Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Bone, boyn(e, n.¹ Also: bown(e, boune. [ME. bone (c 1175), bon, also boyn(e, bun(e, boun, ON. bón.]

1. A prayer; the thing prayed or asked for. a1400 Leg. S. xviii. 689.
Fra that I had mad this bone Ib. 1101.
Fayre fadyr! my bowne grant me Ib. xxxvi. 528.
He … to the maydine gef it son … til fil hir bone c1420 Wynt. viii. 997 (W).
Scho, that saw na better bone, Till his bidding grantit sone 1513 Doug. viii. Prol. 140.
Sum langis … for thar bontay or boyn Ib. ix. vii. 76; etc.
With afald voce thus wys he maid his boyn

2. Attrib. with service, scheiring, silver. (Cf. Bonday.) 1546–7 Hamilton MSS. 1.
Five shillings boyne siluir … and fyve lang cariages 1581 Reg. Great S. 146/2.
Harrowing, bone scheiring, corne leiding Ib.
Cum servitiis lie boneservice