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

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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Sin, Syn, n. Also: sine, syne, sinn(e, synn(e, sene, seyn, sowne, sun. [ME sinne, senne, sunne (late 12th c.), synne (Manning), syn (Rolle), e.m.E. sin (Shakespeare), OE syn(n.]

1. An act regarded as offensive to God; a violation of moral or religious principles. Also, the sin of (a particular vice).(1) 1375 Barb. xx 180.
My hert fyschit fermly was, … Of my synnys till savit be a1400 Leg. S. ii 880.
Nero wa, … In hel tholis for his syne a1400 Leg. S. xvi 15, etc.
Syn 1456 Hay I 16/20.
In the commoun synnis of nature, as in the vij dedely synnis 1456 Hay II 40/19.
Gif ever he did ony grete excessive syn, as tresoune, … scisme, sorcery [etc.] a1500 Henr. III 163/29.
Suppois our syne be to thé pungetyfe a1500 Henr. III 168/79. 1490 Irland Mir. III 74/13.
The saule has mony synnis venial ?a1500 Remembr. Passion 57.
O Lord Jesu, that tholit thy handis tobe bundin, lous the handis of my synnis c1500-c1512 Dunb. (STS) ix 4 (B), etc. 1531 Bell. Boece II 10.
Nothir the feir of deith nor present calamitie, micht draw thaim fra thair inhansit sinne [M. syn] 1533 Gau 8/15. c1530-40 Stewart in Bann. MS 36a/92.
With ane scherp speir thay thocht it wes no sin To pers my harte 1560 Bk. Disc. 247.
Fornicatioun, huredome, and adulterye, ar synnes most commoun in this realme 1567 G. Ball. 13.
Forgeue our sinnis, and our trespas a1568 Bann. MS I p. 33/14.
Of thy synnyis confes thé cleir a1568 Bann. MS 28b/28.
Out of thi he supernall sete Law to discend and wesche our sin a1578 Pitsc. II 81/15.
Sinns a1578 Pitsc. II 317/30.
Sinis 1588 King Cat. 156.
Sic sclender sinnes, as ar … idill talk [etc.] … quhilk ar callit the veniall sinnes 1615 Fraserburgh Kirk S. 50b (11 April).
The sessioune suspectis that aither the said Gilbert is inducit to tak on ane tother manis sinne or drawin in societie of sin to cower the sinne of ane vther 1671 Ellon Par. 131.
The lord bishop … had appoynted ane solemne fast … and that for the sines of the land(b) a1400 Leg. S. iii 105.
For-think thi sene c1475 Wall. xi 833.
Thar cowatys was our gret maystir seyn(c) a1400 Leg. S. vii 253.
The gret sowne that thai don had(d) c1600 Montg. Suppl. xxix 78.
Reputting me amang the just Forgeifing all my sun(2) 1456 Hay I 170/15.
Gif the Inglishmen be enclynyt to the syn of the flesche 1492 Myll Spect. 280/3.
Quhat was caus of Noyes flud bot the syn of lechorye c1490 Irland Asl. MS 70/19.
I haue synnit in the gret and hevy syn of invy c1552 Lynd. Mon. 3472.
For that self syn of sodomye 1640 Aberd. B. Rec. III 251.
The sin of adultrie … confest be thame both in the presence of the kirk session 1649 Brechin Presb. 8.
His leud lyff and abominable sin of homicid 1671 Moray Synod 151.
That horrid and Cain lyke sin of fratricide

2. Without article: Violation of divine or moral law, generally. Also mannis syne, sexual intercourse; original sin, see Original(l adj. 2 a; syne of the flesche.(1) a1400 Leg. S. xxvii 1294.
In Goddis wyne-ȝarde for to vyne Feile folk that bundine ar with syne a1500 Rauf C. 921.
Wald thow conuert thé in hy and couer thé of sin a1500 Henr. Bludy Serk 107.
Sa suld we wryth all syn away a1500 Henr. Fab. 653 (Bann.).
Deid is reward of syn and schamefull end a1500 Henr. III 146/18, etc. a1500 Seven S. 1140.
Thow has gret syn me for to sla 14… Statut. Sc. Ch. 6.
We curs … Al thaim that distrois barnis … for conceling of synn c1500-c1512 Dunb. (STS) xxvi 84 (M).
Full mony a stinking foull tramort That had in syne bein deid a1538 Abell 8*a.
Maynsweryn is rycht havy syn c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 966.
Na, God forbid, it wer greit syn; My Lord and ȝe wes neir of kyn 1562-3 Winȝet I 65/17.
All thing quhilk is nocht of fayth is sin 1567 G. Ball. 59.
He … Sin and Sathan thair hes slaine a1568 Bann. MS 75a/3.
Remember sin and eik the panis inferne a1568 Bann. MS 135a/13.
Commounly auld syn Makis new schame a1605 Montg. Devot. P. x 1.
Leave sin, ere sin leave theepersonified a1500 K. Hart 535.
In mid the clois thair Conscience met with Syne a1500 K. Hart 537.
Conscience to Syn gave sic ane dunt(2) a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 141.
This worthy lady, but mannis syne bur a child(3) Arundel MS 252/420.
For I … hes offendit thé oure mekill: I[n] prid, wanglore, in wrachitnes and in syne of the flesche

3. A shame, a pity. 1375 Barb. xviii 177.
On this wis war thai … Throu wilfulnes all losit then; And that wes syn and gret pite ?1438 Alex. i 1767.
Bot allace it was mekill sin That thay of Grece war maid sa thin ?1438 Alex. ii 40.
Allace! that was baith syte and sin For thair he deit and that was pitie a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 1203.
It war syn but recure The knightis honour suld smure a1500 Henr. Fab. 299 (Asl.).
To se this sely mous it was gret syn c1475 Wall. v 501.
Lorde Persye said; ‘Now suthlye that war syne’ a1500 Prestis of Peblis 43 (Asl.).
Tharfor me think it nother schame nor syn Of ȝow twa the first tale to begyn

b. A fear of doing wrong; a qualm of conscience. c1475 Wall. viii 518.
To byrn and sla off thaim he had na syne

4. comb. Sin-guilt, a sinful act, and the guilt of, or culpability for, such an act, regarded as a compound offence. 1645 Rutherford Tryal Faith (1845) 227.
As he is therefore in law and justice a guilty debtor to suffer evil of punishment, because against law and justice he is a bad deserving sinner, in doing against, and so by a sin-guilt hath transgressed a law [etc.]