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 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Evin, Ewin, a. Also: evyn(e, even; ewyn(e, ewine; eiven, -in, eaven. [ME. evin(e, even(e, early efn(e, OE. efen, efn.]

1. Straight; extending (or moving) in a direct line. Evin-up, upright.(a) 1375 Barb. vi. 164.
Quhar he hit with evin strak, Thar mycht no thing agane it stand 1456 Hay II. 45/2.
To the knycht is gevin a spere quhilk is evin 1514 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 92.
Thair salbe warnyt … in the crukit quarter Duncane Colisone, … in the evin quarter, Iohne Colisone 1533 Boece ii. ii. 60.
Ferichare … ressauit princelie ornamentis … ane evin wand (now callit ane scepture) 1551 Hamilton Cat. 28.
Ane biggare can nocht make ane evin up wal without direction of his lyne 1563 Davidson Answer 196.
As ane evin reule … is a witnes to the thing that is cruikit that it is cruikitfig. 1569 Lauder Minor P. i. 592.
Paule dois pronunce in wourdis plane & euin, That couatus men sall nocht inherit Heuin(b) a1400 Leg. S. ix. 51.
With gret ewyne [= eyne] & ewyne nes-thrillis c1420 Wynt. i. 864.
Wyth hyllys hey thir landys ar, … Ewyn as a lyne fra est to west 1562-3 Winȝet II. 7/2.
This is … a general reul to alricht, an ewin lyne of lawtay 1644 Aberd. B. Rec. IV. 18.
The ewin quarter [of the town], … the cruikit quarter [etc.] 1657 Ib. 167.
To caus … build the wall … in ane richt and ewin lyne from the present work

2. Level, flat, of uniform height or shape. c1400 Troy-bk. i. 253.
Thare was … without the wallis … A playne ritht fare, ewine and braide c1420 Wynt. iv. 987.
His mekyll mycht Kest down hillys … And with the waleis evyn thaim made Ib. viii. 5560.
All the streynthis … Thai ewyn layche to the erde has made 1513 Doug. xi. xvii. 83.
Ene with all his men Hes … Eschape the dern wod, and won the evyn land 1551 Hamilton Cat. 28.
A mason can nocht hew ane evin aislar staine without directioun of his rewill 1582 Treas. Acc. MS. 82.
For repairing of the castell clois … and making of the samin evin 1596 Dalr. I. 44/10.
Moray land … is eivin and plane, witout dubis and myres 1647 Glasgow B. Rec. II. 115.
To caus pleughe and harrow the Grein … and to mack it evine

3. Equal in amount or number.(a) 1388 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III. 294.
Of that sall be half to the forsaid Alexander, and the tothir half to the forsaid John, in evyn porcioun c1420 Wynt. viii. 6667.
Be my fay That walde I fayne ware at assay Quhare we mycht fecht with ewyn menye 1423 Charter (Reg. H.) No. 259.
Payand … at the festis of the purificacion of oure lady … and Sanct Petris Day … be twa evin porcions 14.. Acts I. 12/2.
That a common and evyn wecht … be kepit in bying and selling 1542 Reg. Cupar A. II. 27.
Payand ȝeirlie … at tuay vsuall termes in the ȝeir, … be evin proportiones(b) 1431 Reg. Great S. 44/2.
To be tane … at the termys of Martymes and Wytsonday be ewyn porciounys 1461 Peebles B. Rec. 139.
To be payit at tua vsswall termys, that is to say Wytsonday and Martymes, be ewyn porssyonys c 1525 Dunferm. B. Rec. 283.
Of annuell rent yeirly to be tane of the forsaid grund at twa vsuall termes … be ewin mid porcionis 1604 Stewart Mem. 113.
The dissobyeris … to fleit and remove … thame fra thair ewin pertis sa far as thai occupy thairof

4. Equal in status, nature, or quality. a1400 Leg. S. vi. 650.
I honoure God of hewyne, & Ihesu Criste, his sone ful ewyne Ib. xl. 268.
That … clommyne wes to the hycht of hewyn, Thar with angelis to be ewine 1409 Exch. R. IV. Pref. ccxi.
That this band as touchand evin falowschip and estate sal expire fra thyne furth c1420 Wynt. vi. 681.
Thoucht and deid he mad bath ewyn

b. To be evin with, to be quits with. 1593 Edinb. B. Rec. V. 85.
He suld be … evin with ilk ane of the said sessioun as he suld think tyme 1615 Highland P. III. 266.
If my onefrendis crose me, I trest in God … to be evin with thame

5. Just, equitable, impartial. c1420 Wynt. v. 3757.
I ken hym sa ewyn a man, That all thare wyt hym mend na kan Ib. v. 3838.
The sentens off ewyne rychtwysnes Fordois decretys off wodnes c1420 Ratis R. 1320.
Gud kyndnes, fair honeste, … Ewyne rychtwisnes in jugment Ib. 1542.
Lauchful or evyne pwniscioune May thaim assith be na resone 1479 Acta Conc. 44/2.
Haltoune sall restore again the male … to the said tennandis to remayn in thare handis as in evin handis on to the tyme [etc.] 1492 Ib. 218/1.

b. Proper, fitting. c1475 Wall. vi. 70.
So forthyr furth, be ewyn tyme off hyr age, … This lyflat man hyr gat in mariage

6. Of numbers: Even (in contrast to odd). Also fig. a1400 Leg. S. x. 382.
How dar thu thane for hod or ewyn Fra thi lorde tak hyre to thé c1420 Wynt. i. 300.
As we now fra the byrtht of God Reknys yherys ewyn or od c1420 Ratis R. 722.
Thai ar the dedly synis sewyne, With al thar branchis, od and ewyne a1500 Henr. Orph. 238.
This mery musik and mellifluate, Complete and full wyth nowmeris od & even c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxxiv. 37.
I forsaik God, And all his werkis evin and od Ib. lxxxv. 56.
To mak our oddis evyne 1596 Dalr. I. 269/19.
Quhilk man behauld suld outwardlie, And ken thairby rycht, euin, and odd