Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1990 (DOST Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

(Riming,) Rym(e)ing, -yng, vbl. n.¹ Also: rymm-. [ME and e.m.E. rymyng (Chaucer); Rim(e v.²] The action or fact of rhyming, in various senses of Rim(e v.²

1. The art of using rhyme (? including assonance).Riming in termis, ? limiting the choice of words chosen for the purpose of rhyme (? or assonance) to those possessing at most three syllables. ?1438 Alex. ii Colophon 4.
Thocht I failȝeit of ryming Or meter or sentence … Forgif me 1622-6 Bisset I 18/20.
Reject me nocht althought I rin arreir Be rymeing rudlie — 1581-1623 James VI Poems I 70/21.
Ȝe man be war likewayis (except necessitie compell yow) with ryming in termis, quhilk is to say that your first or hinmest word in the lyne exceid not twa or thre syllabis at the maist, vsing thrie als seindill as ye can

2. The composing of rhyming verse (esp. verse of a scurrilous nature); versifying. a1500 Lanc. 324.
Our rymyng is al bot derysioune, Quhen that remembrit is his excellens a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 32 (M).
Leif thy rymming rebald and thy rowis c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyt. 68 (M).
I hecht To red this rebbald rymming with ane rout 1558-66 Knox I 261. 1653 Strathbogie Presb. 242.
Georg Jinkin and John Christie referred from the session of Abercherder, for ryming and cuculling, called, compeird not