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.

Curn, n. Also: curne, kurne, cwrn(e, cowrne, courne. [Obscurely related to Corn n. Cf. Northern ME. curnis pl. corn-crops (once in 14th c.).] A single grain of corn, etc. Also pl. grain.Freq. with numerals indicating a proportionate amount of the crop or quantity.(1) 1456 Hay II. 140/29.
The humouris of the bark and the bitternes of the curnis [of raisins] c 1489 Liber Aberbr. 263.
Sowme of al curnys to ordinary expens within the place is vii^xx and xii chalder of quhete beir ande meil 1533 Gau 67/15.
Sine thair cummis greit frwit of that litel cowrne, and euerie cowrne hes it aune body and natural properteis better na it haid befor c1540 Lynd. Kitteis Conf. 90.
Curnis of meil, and luffillis of malt 1597 Misc. Spald. C. I. 111.
In sted of milk, the said Katherinis ky … yieldit onle furth of thair paps thik cwrnes of milnn [sic], lyk wenem and worsum 1623 Crim. Trials II. ii. 537.
The same day scho confest scho maid thrie seuerall caikis, euerie ane of thame of ix curneis of meill(2) 1446 Reg. Episc. Brechin I. 107.
The said land of Caldhame … aw to pay to the girst of the said myl the twenteat cwrne 1474 Acta Aud. 35/2.
[To pay] for the sawing bathe of the said atis and bere of ilk chalder the thrid kurne Ib. 98/2.
The multure of the cornes of the landis of Corstimyngfeild to the fourty curne 1500 Fam. Rose 171.
The cornys … to be multurit to the twenty ane curne 1557 Reg. Cupar A. III. 165.
Thay … payand thair multer to our corne mile of Kathik, the ane and twenty courne 1593 Brechin Test. I. 107 b.
Item of eattis sawin aine boll estimat to the thrid curne 1689 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. XIV. 774.
Sex bolls aites and tua bolls peis, … estimatt be the apprysers to the fourth curne (1685) Fountainhall Decis. I. 334.
The Lordis … deduced 7 firlots of each acre for the seed, which is excepted from the multure; this is the 4th pickle or curne