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

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First published 1990 (DOST Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Rain, Rayn(e, Rane, v. Also: raine. [ME reȝȝen (Orm), reinie (13th c.), ME and e.m.E. rain(e (Cursor M.), reyne, OE regnian (rare, the usual form being the causative rignan, rínan), ON regna.] To rain.

1. impers. It rainis, rain falls.Also, in pres. p., without formal subject, and in passive without reference to agent.(1) 1375 Barb. iii 235.
It ranyt sa hard and hewyly 1551 Hamilton Cat. 244.
Helias … maid his prayer that it mycht nocht rayne apon the erd and sa it raynit nocht 1560 Rolland Seven S. 3341.
All the nicht ouir it ranit sa on me That [etc.](2) c1400 Troy-bk. ii 1721.
Thai may se nocht bot the lift And tharwith [sc. the wind] raynand euir in one(3) 1562-3 Winȝet I 14/5.
Ane vnclene land, quhilk is not raynit vpon

2. intr. Of the sky, etc.: To pour down rain. 15.. Dunb. App. vi 35.
The skyis raind quhen he wald scowle 1513 Doug. xiii iii 7.
From thar eyn a large schour furth sent Of teris gret, as thocht the hevyn dyd rayn [v.rr. rane]

3. Of rain: To fall. a1578 Pitsc. II 206/10.
All this ȝeir … thair was ane gret drouthe that the rain ranit nocht 1633 Orkney Witch Trial in Reg. Privy C. 2 Ser. V 552.
To saife himselfe from a cold showir that wes raining

b. transf. Of things other than water: To fall from the sky in the manner of rain. 1531 Bell. Boece I 155.
Ane schoure of stanis was in Athole; siclike in Angus ranit paddokis c1552 Lynd. Mon. 3434.
Frome the hewin brintstone and fyre, With awfull thoundryng, ranit doun

c. Of tears: To fall in abundance. a1605 Montg. Misc. P. viii 48.
Let teirs aboundant ouir our visage rane

4. Of moisture: To leak in. 1618 Elgin Rec. II 155 n.
They fand within the said kirk … ane pairt quhair the wett haid raint that haid becum grein [etc.]

5. quasi-tr. In the impersonal construction, it rainis (blude). a1538 Abell 65b.
It ranit blude thre dais 1549 Compl. 58/35.
The lyft did rane mylk, and on the morne it ranit rede blude

6. tr. To pour down, or let fall, rain or some other substance. a. Of God. b. Of the sky. a1538 Abell 5b.
God ranand hail stane & tempest aganis thame 1549 Compl. 59/4.
The lyft did rane yrn c1590 J. Stewart 244 §177.
God did on tham raine Fuid celicall 1638 Johnston Diary I 342.
Rayning doune the superafluence of his [God's] blissings

c. transf. Of the eye: To rain (teris), to shed tears copiously. Arundel MS 255/8.
My ene for doloure wofull teris ranis Quhen that I se thé nalit on the rude

7. intr. Of a structure: To let in rain; to leak. 1649 Grant Chart. 460.
[To make the battlements … water-tight] that they rain not for sewin yeiris

8. transf. In assaying silver: To produce water during the process of cupellation. Juan Arphe Quilatador de la Plata oro y Piedrus (1572).
‘During the process (of cupellation) waters are seen on top of the assay’ 1682 Cochran-Patrick Coinage II 197.
[On being tested in the furnace] the fyne silver did rain and carie out three graine lighter Ib. 199.
The fyne silver cam out about three grains which having rained