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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Dam, Dame, n.¹ Also: damm(e, damne, damb; daime. [ME. dam (a 1340), dame (c 1440), = OFris. dam, MDu. and MLG. dam, damm-. The common form dame is difficult to account for.]

1. A dam, esp. for a mill. Cf. Miln-dam.(a) a 1300 Liber Calchou 86 (see dam-dike below). 1427 Wemyss Chart. 53 (see Miln-dam). 1466 Reg. Dunferm. 357.
To cass, adnulle, and cast doun the said dammis and drauchtis 1482 Peebles B. Rec. 191.
Gif it happynnis … that the dam brek owt, … to mend the dam agan 1497 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 70.
The vphalding of the mylnis and dammys and the vther thingis thairof c1500-c1512 Dunb. lii. 15.
I wald scho drownit war in a dam 1513 Doug. viii. Prol. 40.
Droucht had drunkyn vp his dam in the dry ȝeir 1557–8 Edinb. Old Acc. I. 264.
For ane pece tre that lyis a quhort the dam 1577 Crown Chart. MS. (Reg. H.).
Thair medow in the Langcroft to be the dam for the space of sevin ȝeiris 1596 Dalr. I. 51/19.
Ouer a stay bank or hich fal of water maid in a damm 1628 Reg. Privy C. 2 Ser. II. 596.
He [and others] … pryssed and rave up the clouse of the damme 1645 Tulliallan Coal Wks. 110.
For 4 crampitts to the spoutt of the damb 1686 Fraser P. 160.
Sir Alexander declaired he was greatlie damnified … be the said damme, it causeing the watter to rune whollie upon his propertie(b) 1446 Reg. Episc. Brechin I. 107.
[The tenant ought] to red the dame as othiris that ar thirlit to the said myl 1466 Reg. Dunferm. 356.
I giff … full leiffe … to mak land stell and dame forganis my said landis 1500 Carnegie Lett. 523.
To put in the dame of the said mylne in our said wattir, thar beand ane sufficient goyll in the said dame for passagis of fische to … and fra the sey 1554 Glasgow Chart. II. 513.
Archibalde salbe wod fre and querell fre to the bigging of the saidis mylne and hir dame 1579 Prot. Bk. J. Scott 74 b.
The said Mr Wm. Cok … haweand licence and rycht … to the dame … and land staill thairof 1596 Dalr. I. 43/2.
The fische esilie cumis in ouer the damis and furdes 1621 Urie Baron Ct. 38.
To cast the laids, fens the damis, and bring watter to the milne 1653 Glasgow B. Rec. II. 265.
The towne … to vphald the dame and to put the said mylne in a guid frame 1671 Stirling Comm. Good MS. 74.
5 long cutts of daills … to the borrow milne clous within the dame

2. Attrib. and comb. with daill (Dale n.² 2), dike, fald, grene, redding, sched, side, silver, stone. Also Dam-hede. 1498 Peebles B. Rec. 198.
The maillis of the new hows and of the dame-daill — a 1300 Liber Calchou 86.
Per uiam illam sursum vsque ad Damdike, et de Damdhic [etc.] 1577 Prot. Bk. J. Scott 38.
In all common lonis na persoun to be stoppit … to pas to the plewis langis the dame dyk to thair awin landis 1676 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. IV. 570.
He … having built ane dame dyke crose the said water — 1538 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III. 18.
Begynand at the dam fald of the ald mil — 1599 Reg. Great S. 284/2.
Lie mylnedame cum lie damgrenis adjacentibus — 1446 Reg. Episc. Brechin I. 107.
I haf pait my part to the said myll hous makyng and dame reddyng — 1540 Acts II. 379/2.
All and sindry the landis of Estire Wischart … with … the den of Logy, dam and damsched tharof — 1550 Reg. Cupar A. II. 94.
Our corne myll … with the kill standand vpoun the dam syde — 1566 Reg. Great S. 25/1.
Lie coirne mylne de Kylwinning … cum … lie damme-silver et knaifschip — 1683 Decis. Lords F. 47.
The affixing of the damm-stone upon the commonty