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

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First published 1971 (DOST Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Neve, Neiv(e, n. Also: new(e; nive, niwe, nivve; neave, neawe; neeve. [ME. neve (c 1300), north. e.m.E. neive (1674), neave (1684), ON. hnefe, nefe (Norw. dial. neve, næva, Sw. näfve, Dan. næve). Cf. Nefe and Nave.]

1. A fist.(1) 1375 Barb. iii. 581.
Newys that stalwart war & squar That wont to spayn gret speris war Ib. xvi. 129 (see Nave n.²).
New a1400 Leg. S. xxvii. 251.
Newis c1420 Wynt. ix. 1278.
Swa held he Wellis be the neve, That wp he helpyd hym to rys Ib. viii. 6980.
Newys 1456 Hay I. 155/9.
For gif he wald strike me with his hand and I strike him agayne with my neve a1500 Lanc. 1221.
Newis 1513 Doug. iv. xii. 58; etc.
Nevis [v.r. neffis] 1535 Stewart 56342.
Nevis 1576 Crim. Trials I. ii. 61.(b) 15.. Clar. iii. 601.
Romaryn rave hir hair out with hir neives a1605 Montg. Ch. & S. 1552 (Wr.). Id. Misc. P. xxxii. 68.
A pretty play … Quhair tentles bairnis may to their tinsall tak The neiv with na thing, and the full refuse 1639 Baillie I. 220.
Neives 1651 J. Hope Diary 149.
[In a dream] I keeped his [a lion's] body in my neive 1662 Highland P. III. 24.
There was a hole in it that ye micht put your neive in(c) c1590 Fowler I. 117/138.
[He] was opning wpp his hand and palme and falding than his niwe — 1558-66 Knox I. 146 (see Nevell v.).
Nivves — 1668 Corshill Baron Ct. 85.
In strickeing of his wife with her fist or nive 1684 Stranraer B. Ct. 23 Dec.(d) 1601 Crim. Trials II. 358.
Neave 1628 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. II. 364.
For stryking of Janet McIlrae … with ane rock and hir neawes 1637 Baillie I. 21.
Neaves(e) 1629 Dundonald Par. Rec. 292.
Neeue(2) ?a1500 Dewoit Exerc. 69.
With oppin handis and lukin newis 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 73.
The said George tuike him with his steikit neive upon the face 1623 Orkney Bp. Ct. 51 b.
With his falded newe 1662 Justiciary Ct. Rec. I. 35.
With his folded neive 1668 Culross II. 167.
Chopped upon the counsell tabell with his fauldet neeve 1683 Fountainhall Decis. I. 254.
For giving him a mortal stroke … with a stone in his folded neive

b. = Grasp; hence, possession. 1573 Davidson Sat. P. xlii. 427.
The teindis will not cum in thair neuis Sa lang as ony of vs leuis

2. As a measurement of the stature etc. of horses: The breadth of a fist, a ‘hand’. 1672 Melrose Reg. Rec. II. 292.
Ane … black staige … with tua neive longe of haire in the taill 1701 Brand Orkney & Shetl. 77.
They have a sort of little horses called shelties, … some will be but 9, others 10, nives or hand-breadths high