A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1456-1500, 1552-1605
[0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0]
Con, n.1 [Of obscure origin. Also in northern Eng. dial.] A squirrel. 1456 Hay II. 157/20.
Sum is hable, lycht, and expert as a con a1500 Henr. Fab. 906.
The mertrik with the cunning and the con c1552 Lynd. Mon. 2656.
Kyttoke thare, as cadye as ane con 1580-92 James VI Lusus R. 25.
As connis by kynde uill skipp from branch to beuch a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 32.
The con, the conny, and the cat, Whose dainty dounes with dew were wat 1590 Burel Pilgr. i. x.
Thair wes the … cunning and the con … Merchen amangs the rest
You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Con n.1". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 13 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/con_n_1>
