Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. X).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Styme, Stime, n. [ME and e.m.E. stime (Cursor M.), ? Icel. skíma. Cf. later Sc. skime a gleam of light. Also in the later dial.] To se (something) nocht (nevir, etc.) ane styme, to be unable to see (something) at all, to have no glimpse or awareness (of something), to be unable to see to do (something). With lit. and fig. reference. a1500 Henr. Orph. 605.
Blinding of the spreit With … myst of ignorance Affetterrit in this warldis vane plesance … To kene the self a styme it may nocht se a1500 Peblis to Play 147.
For dust that day Micht na man se ane styme 1535 Stewart 2438.
For lose of licht thai left the feild … Langar to fecht thai micht nocht se ane styme 1535 Stewart 6703, etc. 1560 Rolland Seven S. 3647.
Throw thair slicht craft he suld not se a stime a1568 Scott xxxiii 23.
Nevir styme thow [sc. Cupid] seis, Bot hittis be gais 1570 Sat. P. xv 90.
Sum seis not ane styme a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 539 (W).
In vnderneath the flour, The lurking serpent lyis, Suppois thou seis hir not ane styme, Till tyme scho stang thy fute 1603 Haddington B. Rec. (Robb) 19 Feb.
[He] said that thai wer ane blind counsall, & devill ane styme thai saw