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.

Fine, Fyne, a. Also: fyn, fin, fayn, feyne. [ME. fyn(e, fine, fin (a 1300), OF. fin, fem. fine.] Of superior quality, excellent, choice, fine (in various senses): a. Of persons, or performers. 1375 Barb. xi. 417.
Men … So gude, so hardy, and so fyne c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 8.
The lark, the hevyns menstrale fyne 1535 Stewart 57101.
To seik him leichis that wer fyne and gude c1552 Lynd. Mon. 4750.
Fyschearis fyne Off men and wemen 1596 Dalr. i. 186/31.
Carancie … maid thame fyne freindes

b. Of various material things. a1400 Leg. S. vi. 279.
Preciuse stanys As sardiane, topias fyne c1420 Wynt. i. 1655.
That payntyd ymage wyth colowrys fyne Ib. ii. 51.
Hir basnet With othire armys gud and fyne c1475 Wall. vii. 408.
Fyne cawk eneuch 1495 Acta Conc. 428/2.
Woll … fyne merchand gude c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 33.
Flouris … fynest of smell 1529 Reg. Episc. Aberd. I. 395.
Ane … brig of fyn aistlar stane a1568 Bann. MS. 138 a/57.
Ane brechame and twa brochis fyne c1590 J. Stewart 39/320.
His dag misga, the snapvark vas not fyn

c. Of cloth or garments. a1400 Leg. S. xxii. 503.
Ypolyt … wand it in clathis fyne c1420 Wynt. iii. 225.
Thare robys fyne 1473 Treas. Acc. I. 33.
The fynast vellus for a gowne a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 318.
Frenyeis of fyne silk c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 138.
A curche of kersp allther fynest 1548 Treas. Acc. IX. 221.
Fyve quarterris fynnar welwote 1586 Grant Chart. 400.
Ane syde-nekit clok of fyne Franche blak 1628 Edinb. Test. LIV. 242.
Ane feyne new blew mat

d. Of metals, esp. gold or silver.(1) a1400 Leg. S. l. 856.
The spakis … of fynest steile c1420 Wynt. iv. 1897.
That metalle, mad sa pure and fyne c1475 Wall. xi. 26.
Wapynnys off fyn steill 1513 Doug. xii. iv. 130.
In burnyst gold and finast alcomy 1615–6 M. Works Acc. XI. 52 b.
Tua pund of fyne tyne for the … naillis(2) 1375 Barb. xx. 304.
Ane cas of siluir fyne a1400 Leg. S. xlvii. 196.
Of fyne gold a wrethe c1420 Wynt. iv. 1892.
Symulacrys … Made off gold and sylvyr fyne c1475 Wall. viii. 396.
Fyne gold … Mar than in Troy was fund 1513 Doug. x. ix. 53.
Ane huge wecht of fynast gold 1567 Acts III. 39/1.
The fyne money of this realme 1590 Edinb. Test. XXI. 188.
Ten scoir … vnces of fyne and cours siluer(3) 1525 Reg. Great S. 114/1.
Uncias argenti puri quod esset ad minus ellevin penny fyne 1554 Treas. Acc. X. 237.
Tua unce gold of xxii carret fyne 1584 Acts III. 311/1.
New money to be cunȝeit of thrie pennie fyne 1649 Aberd. B. Rec. IV. 102.
That allwork … sall be elewin pennie fyne

e. Of food, drink, or medicine. 1456 Hay II. 144/11.
A fyne small plesand wyne a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 83.
To feid him of that fyne fude a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 248.
Boxis … with fine electuaries 1518 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 178.
At the samyn [breid] be of fyne stufe 1596 Dalr. I. 14/25.
We haue cheis nane fyner Ib. 27/21.
Ane … spring, of fyne, freshe and fair water

f. With abstract nouns. Offine force, by necessity. By fine force, by main force. c1420 Wynt. vi. 2538 (W).
In Sanct Mergretis Hope belif Off fyne fors thaim behuffit arif c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 26.
Off … fyne favour war thair faceis 1558-66 Knox II. 141.
That all that we did, we did by fyn force 1560 Rolland Seven S. 8348.
Ane fyne fabill in that volume I fand 1567 Sat. P. v. 127.
To mak ane ordour gude and fyne