A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1375-1605
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Kene, Kein, Keyn, a. (and adv.). Also : ken, keine, keyne. [ME. kene (c 1200), ken (a 1225), OE. céne fierce, bold, valiant, also clever (ON. kœnn wise, clever, skilful, expert).]
1. Brave, bold, valiant, fierce (warrior); courageous, valiant, resolute (action, conduct or spirit). And transf.Chiefly in verse and common in alliterative formulæ, as cruell and kene (see Cruell a. 3), kene knicht(is, king sa kene.(1) 1375 Barb. viii. 280 (E).
With his men that war cant and kene [C. keyn] c1420 Wynt. ii. 1062.
Fechtaris and manslaaris kene ?1438 Alex. ii. 3379.
The King sa kene ?1438 Ib. 3620.
On silkin carpettis … War set tha cumly knichtis kene ?1438 Ib. 1719, 3992, 4296, 5058. ?1438 Ib. 9312.
His men, … baith crous and kene c1450-2 Howlat 332.
Spar halkis … War kene knychtis a1500 King Hart 349.
Scho ran vnto hir lady kene c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 137.
Hir archearis kene 1533 Boece iii. viii. 103.
This ȝong man fers and kene c1550 Lynd. Meldrum iii.
Twa men of weir … Quhilk wer richt cruell men and kene 1560 Rolland Seven Sages 4435.
Eldering knichtis that in ȝouth hes bene kene a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xiii. 30.
Love makes a couard kene 1596 Dalr. I. 223/17.
King Arthur … had four and tuentie kene knychtes(b) c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace v. 444.
Battaill … Betuex Scottis and the bauld Persie keyne c1475 Ib. vii. 999.
The worthi Scotts, that cruell war and keyne a1500 Golagros and Gawane 798.
Tak nocht yone keyne knight c1500-c1512 Dunb. l. 4. (R).
[His] father was ane giand keyne 1513 Doug. ix. x. 29.
A pepill derf and dour … , as keyn men in a stour 1513 Ib. xii. 92.
Keyn Prytanyus 1513 Ib.xi. xi. 106.
Only Mesapus and Atynas keyn … doys the stour susteyn(c) c1460 Alex. (Taym.) 50 b.
A thowsand knichtis keine … lyand on the grein c1590 J. Stewart 31/29.
So to combat conioins the knychtis keine(2) a1500 Golagros and Gawane 846.
That knight … maid ane course curagiouse, cruell and kene c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace ix. 850.
The Scottis defens so sykkyr was and keyn c1500-c1512 Dunb. vii. 69.
The sueird … of knyghtheid keyn c1500-c1512 Id. xiv. 38.
Quhen curage lakkis the cors that sowld mak kene c1552 Lynd. Mon. 3155.
The King … with curage kene 15.. Clariodus i. 65.
Thair straikes baith sad and keine a1570-86 Arbuthnot Maitland Folio MS xxx. 43.
Feirsnes and yre is callit kene curage(3) transf. 1513 Doug. xiii. vi. 86.
In … burnyst armour keyn 1535 Stewart 4756.
Expert to ryde … On cursuris kene weill bardit for the weir
2. a. Of persons and their actions : Savage, cruel.(1) a1400 Legends of the Saints ii. 647.
Nero, that tyran kene c1420 Wynt. iv. 664.
For tyll have bene Revengyd off his fayis kene a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 322.
And knaw, kene skald, I hald of Alathya c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 260.
Thought ȝe be kene, inconstant, & cruell of mynd, … be tretable in luf 1535 Stewart 29804.
He enterit hes into Northumberland … Crabit and kene, full of crudelitie 1560 Rolland Seven Sages 8046.
Scho hes bene to thé richt wonder kene(2) c1420 Wynt. ii. 1014.
Off that incest fell murthyr kene 1560 Rolland Seven Sages 7977.
Now all is changeit into kene crueltie
b. Of animals : Fierce, savage.a1400 Legends of the Saints x. 169.
The dragonis that war kene c1420 Wynt. v. 173.
Thai twa wyld bestys kene [W. fell dragonis kene] c1420 Ib. 3763.
Lyke a kene dog that ay bayis c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace v. 96.
This sloth brache, quhilk sekyr was and keyne a1500 Lancelot of the Laik 3385.
As at the stok the bere Snybbyth the hardy houndis that ar ken c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxxviii. 11.
The auld kene tegir, with his teith on char 15.. Clariodus ii. 33.
They smote at uther as bairis wode and keine 15.. Ib. 52.
They seamit as two dragounis wode and keine
3. Fierce, bold, wicked (traitor).c1420 Wynt. vi. 1727.
A traytoure kene … than waytyd [etc.] 1567 Satirical Poems v. 42.
Gif sho had not cum in the feild For to defend the tratoure kene 1570 Ib. xx. 117.
Tratours kene That ithandly hes streuin For to deface the nobill race Of Stewarts
4. transf. a. Said of combat : Fierce, violent.c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace iv. 547.
Inglis bowmen … On Wallace sett a bykkyr bauld and keyn c1590 J. Stewart 15/16.
Contending all, be keine combat c1590 Ib. 35/184.
My father … to battell kein … appaild
b. Said of waves, war, pestilence, tempest, tempestuous season : Cruel, violent, terrible.c1420 Wynt. iv. 203.
The weltrande wawis keyn c1420 Ib. 2125.
The were civile was than sa fell … Sa wyolent, and than sa kene c1420 Ib. viii. 6438.
Before that tyme wes nevyr sene A pestilens in our land sa kene c1500-c1512 Dunb. xii. 18.
Come nevir ȝit May so fresche and grene Bot Januar come als wod and kene c1500-c1512 Id. xxi. 79.
Flude and fyre … With tempest kene and hiddous crak
c. Said of a hangman's ropes and a tightly drawn bridle.c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace vii. 201.
A bauk was knyt all full of rapys keyne c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 354.
Se how I cabeld ȝone cout with a kene brydill
5. Sharply pointed, sharp-edged (tusks, claws, weapons, instruments, thorns). (With more or less admixture of prec. sense.)(1) a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 192.
Lyk to ane bair quhetting his tuskis kene a1500 Id. III. 148/69.
Mak me chaist Fra termigant that teyn is And fra his cluke that kene is c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace x. 855.
[Ships] Athir othir festynyt with clippys keyn c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 199.
Thik was the schote of grundyn dartis kene 1513 Doug. v. i. 67.
Ful grym of luke, with dartis keyn and rude 1513 Ib. x. xiv. 97.
Bath hys handis fillyt with dartis keyn 15.. Clariodus iii. 715.
Amongs the thornis keine a1568 Scott ii. 18.
With spurris als scherp as breire And kene a1585 Maitland Quarto MS lxvi. 18.
Schot … with Cupids arrowis kein(2) 1513 Doug. ix. xii. 55.
Down with the dynt duschit the steil blaid keyn
6. a. Sharp, biting, piercing (wind). b. grievous or intense (sorrow or suffering). c. Piercing, shrill (cries).a. c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxiv. 11.
I dout that Merche, with his cauld blastis keyne, Hes slane this gentill herbe 1567 Gude and Godlie Ballatis 190.
This wind sa keine, that I of meine … hes blawin to cauldb. a1500 Henr. Orph. 32.
[He] cryit ay, with caris cald and kene c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace ii. 298.
Thar man that day had in the merket bene, On Wallace knew this cairfull cas so kene c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxviii. 17.
So nixt to symmer, wynter bene; Nixt eftir confort, cairis keine a1568 Scott xxiv. 8.
Off men … that mon sustene The kairis kene of Cupeid kingc. c1420 Wynt. ii. 342.
The Quene … raryde lowde wyth cryis kene
7. Of persons : Eager, ardent (in feeling or emotion); also said of the feeling.c1420 Wynt. ii. 1277.
Hyr fleschly lust maid [hir] so ken That wndyr hym scho walde have bene c1500-c1512 Dunb. xlvii. 10.
As the ta lufe vaxis auld, The tothir dois incres moir kene c1550 Rolland Court of Venus i. 193.
[The yo]unkeir moir wantounlie did trance … mair courtes, and mair kene
8. ? Cunning, ingenious (arts).?1438 Alex. ii. 5020.
Graues … waxis grene, As nature throw hir craftis kene [F. soutil engin], Schroudis thameself with thare floures
9. adv. Boldly, fiercely; sharply, piercingly.Also ME. (Chaucer).(1) a1500 Taill of Rauf Coilȝear 872.
Thow art ane Saraȝine … For to confound our Cristin men that counteris sa kene a1500 Sir Eger 141.]
[Our horse together rushed keen 1581 Sempill Sat. P. xliii. 125.
He faucht ȝour querrell as kein as ony cok(2) c1550 Rolland Court of Venus i. 636.
Attend thir wordis that ar sa pungitiue, Outthrow the hart thay thirll me sa kene
