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

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First published 2000 (DOST Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

S(c)hine, S(c)hyne, Schen(e, v. Also: shyn, scyn, schynn-; s(c)hein(e, scheyne. P.t. schinit, s(c)hynit, -yt, -et, -id, -(e)d, schynnit, schenyt; shinde, shynde, schend; s(c)han(e, schayn, schaan; schone; schene, shein; s(c)hyne. P.p. schine, schyne. [ME and e.m.E. scine(n (Layamon), schine(n (c1230), shine (Cursor M.), schyne (Gower), shene (c1420), sheene (a1542), p.t. (strong) sc(h)an (Cursor M.), schon (Gower), (weak) schynde (c1305), shynede (Chaucer), p.p. sinen (c1220), shyned (Trevisa), etc., OE scínan (p.t. scán, scinon; p.p. scinen).] intr.

1. Of a luminary, light, fire, etc.: To give out or radiate light; to illuminate by giving out light.Also const. apon (on) the thing illuminated. lit. and fig.(1) pres. 1375 Barb. iv 166.
Quhen day wes lycht And sone wes ryssyn schynand brycht Ib. vi 108.
The moyne wes schynand clerly c1400 Troy-bk. i 472.
Men mytht see wpone the nytht Hillis … Als brytht as sonne wer schynand clere 1490 Irland Mir. I 103/12.
As the licht schynis and apperis throu the lanterne, richtsa [etc.] Ib. III 132/10.
As the day sterne schinis in the firmament sa iustice gevis licht in the pepil and polecy c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 159/1.
Lucina schynnyng in silence of the nicht Id. G. Targe 1.
Ryght as the stern of day begouth to schyne 1513 Doug. viii x 65.
The byrnand sonnys bemys brycht … Schynand [1553scynand] on far, forgane the skyis how 1583 in Melvill 140.
As the sun did schyne be southe at mids of day a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 1605.
The sunne schynes als fair in ane other town as in this a1633 Hope Major Pract. II 237.
Executione of summondis should be maid quhen the sune shyns(b) 1375 Barb. xiv 177.
Quhen sone wes rysyn schenand cler c1420 Wynt. vi 803.
Thare wes newyre sowne schenand Thare sene c1475 Wall. iii 119. 1533 Gau 52/29.
As fyrflacht passis owt of the est and schenis to the vest(c) 1533 Gau 94/9.
[God] causis His sone to scheyne apone ewil men and guid c1530-40 Stewart Bann. MS 277b/58.
And all the sternis that in the lift dois scheyne c1590 J. Stewart 187/2.
Quhair the son maist feruentlie dois scheinep.t. 1456 Hay I 21/6.
That the thrid part of the sonne [etc.] … was all merk and schynyt nocht 15.. Clar. iv 1608.
Whill bricht Apollo schynit ouer holpe [ed. holte] and hill a1578 Pitsc. I 229/19.
The sone … schynnit bright wpoun the saillis 1581-1623 James VI Poems I 231/280.
Titan shynid [1591 shinde] on ees of Turkes(b) a1500 Seven S. 366.
Schane 1513 Doug. ii x 18.
The fyrys schane [Sm. schyne] sa brycht … All thing was patent Ib. xiii ix 103.
The blesand torchys schayn … That far on breid all lemys of thar lycht 1531 Bell. Boece II 179.
Ane comite … schane all the moneth of Aprile 1535 Stewart 56757.
The mone … schane rycht fair and bricht(c) a1500 Colk. Sow i 245.
Than dansit Doby Drymouth ‘The sone schene in the sowth’(d) a1500 Henr. Fab. 2392.
The schadow off the mone schone in the well(e) ?1438 Alex. i 1635.
The sone shyne cleir on armouris brichtp.p. 1513 Doug. xiii Prol. 23.
Quhar the son had schyne [Sm. schine](2) 1456 Hay I 103/10.
For God gevis … na vertu mare to the sonne and the planetis to schyne better apon a Cristyn mannis corne na apon a Sarrazenis Id. Alex. 165.
For als sa far as son schynis on erd Sa spred his name 1490 Irland Mir. II 134/2.
Quhen the licht of the sone schynis one the window [etc.] c1515 Asl. MS I 257/12.
Bot the son schane nocht on the erd till he was takin wp 1561 Q. Kennedy Compendious Ressonyng (ed.) 163/31.
As ane tre haiffand the leiffis dilatate and spred, the sone schynand thairapon a1568 Bann. MS 244b/5.
Rycht as the sone schynis on the sudly schaw 1638 Rec. Kirk Scotl. 191/2.
The sun schyning on the tops of the western mountaines

b. With daylight or the sky as subject. c1520-c1535 Nisbet Matth. xvi 3.
Ande in the mornyng, [ye say,] This day [it shall be] tempest, for heuen schynes hevilie 1531 Bell. Boece II 87.
The lift schane, two dayis continewally, ful of sternis 1567 G. Ball. 95.
As the goldin morning schynis bricht a1578 Pitsc. I 397/34.
The daylyght begane to schyne

c. To shine, or be radiant, with a supernatural light.Chiefly with the person or thing so illuminated as subject.(1) a1400 Leg. S. iv 294.
Ane angel com that clerly schane And the pressone opnyt Ib. xxix 106.
Bot he saw betwen his tyndis brycht A verray croice schenand lycht 1456 Hay I 282/30.
The sanctis in hevyn schynis as the sonne c1475 Wall. vii 90.
A qweyne, Inlumyt lycht, schynand full brycht and scheyne 1513 Doug. ii xi 8.
The top of litill Ascanyus hed … Schane al of lycht 1533 Boece 218b.
Diuers ferlyis war sene … On nycht birnyng swerdis war sene … The brayis schynyt in glemys of fyre Arundel MS 275/29.
His all-weilding Father … Quhois palice hie schynes abone Saturn a1570-86 Maitl. F. 198/38.
O God that tuik humanite Schyning as the sone in glas In Marie mother(2) a1400 Leg. S. ii 536.
Fra hewine schane don a mekil lycht c1520-c1535 Nisbet Acts ix 3.
A licht fra heuen schaan about him

2. Of an object with a surface capable of reflecting rays of light: To shine, sparkle, glitter, glisten; to reflect light in bright rays. Passing into 4 below. Also transf.(1) ?1438 Alex. ii 3705.
pres. The poyntis of emeraudes schynand schyre c1420 Wynt. i 1002.
Thare fowlys … feddrys ar schynand all the nycht a1500 Rauf C. 470.
His greis … And his cussanis cumlie schynand full cleir c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 106/9.
And quhou schou [supra Ane blak-moir] schynes lyk ony saep c1510 Prester John 310b.
Ane … carbunkill quhilk schynys sua that … thai may se als weill in it as one the feildis 1513 Doug. x iii 40.
Amyd the blak terbynthyn Growys by Orycia, and as the geit dois schyne Ib. xii xiv 132.
The fey gyrdill … With stuthis knaw and pendes schynand cleir c1520-c1535 Nisbet Luke ix 29.
His clething was quhite schynand 15.. Clar. v 716.
Ladies … With perlit hatis schyning of cullour quhyte 1560 Rolland Seven S. 6213.
Ȝone samin swords that ȝe se schining sa 1596 Dalr. I 57/17.
Egis verie small schineng sa cleir as a pretious margarite 1587-99 Hume 53/43.
Lawers in ranks, and siluer baissings shine(b) 1535 Stewart 50222.
And brodin beddis … Agane the schyning of the sone did schene [: bene] 1581-1623 James VI Poems II 35/6.
Thou … crounis his head uith golde that purest scheinisp.t. ?1438 Alex. ii 4106.
The scheild that schynit bricht 1460 Hay Alex. 1858.
His helm of charbunkill schinit as fyre 15.. Clar. ii 1451.
Of gold and stonis great was the riches About hir schynit a1570-86 Maitl. F. 360/10.
As rid gold wyir schynit hir hair(b) ?1438 Alex. i 2435.
Agane the sone thair sheildis shane [: nane] 1513 Doug. ii vi 30.
The … lugyng of … Deyphobus Was fal to grond, the fyre vpspred onone … The large seys and costis Sygean, Throu … brycht fyris, schane [1553, Ruddim. schene](c) ?1438 Alex. i 824.
Helmis … That cleirly agane the sone shein(d) 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 1433.
Gilt birneist torris, quhilk like to Phebus schone c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 60/14.
A nychtingall … Quhois angell fedderis as the pacok schone Ib. 62/78.
Hir goldin tressit hairis … Lyk to Appollois bemis thocht thay schone 1535 Stewart 211.
With … ene … Quhilk lyk tua sterris schone Ib. 12328.
Thair basnatis brycht … As ony siluer ouir the schaw tha schone als lycht(2) a1400 Leg. S. v 256.
Far palacis … Schenand with gemmys oure-al-quhare a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 20.
Thair baneris schane with the sone, of siluer and sabill 1513 Doug. v iii 62.
The rowaris … With spaldis nakyt [pr. makyt], schayn [Sm., Ruddim. schene] of oyl enoynt Ib. vii Prol. 40.
With frosyn frontis cauld clynty clewis schane [: stane] Ib. i 112.
Hir crownel, picht with mony precyus stane, Infyrit all of byrnand flawys schane Ib. xi xii 11.
And as the fyre all byrnand schayn the feildis Of brycht armour 15.. Clar. v 117.
The cuschingis of deaureat splendure schone Ib. 2229.
He … Schynit all of stonis and of carbunkellis deire(3) transf. 1375 Barb. xii 428.
The Inglismen … as angelis schane brychtly 1460 Hay Alex. 9.
He [sc. the dragon] schane as gold, his fethram was sa fair 15.. Clar. i 22.
When he was armit … As lucent lamp so leimit he of licht … He schynit as dois the bricht day-star at morrow

3. In figurative applications of 1 and 2 above.(1) a1400 Leg. S. xl 167.
The haly man, That as a starne clerly schane In gud dedis a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 209.
The sterne That schane sa lang in clud of His manheid Or He exceid the micht of His godheid c1520-c1535 Nisbet John v 35.
Johnne … was a lanterne birnand and schynand 1535 Stewart 20830.
S[anct] Jerome … As the bricht sone into the Orient, He schend als cleir and in the Occident 1551 Hamilton Cat. 175.
The rychteous sall schene as the sonne in the kingdome of thair father 1567 G. Ball. 164.
Bot now he hes saluatioun … And schynis as the sone sa cleir a1568 Bann. MS 219b/22.
Of womanheid the mirrour, schynand lycht 1573 Tyrie in Cath. Tr. 20/3.
Christ … willing his apostolis … to schene euin as ane bricht mirrour to vtheris in the veritie c1590 Fowler I 99/49.
Lyke a carbuncle great, Claudius flamd and shynde That by his counsell [etc.] 1596 Dalr. I 199/18.
Loo for the … deiling of the Romanes with the Pechtes … a lychtsum lycht, and weil fortunat, … schyned vnto thame agane that the hard seruitude of the Pechtes was occasione to restore the Scottis 1602 Colville Paraenese 18.
The scripturs … schyne vith inspekable maiestie 1614 in Melvill lxiv.
He [sc. James Melvill] sall schine in the heavens as the sune and moone in the firmament(2) a1400 Leg. S. xli 200.
For he na reuerence gef the lycht That schane here-in be Godis sycht 1456 Hay I 25/12.
All Cristyn folk ar callit sternis schynand in the kirk of the faith a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 128.
Fra scho concentit to beir the prince of price The Haly Gaist schane in hir tabernakill c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 4/2.
Hale, sterne superne; … In Godis sicht to schyne c1520-c1535 Nisbet Matth. v 16.
Ye ar lichte of the warld … Sa schyne your lichte [L. Sic luceat lux vestra] before men that thai se your gude werkis(b) a1400 Leg. S. xxii 438.
The nycht forsuth has na merknes, Bot ay schenis in clernes a1538 Abell 84a.
Wirginite is a geme at ay it schenis brychtest in maist precius mettell(3) a1568 Montg. Bann. MS I p. 52/19.
I dee, I dwyne … Till Titan myne vpoun me schyne a1570-86 Schaw Maitl. F. 384/2.
Suppois … fortoun on ȝow schynis and betis

4. To be resplendent in appearance, decoration, colour, etc.; to attract attention by brightness of colour, splendour of array, etc.(a) c1450-2 Howlat 891 (A).
And his schroude schane Off alkyn colour 1513 Doug. i vi 163.
Hir nek schane [Ruthv. schyne] lyke onto the roys in May Ib. v iii 59.
The patronys in eftcastellis … Stude, al in gold and purpour schynand brycht Ib. ix 16.
The grene olyve about hys forhed schane Ib. xi xv 5.
Choreus … Abilȝeit rychly and full gloryus schane In pompus armour c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus ii 285.
Sa gay thay schine all in thair glitterand geir a1570-86 Maitl. F. 288/15.
Treis … Quhais bark and branchis schynis als cleir Als ony flour in all the feild 1611-57 Mure Dido & Æneas ii 493.
With Tyrian purpour robe arayed he shin'd(b) c1460 Thewis Gud Women 89.
Flam nocht the flouris at wyll faid, To mend hir mak at God has maid, With payntyng-wattrys to gar hir schen [v.r. scheyne] 1513 Doug. vi iii 95 (Ruddim.).
Like as full oft in schil wynteris tyde The gum or glew amyd the woddis wyde Is wount to schene [C. seym] ȝallow on the grane new c1552 Lynd. Mon. 6160.
Thay sall se the heuinlye brycht colowris Schenyng amang those creaturis diuyne c1590 J. Stewart 220 §82.
Ane lodge silvestrine heir did seimlie scheine

5. Of a person: To be pre-eminent (be, in, of, for, throw, with some reason, usu. a particular quality); to distinguish oneself; to excel.Some quots. in 3 above overlap to some extent with this sense.(1) a1400 Leg. S. vi 442.
In hest Ynde … He [sc. Thomas] went & thar throw ferlys schan Ib. xxvii 318.
A man that schane of halynes 1456 Hay I 6/12.
Lucifer … for his grete beautee schynit sa before all otheris … as dois a grete torch be a small litill candill Ib. 210/14.
The pape … to schyne in governaunce of spiritualitee of oure saulis and of the Cristyn faith a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 1123.
Thoucht I wes wile, throu flewour now I schyne a1538 Abell 79b.
Ancelme … schene in life and doctrin 1583 in Melvill 164.
And that yie wald, in this grait darknes, schyne befor us be your fathfull counsall 1596 Dalr. I 325/20.
Thay schynet, in sik sinceritie of lyfe, in sa solide doctrine … that [etc.](b) a1538 Abell 119b.
Wemen thare schenis with ontrowable honeste & wemenlie scham Ib. 8*b, etc.
Odoryk of the ordur of freir minoris schenyt be miraculis in Asya(2) a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 1273.
His riche rout, Sexty schalkis that schene seymly to schaw(b) a1538 Abell 3*a.
Beid venerabil doctor & preist schenyt

6. Of a non-material thing: To be manifested in a remarkable degree; to be brilliantly evident or visible; to be clearly apparent.(a) a1400 Leg. S. xxvii 376.
Sanct Colme had persawing How clerly Godis grace can schyne In Mocumma a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 407 (Asl.).
Just men … In quhom the licht of grace ay schynand clere Standis in sure stait a1500 Bk. Chess 385.
In till a king suld aye schynand be Justice with law and werraye equite Ib. 1030. 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 452.
Like Phebus in hiest of his spheir Hir bewtie schane Id. Æn. xii xiii 28.
That I na mar sik wofull thochtis se Schyne nor appeir in thy sweit face 1567 G. Ball. 95.
Sa sall thy justice schine till euerie wicht c1568 Lauder Minor P. i 644.
Thus lat ȝour deids so schyne in tymes to cum a1578 Pitsc. I 160/8.
That Godis glorie might shyne throw the contrie in his diocie 1596 Dalr. I 106/10.
In administratione of the kirk schynes thrie digries Ib. 70/12. c1600 Montg. Suppl. xxii 4.
Sic verteuis … That al the warld dois se in ȝow to schyne(b) a1400 Leg. S. xli 14.
His cuplyne is madynhed, Ay schenand in word & deid 1562 Aberd. Eccl. Rec. 4.
That gud lyfe, conversatioun and maneris may scheyne 1581-1623 James VI Poems I 179/608.
Yett thay thaire hairmefull motionis throuch the boddie makkis to schein [v.r. sheine]