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

Join, Joyn(e, v. Also: joigne. [ME. ioyne(n, ioine(n (1297), ioygne(n, ioigne(n (14th c.), e.m.E. joyn, join, OF. joign-, stem of joindre. Cf. June and Jone.] To join, in various senses.Const. with or to (something), (several things or persons) togidder, or absol.

1. tr. To join, attach, connect, fix (material things). Also fig.(1) c1450-2 Howlat 344.
Thre crovnis and a crucifix … Circulit on ilk syde with the sapheir, The jaspis joynit in gem and rubyis in rold a1500 Henr. Fab. 868 (H).
[A] croun … With iaspis ioynitfig. c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxxxvi. 3.
O gem joynit in joye angelicall(2) 1568 Buch. Indict. 44.
He was placit in a hous joynit to the kiching 1596 Dalr. I. 28/13.
A rouch rock … [with] a dangerous hill towarde the north, ioyned thairwith and sticking thairto 1614 Edinb. Test. XLVIII. 55.
Ane clos bed with ane almrie … joynit thairto

b. To joyn hand in hand. 1513 Doug. i. vi. 172.
Quhy grantis thou nocht we mycht joyn hand in hand, And fortill heir and rendir vocis trew?

2. To join, unite, combine (non-material things). c1515 Asl. MS. I. 327/5.
Quhilk ald testament and new Crist … ioynit in ane 1568 Hosack Mary Q. of Scots 527.
Quhilk … solitar state joynit with his povertie … [was] a … miserable ward to ane personage of his byrth a1578 Pitsc. II. 129/8.
New seillis maid … to ioyne the armes of France and Scotland togither in 1585 James VI Ess. 29.
If to make good verse thou hes sic cure, Joyne night and day

3. To join as an addition, to add (to something). 1596 Dalr. I. 61/7.
Three things that he hard … to quhilkes we thocht gude to ioyne sume vthir things, na les probable 1622-6 Bisset I. 93/5.
That [to] the said institution to be maid we suld joyne the ead of apostolict strenth

4. a. To join, associate (persons). b. To join (military forces). 1596 Dalr. I. 187/19.
Gif thay ioyned thair forces togither … the Romanis may be expellet out of hail Britannie 1598 Edinb. B. Rec. VI. 210.
That the twa new ministers to he joynet to the foure awld ministers, haif ilk ane of thame fyve hunder merks of yeirlie stipend 1649 Aberd. Council Lett. III. 147.
Give the goldsmythes be joyned with the hemermen

5. intr. and reflex. To come together, unite, assemble, in association or alliance, or in marriage. b. tr. To join, attach oneself to (a party, etc.).(1) a1500 Rauf C. (1572) 695.
[In the hall of the palace] Quhair mony douchtie of deid war joynit that day 1513 Doug. iv. iii. 43.
I affeir me … Nor Jupiter … list appreif thai pepillis … Togiddir myddill or joyn in lyge or hand Ib. x. v. 64.
Bot Turnus hes determyt … That ȝour hostis sall not togidder joyn 1570 Reg. Morton I. 51.
Hendrie Lawmonthe and wtheris joynit wyth hym 1572 Sempill Sat. P. xxx. 206.
Quhair the iust dois ioyne thame with forsakin Be war thay get not wickit Acabs takin [= token, sign] 1596 Dalr. II. 64/4.
Mony of the special nobles gynes him the convoy, ioyneng thame selfes to his societie 1640 Rep. Maxwell-Stuart Mun. 33.
Wheras we … wer forced to joyne … in ane covenant(2) 1623 Aberd. Council Lett. I. 204.
When as some wedews … joyned thame selffis in mariage with clannit menb. 1690 Leven & Melv. P. 494.
Which … so encouraged the disaffected to joigne them that many of our shyre … have joigned them alreadie

6. intr. To join in battle, to encounter, engage. b. To joyn battell. c1450-2 Howlat 489 (A).
Quhen the battallis so brym … War joyned [B. jonit] thraly in thrang 1513 Doug. ii. i. 33.
Heir the ostis war wont to joyn in feild 1531 Bell. Boece I. 256.
Becaus baith the armijs war within schott of arrow, Maximus be sounde of trumpatt gaif signe to ioyn a1578 Pitsc. I. 271/4.
Be this the tua gret battellis … come fordward … and ioinitt awfullie at the sound of the trumpit Ib. II. 270/29.
The day nocht beand lang and thay joyning at four houris eftir none 1596 Dalr. I. 267/36.
Quhen he was about to joyne with the ennimie, S. Androis croce was ay borne beforb. c1650 Spalding II. 199.
Immediately befoir he joynit battell

7. To be adjacent or contiguous with; to adjoin. a1586 Maitland Ho. Seytoun 45.
The said lord biggit the new werk on the north syde of the said foirentres, joynand with the samyn 1670 Dunkeld Presb. II. 459.
Two ells immediately joyning to the laird of Bamffis roome