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First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Ingine, Ingyn(e, n. Also: ingin, -giane, -gynd, -jyne, -gyine, -gene, -gein(e, -geyn(e. [Late ME. ingin(e, yngyne (c 1440), var. of Engine n., with in as in the original L. ingenium.]

1. Mental or intellectual talent, natural intelligence or cleverness, ability, genius. c1420 Wynt. ii. 551.
[The Jews] grewe so fast Off industry and ingyne Ib. v. 3553.
Sutyle of ingyne he was 1533 Bell. Livy I. 204/11.
He was dotate with maist souerane ingyne 1549 Compl. 22/1.
The quhilk passis humaine ingyne to comprehende the grounde … of it 1562-3 Winȝet I. 24/34.
Humane childer of happy ingynis, mair able to leir than I wes to teche 1573 Cath. Tr. 3/5.
To impesche and trauel men of gude ingyne … to cum to the understanding of the veritie 1585 James VI Ess. 54.
We haue all their opinions in writ … , besydes our awin ingynis 1600-1610 Melvill 25.
Whase ingyne and judgment past me als far … as the aigle the howlet 1671 Aberd. B. Rec. IV. 271.
If any boy, thorow neglect or hardnes of ingyne, come short of his fellow 1695 Glasgow Univ. Mun. II. 515.
The humours, inclinations, and ingine of their schollars

b. Applied to literary, esp. poetic, genius or ability. 1513 Doug. i. Prol. 4 (Sm.).
Virgill … Gemme of ingine and fluide of eloquence 1530 Lynd. Test. Pap. Prol. 55.
Thocht I had ingyne, as I haue none, I watt nocht quhat to wryt 1560 Rolland Seven S. 613.
The great ioy … My waik ingyne can na way weill compas 1596 Dalr. I. 110/8.
Mony men excellent in … leirning … quha wattired the … gairdins of Scotland [etc.] … with the fountanes of thair ingines 1636 Rutherford Lett. (1894) 143.
No pen, no words, no ingine can express to you the loveliness of my Lord Jesus

c. Applied abstractly to persons endowed with intellectual gifts. 1568-9 Old Dundee I. 73.
Some venturous ingyneis uses to ... dispute against the guid true religion a1578 Pitsc. I. 140/6.
The werie corruptouris of goode ingynes 1584 Calderwood IV. 153.
The good ingynes, wherof no nation hath greater store … , are applyed … to handie crafts 1585 James VI Ess. 20.
This yle of Brittain, swarming full of quick ingynes 1609 Garden Garden 48.
Though they should … joine All th' earthl' ingens with those the best abone 1637 Baillie I. 9.
Alwayes I take the man to be among the most learned and best ingynes of our natione 1701 Brand Orkney & Shetl. 68.
Many promising and pregnant ingenys lost and letters discouraged

d. Quasi-concr. A person's intellectual faculty, an intellect. 1544-5 Hamilton P. II. 554.
It dullis and spyllis his ingyn a1586 Maitland Ho. Seytoun xi.
Quhen thair ingyn and mynd is ydill a1578 Pitsc. II. 51/18.
The ... cardinall cuist his ingyne to get the governour ... bound to his counsall 1682 Lauder's Observes App. iv. 307.
The curious have sorely tortured ther ingines, searching which of the schoal nicities that might [be]

2. Mental quality in general, disposition, temperament. c1475 Wall. vi. 316.
Off ingen he was trew 1513 Doug. i. Prol. 321.
Gentill ingynys, and breistis curageus 1533 Bell. Livy I. 178/8.
Ane man of mair soft ingine Ib. II. 120/22.
[He] fand sa proude ingine … amang his adversaris 1533 Boece i. i. 33 b.
Gathele … was … of prudent and wise ingine 1540 Lynd. Sat. 1917.
Michtie drink comforts the dull ingine c1600 Montg. Suppl. xxii. 2.
Your outward gesture … decleris the invard secrettis of ingyne 1622-6 Bisset I. 33/19.
As the ingyne of sindrie men ar

b. The mind or disposition of a person or persons. 1531 Bell. Boece I. 186.
He gave his ingine to hunting Ib. (M) II. 129/38.
The ingyn of tyrannis ar ay of sik condicioun [etc.] a1578 Pitsc. I.124/18.
Wickitnes, to the quhilk he was gevin … throw the impietie of his awin ingyne 1586 Row 121.
My often … abusing of the kirk … by confessiounes, infirmiteis of my owne ingyne 1594 Ib. 156.
Their malicious ingyns in conspyreing aganis Kirk, King [etc.] 1596 Dalr. I. 151/24.
Out of al partes he gathiret a gaird of his awne brane and ingine, evin as impudent as him selfe 1643 Baillie II. 57.
The King hes turned the Parliament's ingyne against them

3. Ingenuity, skill (esp. manual), contrivance. 1531 Bell. Boece I. 37.
Na devise nor ingine of man may avale Ib. 38.
It is na litill admiratioun be quhat ingine and strenth sa huge stanes bene brocht togidder 1536 Reg. Episc. Brechin II. 318.
For his … lawbour of masoun craft, the best, craftiast and of maist ingyne that he can 1549 Compl. 4/15.
Succurrit be ane diuyne miracle, rather nor be the ingyne of men 1563 Acts II. 538/2.
Certane strangearis of excellent ingyne … quha hes accordit to … manifest ane new maner of making of salt a1585 Maitl. Q. lxvi. 86.
In ane cadge inventit be ingyne The sillie bird … dois pyne 1596 Dalr. I. 95/3.
The brue of this fleshe … thay make … with gret ingine 1622-6 Bisset II. 372/33.
Na medicionell ingyne of man mycht … cuir him be phisik c1650 Spalding I. 259.
Thay set thair ingyne to do what could be done to withstand … the castell cannon

4. An instance of ingenuity; an artifice, device or contrivance; a stratagem or plan. 1531 Bell. Boece (M) I. 41/19.
Nocht knawand be quhat ingyne he mycht distroye thame baith Ib. (1821) II. 160.
Thay serchit mony inginis to win the town Id. Livy I. 123/7.
Lat us … vesy be quhat ingynis & exercicions euery ane of oure wyiffis ar presentlie occupijt c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus ii. 731.
Thay kuld be na kin art … hir court … conuert Be no ingine or imaginatioun 1581 Hamilton Cath. Tr. 87 b.
This is the ingine of Sathan, to appeir to condemne idolatrie 1592 Acts III. 559/1.
Thomas Foullis gouldsmyth hes found out the ingine and moyane to caus … fyne the vris of mettallis 1596 Dalr. I. 95/5.
Of heipes of corne throuch the same ingine breid wil thay make Ib. II. 134/4.
Nawyse culd he win fra him, be nouther industrie or ingin 1611-57 Mure Misc. P. i. 23.
Inventing then all the ingynes he can, To brash my breast the battery thus began 1639 Baillie I. 115.
The subscryveing of the King's Covenant … became the soveraigne ingyne to overturne episcopacie c1650 P. Gordon Brit. Dist. 93.
[His] braine was ... alwayes ... hammering furth sum ingeine to compasse his designe 1658 Glasgow Weavers 22.
David Arnot … sall not … conceall no poynt nor ingyne thairof fra him 1692 Vindication of Calvin, [etc.] Preface.
This essay ... is an ingine set a-work to ... heal the beast of its deadly wounds

5. With evil, false, or coupled with colour: Deception, guile, trickery.(1) 1457 Wemyss Chart. 81.
Al fraude and gyle, excepcioun and euyl ingene remouit 1496 Lennox Mun. 162.
All fraud, gyle, cauelation and ewill ingyn excludit(2) a1500 Henr. Fab. 2858.
The mous, but persauing The fals ingyne of this … taid c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 121 (M).
He is sa full of jelosy and ingyne fals 15.. Clar. v. 61.
How the toune [sc. Troy] was taine be false ingyne 1560 Rolland Seven S. 2059.
O wickit wicht, thow dois all that thow can With fals ingyne euer to tempt the man(3) 1472 Lennox Mun. 87.
I … sall neuer … throw ony maner of colour or ingyn … perseu the said Lord Dernlee 1550 Elgin Rec. I. 104.
That na persoun … sell ony barkit ledder … under quhatsumevyr cullour or ingyne 1558 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 308.
Neuer to violat … the samen [act] be coverit craft, ingin, nor color 1589 Sutherland Chart. 164.
That nane of thame … sall intruse or be ony cullour or ingyne posses thame … in ony of the said … landis

6. A mechanical contrivance or appliance. 14.. Acts I. 109/2.
Suilk cruiffis and the ingynys done wythin [them] ?1438 Alex. (c 1580) ii. 3494.
I haue ingynes and rapes … To auale hors 1457 Acts II. 51/2.
That na man in smolt tyme set veschellis, crelys, weris, or ony vther ingyne 1535 Stewart 22747.
All instrument … Or ȝit ingyne in warld that micht be wrocht With mannis wit 1576 Reg. Privy C. II. 515.
[Not] to set girnis … or to vse ony uther ingyne for the slauchter of … wild fowlis 1579 Edinb. B. Rec. IV. 116.
Yrnes, lokis, rodis, keyes, or vther ingyndis and warklomes belonging to the office of javeloury 1581 Burne Disput. 109.
The Caluinist … vil afferme … that ve be certane pilleis or ingeynis ar liftit vp to heauin 1598 Acts IV. 176/1.
Ane artificiall ingyne in making of pompis … quhilkis ingynes all ather gang with wind, water, hors or men [etc.] 1622-6 Bisset II. 249/11.
Twa veschellis befallis to tak heringis … they aucht to lay sa mony ingynis ane as the uthir 1655 Edinb. B. Rec. VIII. 392.
To buy fra him that ingyne or instrument for watter agains fyre 1683–4 Stirling B. Rec. II. 324.
Ane … accompt of … trees for making ingynes for breaking the yce at the bridge

7. A mechnical device or apparatus for use in war. Chiefly applied to the various kinds of early artillery, also fire-arms.Ingine of firewerk, firework ingine (1567–1603), a fire-arm, see Firewerk n. 1.(1) c1460 Alex. (Taym.) 61.
Sum schot withe gunnys and sum vithe ingyne 1533 Bell. Livy I. 94/22.
Twa centuries of smythis … to turs the munycioun and ingynis of chevelry Ib. II. 147/34.
The towris, sowis, … and other sindri ingynes that thai maid to wyn the toun 1547 Treas. Acc. IX. 104.
For vj score men broucht up the last cannoun battard and ingianes c1552 Lynd. Mon. 1686.
One cityie with ane strang dungeoun That none ingyne may ding it doun(2) 1591 Antiq. Aberd. & B. IV. 53.
To … assege the said castell … , rais fyir and ws all force and weirlyk ingyne that can be haid for wynning … thairof1602 Crim. Trials III. 174.1614 Ib. 284. (3) 1603 Reg. Privy C. VI. 519.
An unlauchfull ingyne of weir callit the pittart c1650 Spalding I. 25.
Except be force of ingyne of warr 1667 Highland P. II. 47.
He beseedged the castle of Stroim and used manie ingines in wining of it 1678 Mackenzie Laws & C. i. xxxii § 2 (1699) 158.
It is strange that only fire-works or ingines should be forbidden by that Act