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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.

Evin, Ewin, n.¹ Also: evyn(e, even; ewyn(e, ewine, eweyne, ewein; iwin; ene, eine, eyne. [ME. evyn, evin, even, early eaven, OE. éfen, ǽfen.]

1. Evening.(a) 1375 Barb. v. 18.
Thre hundir … wes to the se A litill forrow the evyn gane c1420 Wynt. iv. 415.
At the evin, or eftyr, ay Men prysis ay the fayr day 1456 Hay II. 96/2.
Thare is na man in erde that wate his morn fortune, and kepe the evyn in contynuale cure ever ylyke c1500-c1512 Dunb. v. 13.
Scho … raid … Till it was neir evin [B. ene] 1513 Doug. iii. vi. 123.
Ane narow fyrth flowis, baith evyn and morn, Betwix tha costis 1549 Compl. 63/2.
To pas the tyme quhil euyn a1585 Maitl. Q. xxxviii. 51.
Evin eikis my sorrow wors then the morrow a1598 Ferg. Prov. (1641) 7.
Gods help is neirer nor the fair evin(b) 1375 Barb. I. 106.
Durst nane of Walis … fra ewyn fell, abyd Castell or wallyt toune within a1400 Leg. S. xii. 185.
Sone, quhen ewyne com, Tyberea In til hyre ȝarde of chance can ga Ib. xxxi. 896.
One ȝulday next ewine Thai send to se gyf scho lyfande Ware c1475 Wall. viii. 325.
Ner ewyn it was, bot Beik wald nocht abid a1500 Seven S. 1059.
That he mycht cum quhen euer he wald Befor ewyn mak till hir a syne c1552 Lynd. Mon. 1073.
Boith ewin, and morrow, Thare men will suffer mekle sorrow (a1570-86 Dunb.) Maitl. F. cl. 12.
Thai keip it coy, On ewynnis quyetlie

b. At evin, in the evening.(a) ?1438 Alex. ii. 1509.
Cassamus hors than fand thay thare, That he left thare at euin late 1456 Hay II. 124/36.
The metis that ar ressavit in the stomak at evyn c1500 Fyve Bestis 167.
At evyne apon his perke he gat 1514 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 150.
That … ony pik or tar barrellis … lyand apoun the hiegaitt … be devoydit and tane away on Setterday at evin 1547 Ib. II. 131.
That the wikket of the West Port stand oppin quhill sevin houris at evin 1588 Reg. Privy C. IV. 284.
Undir cloude and silence of nycht, aboute tuelff houris at evin(b) c1420 Wynt. v. 519.
At ewyn to bed syne quhen he past c1515 Asl. MS. I. 252/25.
In his tyme thair was twa cometis sene in the lift, ane at morne and the tother at ewyn c 1542 Prot. Bk. W. Corbet 22.
On Moundaye at nwyn & ewyn 1591 Reg. Morton I. 177.
I pray ȝow fell nocht nor this berair be abak agane at me on Tvysday at ewein 1608 Kinghorn Kirk-S. 14.
The tumult that was betwix hir and her guidman upon Thursday at ewin(c) 1618 Inverness Rec. II. 152.
To remain quhill vi hors at iwin(d)  1560 Rolland Seven S. 6015.
Within the nicht scho mon cum lait at eine Ib. 7083.
The hunting done, the king come hame at ene 1600 Glasgow B. Rec. I. 201.
Andro Hadowey … confessit that he … had iniurit Master Johane Cowper … wpown Yuill day att eyne last was

2. The eve of a saint's day or church festival; the evening before a special day of the year.Freq. with defining terms as all-hallow, fasternis, lammas, midsummer, new yeris, pasche, ȝule, etc.; for examples see these words. 1375 Barb. xvii. 335.
On our Ladeis evin Mary, … That men callis hir Natiuite c1420 Wynt. v. 4217.
On Petyr and Paulys evyn ay Ilka yhere is hys fest day Ib. viii. 4719.
This fycht on Saynctandrewys day, Or on the evyn … strykyn was 1440 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 7.
Begynnand at the evin of ilk ane of the said feists and endurand quhill that day awcht dayes 1513 Prestwick B. Rec. 45.
The court … of Prestwik, haldyn … vpon sanc Thomas ewyn, forow ȝwill 1536 Reg. Episc. Brechin II. 318.
The said George sall werk all festual ewinnis … quhill four houris efter none … and at thir four evinnis to leiff at xii houris and all wtheris ewinnis to werk quhill ewyn 1588 Cath. Tr. 210/28.
In the euinnes or vigilies of certane solemne daies