Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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About this entry:
First published 1960 (SND Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

INNER, adj., n. Sc. usages:

I. adj. In combs.: 1. Inner House, the first and second divisions of the Court of Session, which mainly hear appeals from the Outer House or from Sheriff Courts, so called from the fact that in the 16th c. the court room was in an inner part of the old Tolbooth building where the Session sat (see R. K. Hannay College of Justice 95); 2. inner water, water that enters a house through its foundations (Cai. 1907 County of Cai. (Horne) 75).1. Sc. 1708 Hist. MSS. Comm. Report (Mar & Kellie MSS.) 462:
The Dean of Faculty and Advocats were solemnly called in to the Inner House and certifyed how much the Bench was offended at such expressions.Sc. 1714 W. Forbes Journal Pref. xii.:
The Lords in the Inner-house hear and determine Causes of greatest Importance upon the Pleading of Advocates, advise Reports made by the respective Ordinaries; or Report by the President of Points that after an Inner-house Debate merited to be farther cleared by Informations.Sc. 1824 Scott Redgauntlet Letter xiii.:
The counsel [states the cause] to the Lord Ordinary, the Ordinary to the Inner House, the President to the Bench.Sc. 1861 C. Rogers Sc. Character 114:
Of the thirteen members of the Supreme Court, the five junior judges are termed Lords Ordinary, while the others are separated into two divisions, which together constitute what is termed the Inner House.Sc. 1951 Scotsman (10 March) 5:
The statutory provisions under which the Inner House of the Court of Session acted as a Court of review of the decisions pronounced in the Outer House both in fact and in law.

II. n. In pl.: undergarments. Cf. Inside, II. 1.Sh. 1901 Shetland News (8 June):
Shü stöde afore wir bed in her inners.