‘outwith’

[HBStowe]

Trying to settle an argument with a colleague. He’s English and works in England, I’m Scottish and work in Scotland (in case it’s relevant).

So... do you use / regularly come across the word ‘outwith’? I.e. ‘If you are trying to email me outwith opening hours please use my personal address’.

My colleague says it’s not a real word. I say it definitely is and I encounter it all the time. Is this a thing? Is it a proper word? I notice it’s underlined in red on my phone which doesn’t bode well, but I am absolutely certain I’ve seen this word in use before in other places.

What’s the verdict MN?

the of is never necessary in U.K. English.

Interesting, I didn’t know this!

I thought "it's a perfectly cromulent word" was a Simpsons quote

I use outwith very occasionally when instructing experts at work (lawyer)...usually to remind them not to comment outwith the scope of their expertise

StepCatsmother funnily enough that’s where I most often use it too!

My (English, based in London) boss has started using it. As a Scot, I approve wholeheartedly - it’s a useful word!

The Outwith Festival

Married to a Scot and did live in Scotland for a few years.
The word 'outwith' is part of my normal vocabulary.

I wonder if it’s uses in other English speaking countries like the US or Australia.

Another expat Scot here. Definitely a word, totally clear in its meaning, I probably wouldn't use it in England though because English people tend to assume either you're trying to be all posh on them using fancy-schmancy words, or that you're in fact using a malapropism (because they don't realise different dialects have different words) and that you're stupid, neither of which is a response I particularly want to get.

I use it regularly. It's like "marless" - a good word with no easy English equivalent.

I've only come across it in the last few years.

A perfectly normal word used for official and unofficial purposes

Not being used in England doesn't mean it's not a word . I only realised some people struggled to understand it through Mn

It is a proper word.

So is uplift. I like that one too.

Of course it’s a word, just not one which is used often.

I'm English and I have heard this word and know it's meaning. Don't use it myself though. It sounds very archaic/old fashioned to me, I didn't know it was in common use in Scotland prior to reading this thread.

@Getting what about "outside of an unexpected event", is that incorrect? "Outside an unexpected event" would imply you had literally found yourself outside an unexpected event (say, the neighbours were holding a music festival in your back garden).

I am Scottish and it is common to hear it used here.

I'm in the never heard it camp before I moved to Scotland and I felt daft asking what it meant

I've only heard Scottish people use it as well.

Scottish word. Don't know how the rest of the world survives without it to be honest! Use it all the time.

I love this word! As a Scott loving in Southern England it scored me an all expenses trip to Glasgow as the all English interview panel at a large well known company I worked for needed me to translate after it appeared on application forms and they were worried the interviews may be hard for them to understand.

It comes up on MN occasionally. That’s the only place I’ve ever seen it.

It’s a word in Scotland. I remember wondering what people were on about at first but then realised and used it myself the whole time I lived there. I think there was also an “uplift” for “pickup” confusion. Uplift your documents from the faculty reception. Or was it uppick? Forgotten now.

I love the quirky subtle differences in language.

See also - swithering

Yes, useful oft used word. I am in south west scotland.

I use swithering, uplift and outwith. What do the English say instead of these?