Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

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

Spaning, vbl. n. Also: spann-, spain-, spayn-, spean- and -y(i)ng. [North. ME spanyng, -ynge (c1440); Spane v.] The action of Spane v. Also attrib. and fig.(1) 1552 Prot. Bk. Sir A. Gaw 24 (see Spane v. 1 (1)). 1644 E. Loth. Antiq. Soc. II 150.
None of the tenents … put away of the ground any of ther lambes … befor ther spaining nor efter the spaining quhil the laird be requirit to teynd thame 1666 Peebles B. Rec. II 72.
All the lambes … after their spayning to be removed off the tounes … commounties 1692 Peebles B. Rec. II 139.
The saids herds … shall keep ane sett day for shedding, spaning, and clippingattrib. 1575 Edinb. Test. III 382.
He levis to … foure bairnis … ane lamb to be deliverit to thaim at spaning tyme nixt to cumfig. 1565 Knox VI 253.
True it is, that this weaning (or speaning [MS spaning] as we terme it) from worldly pleasure is a thing straunge to the flesh(2) 1507 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I 111.
Quhilkis spayning fra the operatioun that in tyme to cum thai sall nor tap na deirare aill 1527–8 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I 233.
That thay [sc. bakers] sell nocht to the tovne vnder the payne of spaining fra the occupatioun yeir and day 1529 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. II 6.
The thrid falt spanyng of thar operatione 1544 Soc. Ant. II 396.
The third falt of spaning of thaim fra brewing for ane ȝeir 1544 Haddington B. Rec. (Robb) 8 Oct.
Spanning 1548 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. II 144.
Vnder the payne of … spayning fra the venting of wyne be the space of ane yeir 1550 Edinb. B. Rec. II 150.
Payne l s. the first falt, the secund v li., the thrid spayning 1552 Edinb. B. Rec. II 166.
Spanying 1554–5 Bk. Old Edinb. C. XV 10.
The third [falt] spanyng of thame fra their occupatioun for ane yeir and uther unfremen to be put in thair place