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

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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.

Iron(e, Yron(e, n. Also: iroun, yronn, -oun, iyron(e, (irron, iryone). [e.m.E. and late ME. iron, yron(e (c 1420), later var. of iren. In Sc. chiefly late, after e.m.E. Cf. Iren, Irne.]

1. The metal iron. 1578 Inv. Wardrobe 252.
Sevin … cutthrotis of forgit yron 1595 Wedderb. Compt Bk. 30.
John Myln … awin me ane schip pund gad iron 1610 Highland P. III. 121.
The ship hathe … xxvi peicis of iroun and many muskettis 1661 Lamont Diary 139.
A new chemley … with long barrs of iyron before, … all of iyron behinde

2. a. An iron instrument or appliance. b. pl. Iron shackles.a. (1) 14.. Acts (1597) II. 47.
The money … sall bee deliuered to them againe, after the same be past the irones 1650 Lamont Diary 13.
His tounge pearced with a hott iyron(2) a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 1253.
He hit the yron quhyle it was het 1600-1610 Melvill 481.
Manie yrons in the fyre, sum will cullb. 1624 Peebles B. Rec. 413.
For careing the yrones fra brockis hoill to the steipill 1684 Bk. O. Edinb. C. IX. 145.
To put Mr. Carstaires in the ordinar irons

3. a. attrib. Composed or made of iron. 1572 Treas. Acc. MS. 232.
Irone graippis with thair schaftis 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 331.
Abone the west syid … lay tua Scottis iyrone peicies, at the north syid, the Scottis gros culveringis 1591 Dundee Treas. Acc. MS.
For the bering off the yroun chanȝe hame and affild 1640 M. Works Acc. XXIX. 104 b.
For twa bukitts with iroun girthis and iroun boullis thairto 1648 Edinb. Test. LXIII. 348.
Ane meikil iryone pott 1661 Acts VII. 47/2.
Pitch, tar, whityron, yron threid

b. comb. with girded, stockit. 1570 (1650) Dundee B. Laws 111.
Two watter-mettis … , one of them iron girded 1694 Inchmahone Pr. 163.
Ane pair of yrone stockit pistolls