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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

MAUN, v.¹, n.¹ Also man(n) (Abd. 1746 R. Forbes Ajax 6; Sh. 1916 J. Burgess Rasmie's Smaa Murr (1 Aagust)), maan (Abd. 1924 Swatches o' Hamespun 38); men (Sh. 1897 Shetland News (13 Nov.)); min (Sh. 1877 G. Stewart Fireside Tales 81); mun (Sc. 1712 J. Arbuthnot John Bull ii. iv.). Neg. forms: maun(n)a(e), manna, -ie, -ee (Sc. 1706 Sc. Antiquary XII. 99); minna(e) (Edb. 1791 J. Learmont Poems 61); ¶hybrid form mannot (ne.Sc. 1828 P. Buchan Ballads I. 171). [mǫ:n, mɑ:n, unstressed mən]

I. v. 1. Auxiliary verb followed by the inf. without to, = Eng. must. Gen.Sc.Sc. 1721 J. Kelly Proverbs 15:
A pretty Man I ma'n say, take a Peat and sit down. An ironical Expression to a mean Boy, who would gladly be esteem'd.Abd. 1768 A. Ross Helenore (S.T.S.) 130:
Crying, “Ye shanna, nay, ye maunna gang!”Edb. 1772 Fergusson Poems (S.T.S.) II. 82:
Sic sorrow now maun sadden ilka eie, An' ilka waefu' shepherd grieve wi' me.Ayr. 1795 Burns A Man's a Man iv.:
But an honest man's aboon his might — Guid faith, he mauna fa' that!Sc. 1816 Scott O. Mortality iv.:
The dragoons will be crying for ale, and they wunna want it and maunna want it.Slk. 1820 Hogg Tales (1874) 186:
I maun gae ride, ye see.Uls. 1879 W. G. Lyttle Readings 36:
An' noo I maun tell ye hoo we got red o' Jack Slouthers.Ags. 1889 Barrie W. in Thrums v.:
Yet it maun be you 'at brings them up?m.Lth. 1925 C. P. Slater Marget Pow 166:
It mun be drouthy work preachin'.Sc. 1950 Scots Mag. (May) 146:
Noo, twa things we manna be seen wi', the rod an' the fish!Ork. 1952 R. T. Johnston Stenwick Days (1984) 40:
"Shae's made her bed, an' noo shae min lie in id. If," he added, with a touch of mordant humour, "the bed'll hed up under her weight." m.Sc. 1979 Donald Campbell in Joy Hendry Chapman 23-4 (1985) 66:
Unwad the day she kent ye
ye'd dae weill to gie her scouth
that aa the bairns ahint ye
maunna tak your lees for truth. wm.Sc. 1980 Anna Blair The Rowan on the Ridge 15:
"Wheesht, Jamie," said his wife. "You maun sleep noo." wm.Sc. 1986 Robert McLellan in Joy Hendry Chapman 43-4 23:
Then yer coo's cronached, I dout. Ane o yer neibours wi an ill will at ye maun be castin a spell ower it. Ags. 1988 Raymond Vettese The Richt Noise 55:
Sic a cheenge is warth the dreein
for ilka man maun shak whiles
the truths held dear Sc. 1991 Forbes Macgregor in Tom Hubbard The New Makars 17:
Mair dowf on eird there isna ony
Nor wee MacLean the circus pownie,
Wha on the sawins o his flair
Maun dree his weird for evermair. ne.Sc. 1991 Ken Morrice in Tom Hubbard The New Makars 60:
O, you maun forgie my menners.
Sit you doon, I'll pit aff the TV,
and get the money. ne.Sc. 1996 W. Gordon McPherson in Sandy Stronach New Wirds: An Anthology of Winning Poems and Stories from the Doric Writing Competitions of 1994 and 1995 20:
"Ye'll be tellin mi, tho', ye made the jeely? Aa maan say Aa nivver tried better - brammle an a bit a aipple in't, nor Aa'm sair misteen?" w.Lth. 2000 Davie Kerr A Puckle Poems 19:
Your pardon then Sir, but A maun be objective,
An ask ye ti chainge the offending adjective. em.Sc. 2000 James Robertson The Fanatic 159:
'Wheesht, wheesht noo,' said Tammas. 'We maunna be seen. The boat's no in yet.'

2. Used with ellipsis of v. of motion. Gen.Sc.Sc. c.1760 Wife of Usher's Well in Child Ballads No. 79 B. iv.:
The aulder to the younger did say, Dear brother we maun away.Sc. 1816 Scott Antiquary xlii.:
He that will to Cupar maun to Cupar.Abd. 1827 J. Imlah May Flowers 81:
But gin ye maun to yon town, Tak cannie tent the gate ye gae!Arg. 1901 N. Munro Doom Castle vii.:
I maun awa' in.Sc. 1933 Border Mag. (Dec.) 178:
We've lots to dae, baith you and I, And I maun to the sea.

3. Combs.: (1) maun-be, n., an unavoidable necessity (Cld. 1825 Jam.; Mry., Ags. 1962); (2) maun-dae, n., necessity, compulsion.(2) Sc. 1832 A. Henderson Proverbs 46:
Maun do is a fell fallow.Fif. 1962:
If it's maun-dae, i.e. if it must be done.

II. n. or quasi-n. Compulsion, authority, necessity, used in proverbial sayings (Bnff., Ags. 1962).Sc. 1776 D. Herd Sc. Songs II. 218:
But maun belongs to the king himsell, But no to a country clown.Abd.⁷ 1925:
“Maun's a gweed maister”, they say.