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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.

Dame, n. Also: dayme. [ME. dame (a 1225), OF. dame, damme, L. domina. Cf. Dam n.² and Deme n.]

1. A lady; a matron; a woman. Freq. used as a form of address. (Chiefly in verse.)(1) 1375 Barb. iv. 478.
‘Dame,’ said the king, ‘wald thou me vis [etc.] a1500 Henr. Fab. 278.
‘Ȝe, dame,’ quod scho, ‘how lang will this lest?’ a1500 Rauf C. 105.
Dame, I haue deir coft all this dayis hyre a1500 Seven S. 1434.
Bot dowtles, dame, the dog sall de 1513 Doug. vii. viii. 73.
O auld dame, thi vile wnveildy age [etc.] a1540 Freiris Berwik 164.
I wilbe hamely now with ȝow, gude dame Ib. 234.
Fair dame, ken ȝe nocht me?(2) a1500 Rauf C. 102.
All abaisit for blame, To the dure went our dame c1500 Fyve Bestes 204.
Than spak our dame that wes the childis moder 1560 Rolland Seven S. 8132.
Vpon the deis thay damis … war maist like angellis a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. xciv. 100.
And thole na burges wif to weir … As dames of honour vther geir 1603 Philotus cliii.
I gat, ȝe may sie be my clouris, A deillvnto my dame 1603 Treas. Acc. MS. 221 b.
James Glen, laquey to the dames and gentilwemen

b. Used as a title with personal names, and freq. in verse with names of ancient goddesses or personifications.(1) 1400 Facs. Nat. MSS. II. 44.
Dame Alice the Bewmount … , dame Mariory Comyne hyrre fullsister 1406 Rep. Hist. MSS., Var. Coll. V. 78.
Dame Elizabeth of Gordon, the spous qwilum of Schir Nichole of Erskyne c1420 Wynt. vii. 811.
The qweyne off Scotland, Dame Sybille Ib. 959.
The erlys dowchtyr off Warwyn; Scho be name wes cald Dame Ade ?a1500 D. Steel Roy Robert 176.
Ȝe … askit the prince of Bruce, Dauid, Tyll dame Jonet Touris till ally 1529 Lennox Mun. 232.
Dayme Elizibeth Hammyltoun, elder Countas of Leuenax, on the ta part 1531 Dunferm. Reg. Ct. I. 5.
Dayme Elesone Sandelandis 1573–4 Reg. Privy C. II. 331.
Dame Annas Keith appellit from the sentence(2) a1400 Leg. S. v. 299.
Thai to dame Dyane prayand c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 395.
In the which dame Auaryce Festned hyr rotes c1450-2 Howlat 70, etc.
Is nane bot dame Natur … Till accuse in this case a1500 Bernardus 21.
Dame Fortowne, cruele and dement c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 100, 102.
Syne to dame Flora … Thay saluse … And to dame Wenus … Thay sang ballettis Ib. 190.
Dame Hamelynes scho tuke in company a1500 Doug. K. Hart 424.
Dame Plesance hes gart perce dame Venus tun 1535 Stewart 32365.
Ilkone … Betaucht thame syne into dame Fortonis will c1552 Lynd. Mon. 131.
Ane park … Decorit weill be craft of dame Nature a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. c. 46.
Quhone dame Kyndnes wes rebutit sa Than Chirrite and dame Petie can ga [etc.] a1585 Maitl. Q. lxix. 62.
Dame Beawtie bricht and als dame Chastitie a1605 Montg. Misc. P. li. 27.
Fra thay persavit dame Phœbe lost hir licht

2. A female parent; a mother … a1400 Leg. S. xxi. 232.
A ȝung man … tellis nere how the same Til his brethyre tyd & his dame Ib. xxxvi. 635.
His syre and his dame c1420 Wynt. viii. 2040.
Tharefor thi dame made lytill cost a1500 Henr. Fab. 215.
I keip the rait and custome of my dame a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 530.
Pharao thy fader, Egipya thy dame 1513 Doug. ix. ix. 88.
The litill tendyr kyd … socht by the gait hir dame 1567 Sat. P. v. 37.
Quha babishlie bourdis with his dame, It war weill wairit he gat his quhippis