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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.

Lene, Leyn, v.¹ Also: len, lein(e, leyne, lean(ne, leaynn, leind. P.t. and p.p. lenit, -yt etc., also leind. [ME. lene, leene, north. leyne, e.m.E. lean, early ME. leonien, OE. hleonian, hlinian weak vb. (also OE. hlǽnan to cause to lean).] To lean.

1. intr. To recline, lie down, prostrate oneself. Also reflex.Conjugated with to be.(1) ?a1500 Remembr. Passion 396.
How Sanct Johnne lenit apoun his breist c1500-c1512 Dunb. xlviii. 100.
This lady … leit him listly lene vpone hir kne 1513 Doug. v. xiv. 20.
Euery maryner … Thar bodeis restis … in thar hard settis lenand on ayris Ib. viii. Prol. 2.
As I lenyt in a ley … I slaid on a swevynnyng a1570-86 Maitl. F. lxxx. 34.
Scho raucht me sic ane rout Quhill to the erde scho gart me leyn [: refrein, feyn](2) a1400 Leg. S. xix. 228.
Skantly lenyt don he was Quhen the woyce on hym can cry 1513 Doug. xiii. Prol. 73.
Thar as I was lenyt doun, … On sleip I slaid a1578 Pitsc. I. 258/24.
Quhene he saw the King he … leinitt doune groufflingis on the dask befoir him and said [etc.](3) refl. ?1438 Alex. ii. 3757.
Cassamus tuke ane cod of prys, And by the playeris lenit him syne c1475 Wall. vii. 67.
Syne to the grece he lenyt him sobyrly 15.. Clar. iii. 1646.
Clariodus him leinit doune all cled a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 7 (L).
I lay and lenit [v.rr. leynit, leind] me to ane bus

2. To sit or stand up, to get up. a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 1112.
He [Gawain] lenyt vp in the place; The tothir raithly vpraise c1500-c1512 Dunb. xlviii. 187.
Than vp I lenyt, halflingis in affrey

3. To support oneself in a leaning position on, apon (upon), also owt our, till something; also, to prop oneself up on one's elbok. reflex. and intr.(1) refl. a1400 Leg. S. xxix. 28.
[In old age] hym worthis then Haf a potent hym on to len c1420 Wynt. iii. 461.
To thole hym … Syne he for standyn wery was, Tyll a pyllare leyne hym thare Ib. viii. 6760. ?1438 Alex. ii. 7199.
He lenit him on ane souldeir 1513 Doug. vi. xiii. 12. 15.. Clar. ii. 60.
Thay stand abake, and leanit them on thair brandis(2) intr. 1513 Doug. iv. xii. 94; Ib. ix. vii. 145.
Scho … Thrys on hir elbok lenys; and als feill sys Scho fallys bakwart in the bed agane Ib. v. xiv. 48.
Grippand the helmstok fast, Lenand tharon Ib. x. xiv. 11.
He … wondyt … Stude lenand with hys wery nek and bonys Owt our a bowand tre 1549 Compl. 120/2.
I beheld Saul leynand on his speyr a1578 Pitsc. I. 112/27.
Thair is nothing … stabill bot all thing subiect to ruine and decay leving [sic; I. leaneing] wpoun ane brukill stafe 1572 Buch. Detect. 139.
Quhen I was lenand vpon him warming me at the fyre 1611-57 Mure Dido & Æn. iii. 457.
Leining on her elbow

b. To apply one's weight to or on (a person or thing), by leaning or pressing against him or it. 1513 Doug. v. xiv. 59.
Scarsly gan the first rest of sleip … on his membris creip, Quhen on him lenys this god, and tho he kneld, And with a swak … Ourburd him kest 1596 Dalr. II. 276/12.
A seruand admonist, in the midis of the denner maid him leine to the cap burde and cast al doune

4. intr. To rest upon as a foundation, to be based on, to be supported by (to). lit. and fig. a1585 Maitl. Q. xlvi. 173.
Ȝour house … Oftymis His micht … did maintein it And laitlie onlie on the Lord it lenit 1581 Hamilton Cath. Tr. 125.
Peter being the grund stane of the kirk … , on the quhilk the haill kirk lenis … as the hous vpon the grundstane 1590-1 Bruce Serm. 221.
A tent … lacketh a ground … and, instead of a ground, it leaneth only to certain pinnes quhilk enter not deeply in the earth

5. fig. To rely or depend on or upon, to trust to (till, unto), for support. c1520-c1535 Nisbet Romans vi. margin.
Gif [a man] leaynn vnto his awin werkis 1530 Cal. Sc. P. I. 535.
Yff we leyn to much to our awin wyttis, it shalbe ane feible fondement 1567 G. Ball. 235.
Confes thy sinnis … Vnto thy God … And till him leyne for euer mair 1579, 1617 Despauter (1579).
Nitor, to endeuour or leyne to 1581 Hamilton Cath. Tr. (S.T.S.) 86/29, 31.
Quhidder ve haue better grund lening vpon the exposition … of the ancient doctors, or thir Caluinolatre ministers, quha onlie lenis vpon Caluins iugement 1583 Reg. Morton I. 137.
We man len on to his Ma[jesty's] promis 1592 Warrender P. II. 174.
Quhilk hes moved the forsaidis rebelles … to lein to the helpe of forreyn princes leagouris 1594 Charteris Pref. Wall. in Misc. Bann. C. III. 167.
The people ..., being destitute of ane ... man of ability to leind vnto 1635 Dickson Wr. 278.
They should lean less to their own strength and lay hold on Christ's power

b. Of a condition: To depend on (be). 1593 Montg. Suppl. 323.
It followis that the persewaris authoris rycht being tane away, his rycht and prowisioun, in sua far as the samyn leins be the said Mr James deceis, man also fall

6. fig. To incline, to be partial or favourable, to. 1562-3 Winȝet I. 117/13.
For … also the Lutheranis lenis in this mater rycht wechty to the apostolik traditioun Ib. 133/21.
Gif ȝe think we faill to lein erar to the iugement … of thai eldaris [etc.] 1584-9 Maxwall Commonpl. Bk. fol. 28 a.
The puir & iustmanis caus declyne nocht fraa Bot stedfastlie to the waik mannis pairt leine

7. tr. To cause to lean or rest, to lean or stand (one thing against (till) another). c1475 Wall. xi. 573.
His bow and suerd he lenyt till a tre

8. To incline (one's ear) to a sound etc.: cf. Len v. 4 a. a1649 Drummond II. 261/132.
Few vords … To vhich vinds, mountaines, voods, did leane their eare