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

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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Spun(e, Spon(e, n.. Also: spuin(e, spwn(e, spoin, spoyn(e, spewn(e, spoun(e, spown(e, spoon(e. [ME and e.m.E. spone (1316-17, north.), spon (c1320), spoon (Lydgate), spoyn, spvne (both Cath. Angl.), spown (1531), spoine (1561, north.), OE spón, ON spónn.]

1. A spoon.Also with specific designations: lang spune, ? a serving spoon or ladle. Also in proverb. use merely with reference to keeping one's distance; fische spone, ? a spoon for serving or eating fish or ? a fish-slice.; silver, tinne, etc. spune, a spoon made of the specified material; apossell spoune, an Apostle spoon (Apostol n.). See also Alcomy n., Flaming vbl. n., Grene adj. 6 b, Horn n.¹ 3, Lamber n. b, Perfum(e)ing vbl. n. c, Ram-horn(e attrib., Silver n. 12 a for further examples.(1) 14.. Acts I 44/2.
The ayre … sall hafe … a pestall a masar a dubblar a cop tuelf spunys [etc.] 1492 Treas. Acc. I 200.
To the Dwke of Ross, to bordour a spwne abowte, iij vnicornis 1552 Treas. Acc. X 96.
For mending of ane silver cowpe and tway spunys that war brokin a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. 302/41.
Thai leif not spindle spwne nor speit 1587 Carmichael Etym. 6.
Cochlear, a spune 1615 Haddington Corr. 288.
Ane succour buist, with ane spvne 1682 Kirkcudbr. Test. (Reg. H.) 14 Oct.
Spuns 16… Nat. Lib. MS 22.2.11, penult. p.
Warm it in a pan still stiring it about with a spune(b) 14.. Burgh Laws c. 109 (B).
Sponys 1433 Ayr B. Ct. 20 April. 1462 Misc. Spald. C. V 22.
Tua sponys … laid in wede to the said Thome c1475 Wall. ii 272.
His fostyr modyr … Did mylk to warme … with a spoyn gret kyndnes to him kyth 1534 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 143.
We tuk avisament ane xv dais for the silver spones a1568 Bann. MS 141b/57.
Als sone as we our deid had done Scho reis sone vp and askit hir schone Als tyrd as scho had weschin a spone a1568 Balnaves in Bann. MS 138b/39.
Quhen thow hes done thy dett … Forfochin in the feild Scho will say sone gett thé ane spone Adew baith speir and scheild(c) 1520 Stirling B. Rec. I 6.
For the spons that was left … to the makin of ane chaellis … the saidis provest and balyeis hes dischargit the said Gilbart in all tyme to cum of the said spoune(d) 1610 Edinb. Test. XLVI 174b.
The furneist blak ledderen cais with the xviij spoones the forkis and the knyffisproverb. a1598 Ferg. Prov. MS No. 1377.
Thay that begins with needl & spoone taks horned neat or they hav done(2) 1506–7 Treas. Acc. III 269.
xxix½ unce of silver to be ane pan for the Quene with ane lang stalk and ane lang spune 1506–7 Treas. Acc. III 273.proverb. a1598 Ferg. Prov. MS No. 521.
He should hav ane long shafted spoone that sups caill with the devill a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 1623.(3) 1446 Aberd. B. Rec. MS IV p. 438 (17 June).
j fische spone 1667 Strathblane Par. 318.
Ane flaming spone(4) 1454 Old Dundee II 13.
A chalice of silver our-gilt … and has thereto a spune of silver 1477 Aberd. B. Rec. I 408.
Foure tynnyn spunys 1478–9 Acta Aud. 83/2.
Spwnys 1539 Treas. Acc. VII 254.
Ane silver spune to Lady Jane, weyand ane unce 1539 Perth Hammermen 40.
Twa spunes of silver of velleis for ii markis 1559 Fam. Rose 227.
Twa silwir spwnis for the loschingis to the Mes 1562 Inv. Q. Mary 56.
Twa gilt spvnis 1608 Edinb. Test. XLIV 164b.
Aucht knoppit siluer spvnes 1613 Edinb. Test. XLVII 316.
Sevin northway silver spunes(b) 1651 Buccleuch Mun. II 289.
Spuines(c) 1499–1500 Acta Conc. II 403.
A spewne of silver, the price xviij s.(d) 1530 Balmerino and L. Chart. ii 31.
Spownis 1603 Montgomery Mem. 248.
Ane coup and ane spoun of silluer 1631 Buccleuch Household Bk. 26 Sept.
Item a dossone of tinne spouns(e) 1572–3 Elgin Rec. I 136.
Walter Hay, goldsmith … to delyuer to Thomas Robertson ane siluir spoin … contenand ane vnce and half quarter vnce wecht … or ellis of the vecht of the rest of the said James spunis 1584 Argyll Fam. Lett. 62.
Spoynes(f) 1673 Lauder Jrnl. 264.
Dozen of silver spoons wying tuo onces 1685 in Sinclair Satan's Inv. World Suppl. cii.
He had a good pennyworth of peuther spoons, fine like silver(5) 1610 Hist. Kinloss A. xii.
Ane dossoune apossell spounes

b. A spoon of some form or some similar implement for use in melting lead. 1496 Treas. Acc. I 296.
For a ladil of irne, for the plumbis ȝetting, and a spune of irne, iij s. Item, for talloune to melt the lede with, ij s.

c. Spvne wecht, ? a weight in some way resembling a spoon. 1502 Acta Conc. MS XII 84.
Thre spvne wechtis the price of the pece iiij d.

2. Roofing shingle. Also attrib. with thak. Cf. spule n.² 1532 Ex. Processes (Reg. H.) No. v (Elphinstone v. Innes).
The rufe of the samin chalmer contenand fifty cuppillis thekit with spone 1558 Inverness Rec. I 22.
Wat Cupar … to thek the sowtht syd of the moder kyrk … and wyne the spone to the same 1558 Inverness Rec. I 22.
Viz. for to wyne the hayll spone to thek the sowth syd and bringyn of thame … sa far as ane boyt ma carre tham … and to dycht the hayll spone 1583 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 312.
To theik the smyddyhous the ane syde witht new spowne and the uthir syde with new sklait 1583 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 312.
To theik the chappell with spowne, the west half of the smyddyhows with spwne alswa; estimit to threscoir vanescottattrib. 1501 Treas. Acc. II 47.
In Ternway, giffin to the wricht th[at] hewis the spune thak … iiij li.