Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1971 (DOST Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Murn(e, v. Also: mwrn(e, murnn, morn(e, moorne. [ME. murne(n (? latterly chiefly north. and midl.), morne(n, mourne(n, moorne, e.m.E. mourn(e, moorne, OE. murnan.]

1. intr. To feel grief, sorrow, mental suffering, regret or acute chagrin, to grieve; also, to suffer pain or distress more generally. c 1315 in Brut (1906) 208.]
[Maydenes of Engelande, sare may ȝe morne For tynt ȝe haue lost ȝoure lemmans at Bannokesborn a1400 Leg. S. xvi. 601.
For-thi thou na murne For he cane dule in ioy turne Ib. xxx. 346. ?1438 Alex. ii. 9601.
He said, murnand with heauy cheir, Thir wordes c1420 Wynt. vi. 2456. a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 1128.
The King … Sair murnand in mude a1500 Henr. III. 94/123.
Robene mvrnit and Malkyne lewche c1475 Wall. v. 328, Ib. vii. 1099. c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 212. a1568 Kennedy Bann. MS. 268 a/15.
Quhairfor I murn bayth laitt and air 1513 Doug. i. x. 25. Ib. iv. i. 66. a1538 Abell 21 b.
At sa the Jowis suld mwrn in the hour of his deid aganis thare will Ib. 93 a. c1530-40 Stewart Bann. MS. 252 a/1.
He … said at thare suld be sa grit a wind or nwn of the morne at it suld gar all Scotland mwrn c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 1486. 1559 Cal. Sc. P. I. 221.
[Which if we lack] althought we murn and smart first [ye will not escape worse trouble in the end] 1560 Ib. 307. 1560 Rolland Seven S. 1590.
The pepill murnit, sayand it was pietie Ib. 7627. a1568 Scott iii. 2.
Luvaris, lat be the frennessy of luve And mvse nor mvrne no moir in till ȝour mynd Ib. xxxvi. 3.
Soir mornyng, grufling on my face, Rew on my miserie 1567 G. Ball. 32.
Than think on hell … Quhair mony ane for ay sall murne Ib. 27. 1572 Buch. Detect. (1727) 81.
That scho mwrnit not, bot in maner oppinly joyit 1572 Sat. P. xxxii. 33. 1573 Davidson Ib. xli. 80. a1570-86 Maitl. F. cxxxiii. 17. a1578 Pitsc. I. 320/11. Ib. II. 69/6.
[They] saw the Lord Hammilltoun standand murnand besyde the Earle of Lennox 1585 James VI Ess. 40.
Excell in sik like ill and murne with me c1590 Fowler I. 29/84.
Syne I … alreddie learnd both toung and mynde the vse to speik and murne Ib. 266/8.
Who … moves more teares then theeues who murnns on crux Ib. 277/82.
With thy plagues which maks me now to murne Ib. 204/8. 1603 Philotus lxxv.
Make I ane mint and do na mair, I may for euer murne 1640 Fugitive Poetry II. xix. 54.
I trust before our martial troups return Our British and our Irish foes shall murne 1604 Craig i. 31. 1655 Canisbay Kirk S. in Old Lore Misc. V. 130.
If it be a maiden God give sche murne

b. Passing into: To express one's grief or suffering, to lament, utter lamentations. a1400 Leg. S. ii. 712.
As men war hyr scherand Thai prewetes, and scho murnand, He had gret ese of hyr hard pyn Ib. xxx. 358.
With that hyr husband com & fand Hyr gretand & sar murnand a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 379.
Quhen thay togidder murnit had full lang 1513 Doug. xi. v. 62.
The assys deip, murnand with mony a cry Doun dyd thai cast 1533 Gau 52/30.
Thane al the generacions apone the ȝeird sal greit and murne 1535 Stewart 56918.
And quhen the Douglas hard thame murnand so, Weipand for him with hartis that war wo a1550 Murning Maiden in a1570-86 Maitl. F. 3.
I hard ane may sair mwrne and meyne Arundel MS. 260/32. 1560 Rolland Seven S. 1340.
Scho cryit, schoutit, and murnit monyfald Ib. 1346, 1560, 1592.

c. To grieve for, on (apoun) or with (= on account of, in sympathy with) another, in regretting his misfortune, mourning his death, or amorously. a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 796.
Than schir Spynagros … Murnyt for schir Gawyne and mekil mayne maise c1475 Wall. ii. 417.
Schyr Richart … For him had murnit quhill feblit was his mycht a1500 Seven S. 257.
Quhen thai hard tell the child suld de Gretlie for him can thai murn Ib. 1604.
Of my dishonour ȝe ken all how; Bot I murn mekle mare for ȝow ?a1500 Dewoit Exerc. 245.
Murne nocht nor gret nocht apoun me 1513 Doug. vii. xii. 133. c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 692.
Thocht Frenche ladies did for him murne The Scottis wer glaid of his returne Arundel MS. 286/234.
Rememberand the meik mothir murnand with hir sone c1552 Lynd. Mon. 4004, 6, 7.
Quhen that the ladyis for hym murnit … he … said, Douchterris, murne nocht for me; Murne on ȝour awin posteritie 1567 G. Ball. 141.
Man haif in mynde and thow be kynde Thy lufe that murnis for thé 1572 Sat. P. xxx. 10.
Methwen may murne … For Hary Stewart 1609 Craig iii. 13.
I deare friend must sigh, and murne for thee

d. To grieve for (= because of) an affliction or another's misfortune or death. e. To grieve or pine for (something of which one has been deprived). c1450-2 Howlat 524.
Tharfor I murn sore 1461 Liber Plusc. 388.
Quhy suld we then for faire deed murn or meyn? a1500 Henr. Fab. 742 (Bann.).
As he wes thus for falt of meit murnand 1513 Doug. ii. ii. 49.
Now murn thai for his dede Ib. viii. xii. 93.
Nylus river, murnand for thar deseys 1551 Hamilton Cat. 117.
[They] lamentis and murnis daily for the continual cummer of it a1578 Pitsc. I. 144/23.
Lat nocht ȝour selffis appeir in wemenis personagis lamentand and murneand for ony misfortun c1590 Fowler I. 39/58.
Was never suche a sweitlie flame … nor never sall … for which I mone and murne

f. To feel regret or remorse for a sin or crime one has committed or for backsliding. 1490 Irland Mir. I. 42/36.
We murne for oure synnis 1559 Knox VI. 20.
To soche as I doe suppose doe moorne for their former defection c1568 Lauder Minor P. i. 349. a1585 Maitl. Q. lxii. 136.
Ȝe and ȝouris sall for that murther murne 1650 Nicoll Diary 17.
To murne for thair awin iniquities

g. To feel regret or chagrin that one has done something or that something is the case. a1570-86 Kennedy Maitl. F. xxxi. 16.
I murne bayth lait and ayr that euer I seruit mouth thankles 1567 G. Ball. 95.
Thow sall not follow wickit mennis wayis, Nor ȝit murne that sinfull haif gude dayis

h. To express one's grief or remorse (to God). 1533 Gau 5/14.
Ane Chrissine prayer is quhen ane man prais and murnis inuertlie in his hert to God efter his help

2. tr. To grieve or sorrow for; to regret, deplore, lament, bewail. c1420 Wynt. i. 263.
Adam murnyd a hundyr yhere Abel hys swnnys slauchter dere 1461 Liber Plusc. 382.
Help to murn this dul a1538 Abell 25 a.
At the Romanis suld nocht heire the lamentatioun of wemen mornand thare woundit or deid husbandis 1549 Compl. 169/14.
Heraclites vald murn & lament for pite our misire and our affliction c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 903.
Sa all that nicht he did bot murn it a1585 Maitl. Q. lxv. 113.
Quhat sall I murne my nauchtie frivoll stait 1585 James VI Ess. 17.
Or when I like [to] flyte or murne my fate 1596 Dalr. I. 298/31.
To murne and lament thair sinis

3. intr. To make a sound expressive of pain or grief or one resembling this; to moan or wail. 1513 Doug. xi. xv. 145.
The spreit of lyfe fled murnand with a grone 1549 Compl. 39/14.
The huddit crauis cryit varrok varrok, quhen the suannis murnit