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

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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. X).
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Toung, Tung(e, Tong(e, n. Also: tounge, towng(e, toong, twng(e, twngȝe, tonng, tongu(e, tang, thowng, (towing). [ME and e.m.E. tunge (c1200), tounge (c1290), tong(e, toung (all Cursor M.), tung (c1400), tongue (Caxton), OE tunge, MLG tunge, MDu. tonghe, ON tunga.]

1. The tongue, chiefly in the context of its use as the organ of speech, hence, the faculty of speech; language. Also fig., in fig. context and proverb.(a) a1400 Leg. S. l 257.
Na man of ws had tuth na towng To conclud hir ?1438 Alex. ii 9023.
That nane the suith with toung micht tell c1420 Wynt. ix 3239.
Twa handis ay travalit for a tung [St. A. ane toung] a1500 Henr. Fab. 2136.
Hing furth ȝour toung, and clois weill ȝour ene tway 1490 Irland Mir. III 70/4.
He sais and he had a hunder mouthis and als mony toungis to spek with he couth nocht tell the diuers panis that ar in hell c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 182/46.
Toungis now are maid of quhyte quhaill bone, And hairtis ar maid of hard flynt stone … Into this warld may none assure c1520-c1535 Nisbet I 14.
Quhat gud anne ewill cummyis throw the towng 1551 Hamilton Cat. 109.
Quha hes kendillit sa mekil evil in the toung of man? c1552 Lynd. Mon. 6069.
With hart it is vnthynkabyll And with toungis inpronunciabyll 1562 Aberd. Eccl. Rec. 7.
He sall ask forgivnes befor the congregatioun of God and the party, and say toung ye leid for the first falt 1650 Lamont Diary 13.
Sundrie persons … that had ther eares nayled to the Trone, for bearing false witnes, and one that had his tounge pearced with a hott iyron 1650 Rec. Kirk Scotl. 606.
Wee haue often leied unto the Lord with our tounges, and flattered him with our lippes(b) a1400 Leg. S. xlv 292.
He … gert carwe hire tong in twa; Bot scho the spek tynt na deile a1500 Quare Jel. 394.
Jelousye hath euir suich a tong That from the malice of his hert procedith 1494 Loutfut MS 42a.
He … that … bur lampasse thatt is to say langue the quhilk suld be in the heid of a best or a serpent that neuer be his tong [Lindsay MS tung] wes dishonorit c1500 Barounis Lawis 10b.
Ilk iugement lauchfully sall be gevin and ȝoldin cleirly out of ane moutht And be ane tong c1520-c1535 Nisbet Luke xvi 24.
Send Lazarus, that he dippe the end of his fingire in watire to cule my tonng 1650 Stirling Ant. IV 159.
Being interrogate if Geills Finnies tongue was faldit in her mouth when she wes dumb, answerit, ȝe may fald ȝour tongue if ȝe lyk it a1706 Sempill P. 46/19.
Wha'll jaw ale on my drouthy tongue?(c) a1400 Leg. S. xxv 561.
Twng c1420 Ratis R. 224.
With wordis of lawte vs thi twnge c1460 Consail Vys Man 191.
Euir be mastyr of thi twnge 1533 Gau 83/5.
Quhen men mwuis the mwtht and the lippis and the tunge wtuertlie without the hart and mind thair apone, this prayer … may be comparit to ane schadow 1594 St. A. Kirk S. 786.
That member of his body quhairby he offendis salbe cuttit of from him, be it tung hand or futt 1587-99 Hume 15/119.
O mightie God! quhilk … did the tung inutile heill Of Zacharie that was dum 1616 Crim. Trials III 416.
Quhair ony witnes depones falslie, sall lykwayis be pwneist, be pearceing of thair tungis 1618 Trial Isobel Inch 9.
The King of Pharie gave him a straik with ane quhyt rod on the brow, at the quhilk tyme the power of his tung and his ane ey was tane frae him 1622-6 Bisset I 42/25.
He that blasphemis … sall want his tung(d) 1578 Anal. Scot. I 270.
Quhene Daniell was sair ouirthrawne In preson deip with lyonis straynge, … thay … likitt him with thair towings layng(e) 1590–1 Crim. Trials I ii 219.
The witches willed to searche his toong, under which was founde two pinnes, thrust up into the heade(f) 1638 Cant Serm. 13 June 1638 (1682) 11.
The secular power and the tongues of kirkmenfig. 1375 Barb. xvii 7 (C).
Thai so wondirly blith wer … that na toung mycht say a1400 Leg. S. xviii 527.
Tunge a1400 Leg. S. xxxiii 565.
Thare be na tong can tel Hou Dacyane, that wes cruel, Wes inflammyt of yre a1500 Henr. Hasty Credence 41.
O wicket tung, sawand dissentioun, Of fals taillis to tell that will not tyre c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 204/3.
Behold and heir, and lat thy tung tak rest 1567 G. Ball. 52.
Na tung sic kyndnes can expres 1590–1 Crim. Trials I ii 219.
His toong would not serve him to speake 1611-57 Mure Psalmes xxxvii 30.
The just man's mouth shall wisdome vent, His tonge of judgement talksproverb. a1568 Bann. MS 135a/17.
Quha rewlis weill his toung He may be comptit wyis a1598 Ferg. Prov. MS No. 1533.
What the heart thinketh the tounge claiketh

b. To hald, kepe, etc. (a) one's toung, to refrain from speaking, keep silent. Also, to hald another's toung still, to cause another to keep silent; to kepe one's toung clos from (something spoken), to refrain from (a specified kind of speech).See Hald v. 4 c, Kepe v. 6 f, Refrene v. 1 (3), Refrenȝe v. 4 and Stint v. 5 for further examples.(1) a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 359.
False harlot hursone, hald thy tong 1513 Doug. ii ii 122.
Calcas held his tong ten days to end, Kepand secret and cloys al his entent 1529 Lynd. Complaynt 200.
Lat ilk man keip weill ane toung 1551 Hamilton Cat. 107.
Quhairby I may … refrane my toung fra all vaine … wordis 1560 Rolland Seven S. 10039.
Wit and ressoun my talk will baith impoung Best war thairfoir in time to hald my toung a1598 Ferg. Prov. No. 301.
He mon have leave to speak that cannot had his tongue 1697 Boharm Kirk S. 6 June.
[They] were rebuked for their scolding and admonished to … bridle their tongues(2) c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 215/47.
No mannis toung I may had still … Lat everie man say quhat he will(3) 1588 Elgin Rec. II 10.
Scho sall kepe hir townge clos from bakbytting … sclanderinge and flytting aganis ony within this toun

c. A representation of a tongue. 1488 Treas. Acc. I 84.
A serpent toung and ane vnicorne horne set in gold 1504–6 Treas. Acc. III 90.
Ane blew steik of sey … for the toungis and clukis for the lioun in the banar 1506–7 Treas. Acc. III 359.
Giffin be the king to the quene the gret serpent tong with all the stanes and graith tharof with the coffir it wes in

d. The tongue of an animal as used for food. 1533 Boece 73.
Quhen … was ane ox slane … to the smyth assignit was the hede … the tung to the interpretoure of the lawis 1597–8 Household Bks. Jas. VI and Anne 28 Jan.
Twa spar ribis twa toungis 1598 Household Bks. Jas. VI and Anne 12 Aug.
Ane toung with heid and feit 1631 Buccleuch Household Bk. 25 Sept.
For a tunge, for penchis and feite 1679 Haddington Corr. 228.
46 toung and lure at 10 s. 1698 Marchmont 183.
[Bill of Fare]: Could ham and tungs

2. The language spoken by a particular race or group.See Ersch(e adj. 1 (3), Frenche adj. 1 (1), Inglis adj. A 2 (1), Irisch(e adj. A 3 (1), Italian(e adj. 1 (4), Latin(e adj. A 2 (1), Norish adj., Norwege, Roman(e adj. 1 c, Saxon adj. B b and Scottis adj. A 1 e for further examples.Also maternal, mother, natural toung, native language. See Maternal adj. 1, Moder-thowng, Mother-t(o)ung, Mothers toung and Natural(l adj. 9 c (1) for further examples.Also vulgar toung, the language commonly used by a people, the vernacular.(1) 1375 Barb. iv 253 (see Inglis adj. A 2 (1)).
Toung a1400 Leg. S. xviii 1471.
I haf translat The story … In Ynglis townge 1456 Hay I 216/7.
The toune of Senes quhilk is of the tong of Lombardy c1515 Asl. MS I 251/22.
Aiadane prechit in his tung to the pepill and Sanct Oswald interpret it to tham 1531 Vaus (1531) 3.
And y and z ar literis of Grew toung and rasauit in Latine toung 1549 Compl. 17/9.
Oure Scottis tong is nocht sa copeus as is the Lateen tong c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus Prol. 320.
Now pas thy wayis, thou barrant buik new breuit, With beggit termes, & barbar toung mischeuit c1552 Lynd. Mon. 576.
Uirgill … Nor Cicero … Wrait nocht in Caldye language … Bot in the Romane toung 1559 Reg. Privy S. V i 144/1.
Ane A B C for Scottis Men to reid the Frenche toung 1571 Misc. Bann. C. III 144.
Gif ther be ony [books] wreit in Inglis toung or Saxon towng 1579 Dickinson Two Students at St. Andrews xxiii.
The first regent … sall teache the preceptis of the Greik toung 1596 Dalr. I 3/26.
The Irische toung … is maist ancient, and with strange natiouns neuir corrupted 1610 Misc. Hist. Soc. II 158.
He wret a littil pamphlet … put in the Spaniss toong 1666 Lamont Diary 192.
Laing, a converted Jewe … was … permitted to teach the Hebrew townge publickly(b) c1590 Fowler II 71/3.
Translated furth of the Italian tongu be M. W. Foul[er] 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. To Reader A iijb.
Kirkmen … caused all the lawes … to be … published in the Latine tongue, to the end, that all kings … and almaist the laik men … being ignorant of the Latine [etc.](2) a1500 Henr. Fab. 31 (Makc.) (see Moder-thowng).
Thowng 1596 Dalr. I 73/29.
Thir of Biskay, the Irische men and our Scottis Irishe acknawledge the same for thair first and mother toung … commounlie … called … the Gathelik toung 1622-6 Bisset I 18/23.
Into my vulgare and maternall tung(3) 1535 Stewart 116.
War it translatit in our vulgar tung, Out throw the realme the rumor wald [be rung] 1542–3 Hamilton P. I 430.
As for the Bybill, thair is nane to be gottin in our wulgar toung in this realme 1545 Reg. Episc. Glasg. II 560.
Ane act … that the halie write may be usit in our vulgar tongue 1576 Reg. Privy S. VII 94/1.
Ane lettir made to Alexander Arbuthnet, burges of Edinburgh, and Thomas Bassindyne, prentare and burges … gevand … to thame licence … to prent … Bibillis in the vulgare Inglis toung 1622-6 Bisset II 57/23.
The summonis haill procese and sentence to be in Scottis vulgare tung 1635 Dickson Wr. 198.
After the author had written … this treatise in Latin, … he was induced … to translate it into our vulgar tongue

b. Chiefly pl.: Languages, foreign languages.sing. c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 260.
Was thou noucht of oure Inglisch all the lycht, Surmounting eviry tong terrestriall?pl. c1520-c1535 Nisbet 1 Cor. xiv 21.
In the law it is writtin, that in vthir tonngis and in vthir lippis I sal speke to this pepile 1533 Gau 48/13.
The halie spreit … gaif to thayme the gift to speik with al twngis a1538 Abell 11*a.
Tvyr of Babal wes byggyt Tvngys wes devydit c1552 Lynd. Mon. 603.
Christ … tyll his disciplis send the Holy Spreit In toungis of fyre, to that intentioun, Thay, beand of all languagis repleit [etc.] 1562 Laing MSS 20.
We bayth employ our selfs to the studie of the tounges and humanitie a1585 Maitl. Q. 87/6.
Quha wald wis … That cumlie clan to ken He hes greit neid … Of toungis ma then ten

3. The action of speaking; what is said, words, talk. a1400 Leg. S. xxxvi 396.
The angele bande His fadir tonge mystreuande c1460 Dietary 23.
Be … clos of toung [Makc. thi towng], of word nocht dissavable c1475 Wall. i 294.
He was wondyr fayr, Nocht large of tong, weille taucht and debonayr 1513 Doug. iv vi 107.
Thy gude deid … is mair worthy Than thou with wordis or tong may expreme 1558 Knox IV 369.
John the Baptist, whom Herode … had beheaded for the libertie of his tongue a1585 Maitl. Q. 41/4.
Follow vertew and flie vyce Of toung be trew 1600-1610 Melvill 460.
These twentie yeirs, thair doctrin from the pulpit hes soundit against bischopes … And now sa soone to turn our toung for hope of ritches and promotioun … with the clok on the uther shoulder, will it nocht offer just occasioun of sklander

b. Speech as distinguished from writing, action, etc. Chiefly, be toung, by word of mouth, orally; be one's awin toung, in one's own words, said on one's own behalf; be ane toung, orally by one person.(1) 1385 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 7.
I … assentyt to resayue this cause before wrytyn … and … to gyf iugement be the recorde of my twnge 1456 Hay II 161/31.
He war … of a hale thocht and mynde, butt corrupcioun … and wele traist of the tong c1460 Consail Vys Man 75.
Wnlawte of tung & hande Garris mony ane los baithe lyf and land a1570-86 Maitl. F. 170/37.
I bid thé … Bayth of thy toung and of thy hand Be ay certane and nocht waverand 1635 Justiciary Cases I 236.
The scurdge of his devilische and malitious pen and tounge(2) 1539 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. II 96.
He had credence be toung to schew the saidis commissaris of burrois 1549 Compl. 94/16.
The messengeir gat nay ansuer be tong fra ald Tarquine 1565 Edinb. Univ. MS La.iii.388a, 5a.
Replyis being anes proponit be toung or gevin in be writ a1578 Pitsc. I 366/14.
The nobillis of Scotland hard tell alsweill be wreit as be toung 1607 Sc. Ant. XV 141.
The rest I committ to the bearer also he can declair be toung quhilkis I waunt 1658 Argyll Synod II 170.
The synod recommends to the presbyterie to choise some fitt boys, who either have the Catechisme be toung or can read the same(3) 1562-3 Winȝet I 52/24.
Be the quhilk schameles testimonie of thair awin toungis 1565 St. A. Kirk S. 255.
The said Margret, wyth hyr awyn tung spekand, confessit [etc.] 1583 St. A. Test. II 4a.
The inuentarie … gevin vp be his awin twng spekand(4) c1575 Balfour Pract. 276.
The judge sould command ane suitar that is qualifyit … to gif the dome be ane toung and ane mouth

c. Manner of speaking with respect to the content of what is said or the mode of expression or accent of the speaker. Also in fig. context. ?1438 Alex. ii 2548.
Wit … That kennis thame sua thare work to lere That wicked tong na euill may dere c1420 Ratis R. 1509.
Thow lufyt al wordys to gar men fall, With wylful twng a1450 Fifteen Ois 35.
With thy chosin folk thou wes betrasit, … Accusit with witnes that wes fals, With wickit toungis condampnit als a1500 Henr. Hasty Credence 54.
He hes ane dowbill face, Ane bludy tung vndir a fair pretence 1490 Irland Mir. I 74/7.
Suppos his tovnge and langage be faire and sueit in metire c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 71.
Noucht thou, Omer, … For all thine ornate stilis … Nor … thou, Tullius, … Your aureate tongis both bene all to lyte For to compile that paradise complete 1533 Gau 17/26.
Thay that heris blithtlie bakbiters and ewil tungis or helpis or starkis thayme thair til 1576 St. A. Kirk S. 420.
Jonet Elder, in respect of hir confession of hir evil tung, is [etc.] 1585 James VI Ess. 10.
Phoebus faire amidd these sisters syne With learned toung satt teaching euer still 1610 Dunferm. B. Rec. II 74.
The assyse fynds … the said John Smart's evill toung and over meikle drink to have bene the first movar [of the brawl] 1649 Cupar Presb. 136.
He knew … Elspet Seith; … by hir tongue, for he hard hir say … He is but a silly druken lardefig. 1595 Davidson in Three Reformers 111.
Of whome ane [sc. evil wife] with her tygers tong, Had able met him with a rong a1605 Montg. Sonn. lxiii 1.
Quhat reckles rage hes armde thy tygirs tung, On sueit and simple soulis to speu thy spyte?

4. In a variety of applications due to resemblance to the tongue in shape or function. a. Part of machinery. b. The clapper of a bell. c. A narrow strip of land. d. The tongue of a shoe. e. The vibrating fork in a Jew's harp, hence, fig. the most important part of something. f. In the names of plants.a. c1420 Bute MS 119a.
The nail off the tong [of a weighing balk] sal be set als ner the balk as it may be set gudly 14.. Acts I 387/2.
The tong [sc. of a balance] salbe the lynth off a schaftmonthe and j yncheb. 1519 Edinb. Hammermen 98b.
For mending of the sacrane bell & makin of ane new toung to it 1563–4 Prot. Bk. Thomas Johnsoun 138.
Ane bell wanttand the tung 1574 Edinb. D. Guild Acc. 39.
Ane towng of ledder to the courfowr bell 1601–2 Montrose Treas. Acc. 6b.
For ten pund gad yrne to the tung of the bell 1641 Dumfries Treas. Acc. 9.
For the hinging of the tongue of the tolbuith bellc. 1531 Bell. Boece I xlvi.
Ila, quhilk lyis beyound the toung of Lorne 1589 St. A. Test. II 108a.
Aitis sawin vpon the landis of Lochend callit the Twngȝeis 1633 (1711) Sibbald's Orkn. & Shetl. 65.
Daleting is so called, because it is a dale with a tang or ness c1641–54 J. Gordon in Macfarlane's Geog. Coll. II 583.
Tontamurich that is to say a toung betwix twa seas c1650-1700 Descr. Zetland 28.
All the parishes of Zetland, that run out into the sea, are called tangs 1686 Clouston Hist. Orkney 353.
In that place called the Buchanes he … wants his fourth part of two tongues and two spells in Yuinieland 1696 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Deeds II 724.
[With a] tung [of land lying between the garden and Bogellbige from the highway downward]d. 1643 T. Hope Diary 191.
I dreamit that quhil I wes pulling on my left buit both the tungis of it brake. fig. 1699 Forrester Bishops Claim i 78.
He has left behind him two points of his proof, in reference to his scope, which are (to use our Scottish proverb) the tongue of the trump, and without which, all his discourse is but like sand without limef. 1500-1699 Herbarius Latinus Annot. xxxvi (Bot.).
Cinoglossa, houndis tounge 1500-1699 Herbarius Latinus Annot. lvi (Adv.).
Elleborus albus, mekill wort [also] deth tong

5. attrib. a. With grace; grant, oral confession or admission, chiefly, be one's awin toung grant. b. With rutis. c. With schot, (1) A disease affecting the tongues of cattle, (2) Verbal insult. d. With tacked, takit, having a speech impediment due to a physical abnormality of the ligament of the tongue. Also fig.a. (1) 1637 Rutherford Lett. (1881) 314.
O that he would give me more than … tongue-grace(2) 1497 Aberd. B. Rec. I 425.
In ane amerciament of the court be his tonge grant for the selling of meill in barrell til alisuris [sic] 1510–11 Mill Mediæv. Plays 121.
In amerciament of the court be thar avne toung graunt becaus thai passit nocht in the procession of Candilmes day 1561 Inverness B. Ct. MS 5 July.
The judge efter the deposition of the witnes and the toung grant of the said Thomas Cristeson [etc.]b. a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 374.
The ravyns sall ryve na thing bot thy tong rutisc. (1) 1607 Crim. Trials II 536.
For charmeling of cattell; ‘I charme thé for arrow-schot … for ey-schot, for tung-schote, for lever-schote, for lung-schote [etc.]'(2) 1681 Colvil Whig's Suppl. (1681) ii 16.
Some jeer'd the long crown of his hat, Some at his gloves, some his cravat … the squire … bravely did receive their tongue-shot, Just as the hill did Sinan's gun-shotd. 1671 Sel. Biog. I 247.
The sight of the father's danger brake the tack of a son's tongue who was tongue-tacked from the birth 1680 Foulis Acc. Bk. 29.
For cutting my sone Adames tongue, being toungtackedfig. 1638 Johnston Diary I 340.
He hes maid … the spritualy dumb and toungtaked to speak the schibbleth of our Izrael in stead of the idiome of Babel; and the spritualy laime to … leape over the wall of many impediments castin in thair waye 16… R. Cameron A Collection of Lectures & Sermons (1779) 401.
You are, as it were, tongue-tacked and cannot get it properly expressed 1689 Hay Fleming Six Saints I 260.
[He much lamented … coming so far short of his former resolutions] that if ever he saw such an occasion, he should not be tongue-tacked