A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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About this entry:
First published 1986 (DOST Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1513-1545
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Puns(e, n.1 [Cf. late ME and e.m.E. pounce, pownce, pounse, a prick or sting (1413), the claw or talon of a bird of prey (1486), a die or stamp (1556), etc., also late ME and e.m.E. punch(e a dagger (1460), a tool for piercing (1505), etc., and Puns(c)hio(u)n(e n.1] a. The claw or talon of a bird of prey. b. A dagger. —a. 1513 Doug. xi xiii 170.
The happy goishalk … The silly dow … lowkyt in his punsys sarris fast 1513 Ib. xiv 66.
The ȝallo egill … The eddir hyntis vp … Syne, fleand, in hir feit strenȝeis sa fast That oft hyr punsys outthrow the skyn dois thrast 1513 Ib. xiii v 118.
Lyke so as quhar Iovis byg fowle, the ern, With hir strang tallonys and hir punsys stern, Lychtyng had claucht the litill hynd calf ȝyng, Torryng the skyn 1513 Ib. xii v 71.b. 1545 Aberd. B. Rec. MS XIX (Jam.).
Ane knapiscaw, and tua hand suerd, ane puns, ane sellet, ane dens aix, ane pair of pantars, ane coip burd
