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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Tran(e, Trayn(e, n. Also: train(e. [ME and e.m.E. trayne (Manning), treyne (c1400), trane (c1460), OF traïne, f. traïr to betray.]

1. Without article: Treachery, trickery, deceit. c1400 Troy-bk. ii 2065.
Dredand that with trayne He suld be … slayne [etc.] 1460 Hay Alex. 16604.
Quhilkis ar baith gredy men and full of trane c1460 Consail Vys Man 403.
Consent neuir to tresone nore tran a1500 K. Hart 652.
Keip mesour and treuth for thairin lyis na trayne 1533 Boece 365.
Scottis … fering the flicht of Inglismen deuisit was for trane, thai spendit the remanent nycht in the feild anarmyt 1560 Rolland Seven S. 6833.
Sa mony wayis scho fand, For to tyist hir husband To do mischief with sic fals trane 1570 Sat. P. xx 134.
In Paradice he did intice, Be subtell craft and trane, The man first maid a1605 Montg. Mindes Mel. xliii 5.
From wicked traine Of fraudfull men … Saue me, O Lord c1600 Montg. Suppl. v 43.
Be trane or tressone be I tene 1603 Philotus 526.
Ȝe cast ȝour craft … Bot puir orphanes and madynis to begyle … To trap all those that trowis in ȝow na traine 1615 Highland P. III 255.
Be traine of a craftie fellow … the constable of the castell … was broght furth

b. An instance of treachery or trickery, specif. a stratagem used in warfare; an act of deception, a pretence; a trap or snare; an enticement; a plot.(a) 1375 Barb. viii 440.
He … Maid all preuely a trane Till thaim that in the castell war. A buschement slely maid he thar & Off his men … He gert … as thai wald to Lanark far [etc.] ?1438 Alex. ii 2890.
Clarus four sonnes sall mak ane trane, And vthir sall in buschment byde a1500 Henr. Prayer 75.
Bot thow reweid, this deid is bot ane trane For to dissaif a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 1323 (Asl.).
Resplatand pennans throu tranys transitorie c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 119/7.
The feynȝeid luif, the fals confort, The sweit abayd, the slichtfull trane 1513 Doug. xi Prol. 93.
A thousand wylys he hes, and mony a trane 1533 Boece 45.
Britouns … devisit secretelie to fynd occasioun for distructioun of baith Scottis and Pichtis and had excogitate ane trane in this sorte that … thay suld invaid the victouris 1533 Bell. Livy I 199/32.
It had bene bot ane trane to haue conquest thare consentis to mak him king 1540 Lynd. Sat. 3073 (B).
Thay … gart me pay [etc.] … Bot or thay come half gait ad concludendum The feind ane plak was left … Thus thay postponit me twa ȝeir with thair trane 1560 Rolland Seven S. 2868.
He vmbethocht him self of ane consait … to taint thame with ane trane 1570 Sat. P. xiv 59.
Quhill that fals tressonabill trane Be with my hand reuengd c1590 Fowler II 122/6.
It is convenient thairfor to be the fox to discover the tranes and deceates of the huntar 1596 Dalr. II 177/19.
The lard of Woddirburne, and Wilȝem Douglas … be a trane suddanlie with a force brak in at the Nethir Bow(b) 1375 Barb. x 518.
How Roxburgh was Tane with a trayne 1375 Barb. xix 364 (E).
Trayn [C. traine] c1420 Wynt. v 4440 (W).
He set him … till haue slane This ȝoung Leo with a sle trayne c1420 Wynt. vii 978.
The erle … Wes … slayne Be falshad and a suddane trayne a1500 Henr. Fab. 1135 (Ch.).
This tod I likkin to temptationis … Assaultand men with sweit persuasionis, Ay reddie for to trap thame in ane trayne c1475 Wall. iv 755.
‘Nay, I,’ quoth scho, ‘has falslye wrocht this trayn, I haiff you sald; rycht now yhe will be slayn’ c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 6/66.
Our wys pavys fro enemys, Agane the feyndis trayne 1540 Lynd. Sat. 939, 942 (Ch.).
Falset … ‘Ȝon bairdit bogill cums fra ane traine.' Dissait … ‘I doubt him nocht … Trowit I that he come for ane traine … I sould [etc.]' 1567 G. Ball. 215.
For sum being takin in the traine … Ar led to penurie and paine 1567 Sat. P. vii 52.
Thocht that sum think that was bot ane traine, Hir awin wryting dois contrar testifie a1578 Pitsc. II 99/28.
Quhene the protectour [etc.] … saw the great battell … geiffand bakis … they iudgit it was bot ane traine to cause thame to returne [etc.] c1590 Fowler I 172/13.
Nather may my treuthe nor traynes availe 1594 Cal. Sc. P. XI 482.
[There is a] trayn [that Carmichael shall be sent forth] a1597-1617 Hist. Jas. VI (1825) 210.
Johnestoun understanding … the trayne devysit aganis him, and fearing the daynger thareof [etc.] 1644 Hume Douglas 30.
Train

2. A trap or snare for catching prey. Also fig. a1500 Henr. Fab. 1856.
He hes it [sc. chaff] heir layit for ane trane 1596 Dalr. II 4/35.
In the meine tyme he causis to be maid in the erde seuchis of a meruellous deipnes to trayne the ennimie [marg. The Bruse his trayne] 1662 Melrose Reg. Rec. II 28.
For layeing ane trayne of corne in winter last … and killing ane great number of … dowes by ane gunefig. c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 174/15.
Welth, warldly gloir and riche array Ar all bot thornis laid in thy way Ourcoverd with flouris in ane trane c1600 Montg. Suppl. xii 26.
Ȝit I ly trappit in your tranis

b. A live bird used as an enticement in the training of a hawk. 1496 Treas. Acc. I 287.
To the man that brocht tua quyk herounis to the king, to mak tranys to halkis 1496 Treas. Acc. I 291.
For a duke to be a trane to a halk, xij d.