A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Came, n. Also: camb, camm-, caym(e. [Northern ME. camb(e, midl. and southern comb(e, OE. camb, comb. Cf. Kame n.]
1. A comb (for the hair or for wool).See also bane-, hors-, woll-came.a1400 Leg. S. xx. 188; Ib. xxviii. 339.
He … gert thame keme his tendir flesch With irne camys 1535 Reg. Dunferm. I. 33.
Ane pot, tuay cammes, ane sek 1540 Maxwell Mem. I. 409.
Ane cais of camis, with ane caym, with ane mwrrowr 1560 Stirling B. Rec. I. 74.
Ane spynning quheill, ane pair of camis, ane pair of cardis 1575 Edinb. Test. III. 363.
Ane cais of cames of evirbane garnesit with gold 1590 Ib. XXI. 311 b.
Sax Flanderis cames for oyllis 1597 Ib. XXX. 162.
Ane case of bone camis … Ane case of trie camis
2. The comb of a fowl. Also fig.a1500 Henr. Fab. 446.
Quhen I behald ȝour fedderis … ȝour hekill and ȝour came 1560 Rolland Seven S. 8005.
Becaus thay ar sa kittill of the came … Than we do wrang ony way thame to blame
3. A honey-comb. (Cf. wax-came.)1513 Doug. i. vii. 29.
Quhen … thame list swarmys furth bryng Or in camys inclus thar hwny cleyn
