A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1971 (DOST Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1513-1665
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Navy, n. Also: naw- and -ye, -ie, -é; navwie; neavie. [ME. (Manning) and e.m.E. navie, -y(e, -e(e, F. navie. Cf. Navyn(e n.] A fleet (? espec. of warships), a naval force. 1513 Doug. iii. i. 12.
Schippis we graith and navy reddy maid 1513 Ib. ix. 29.
I knaw me ane of the Grekis navy 1513 Ib. i. iii. heading. 1513 Ib. iv. 27. 1513 Ib. ii. i. 33. 1544 Corr. M. Lorraine 81.
I heir say certane naveis of Inglys schippis ar to cum with men of veir 1548 Ib. 220.
Thar is ane greit feir … for the Frenche nawye c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 90; etc.
The greit nauie of Scotland 1554 Misc. Bann. C. III. 74.
Nawie 1558-66 Knox II. 73.
To enter in this realme with ane navy or army a1578 Pitsc. I. 257 marg.
How the King gat witt of his navieis fallsit a1578 Ib. II. 102 heading.
Hou the inglismen … lay with ane navwie of schippis all that winter in Tay a1578 Ib. I. 252/21. 1579 Despauter (1579).
Classis, ane nauie of schippis 1590-1 R. Bruce Serm. 203. 1596 Dalr. II. 183/4. 1596 Ib. 430/19.
He preparet a gret nauie and land armie 1596 Ib. I. 148/32. 1616–17 Scottish Notes and Queries V. i.
Preacher to the navie and fleit of the … East India Company 1626 Aberd. Council Lett. I. 252.
To rig furth ane navie 1631 Acts V. 242/1.
Whensoever anie navie of fishing shippes … sallbe … drawin togidder 1665 Elgin Rec. II. 304.
Day of thanksgiving for the guid sucsese of our neavie
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"Navy n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 15 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/navy>
