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

Stevin, Stewyn(e, n.¹ Also: stevyn(e, stewin(e, stewn. [ME and e.m.E. steuene, stephne (both c1175), steffne (Orm), stefne (c1200), steovene (14th c.), stevyn (a1460), steeven (1575), steaven (1589), OE stefn, stemn fem., MLG stemne; stevene. Also in the later dial.]

1. (A) voice; freq. as angel(is) stevin, the voice(s) of angels. a1400 Legends of the Saints xvii 342.
& his saule bare vpe in hewine, As a quhyt dow in angelis stewyn [L. cum laudibus] a1400 Legends of the Saints xix 233.
He … herd a voyce … Calland … ‘Cum furth Cristofore [etc.]’ … The thred tyme callit the stewine Askand helpe [etc.] a1400 Legends of the Saints xlvi 244.
Ȝald the saulis to God of hewyn, That thame reschauyt vith angel stewyn a1400 Legends of the Saints xxviii 608, etc. 1460 Hay Alex. 18588.
Sic clamour greitting and gowling … Quhilk thair was maid for him of manis stevin Grevit God and all the angellis of hevin a1500 Golagros and Gawane 821.
Be he stonayt yone sterne stout beis his stevin 1450-1510 Gray MS v 50.
Mary consawit throw Gabriell stevin a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 226.
Thoucht all my hare wer hertis … And all my iuntis sang with angellis stewin [etc.] c1500-c1512 Dunb. (STS) lxxxv 54.
Memore of sore, stern in Aurore, Lovit with angellis stevyne 1513 Doug. iii vi 196.
Oppynnand hir voce, scho plesit schaw thé … thy destaneys, be hir awyn mowthis stevin 1513 Doug. iii vi 208.
Eftir at this prophet, with hys frendly stevyn, Thir dyvyne answeris thus pronosticate

b. A particular sort or tone of voice, passing into the resultant noise or din; an instance of this.(1) a1400 Legends of the Saints i 90.
He … one Crist callyt with petowis stewyne a1400 Legends of the Saints xvii 144.
With ioyful sange & swet stewyne a1400 Legends of the Saints xxxiii 828. 1460 Hay Alex. 9624.
And ȝammerand with hie voce and reuthfull stevin Askand vengance c1500-c1512 Dunb. (STS) vi 103.
Singand and gretand with hie stevin c1500-c1512 Dunb. (STS) xxi 69.
Pitt obscure, Quhair ȝoulis ar hard with horreble stevin c1500-c1512 Dunb. (STS) xxviii 3.
I dremed ane angell came fra Hevin, With plesand stevin sayand, … Telȝouris and sowtaris, blist be ȝe 1513 Doug. xiii x 22.
And thus gan mak hys boyn with myld stevin a1568 Bannatyne MS 30a/94. c1568 Lauder Minor P. i 646.
That the behaldars may crye with joyfull steuin ‘Grace, glore, and honour, be to the Father of Heuin’(2) a1500 Golagros and Gawane 254.
Than carpit the cumly king, with ane lowd stevin a1500 Henr. Age & Yowth 25.
This senȝeour sang bot with a sobir stevin 1535 Stewart 11821.
For blythnes than thai sang … with sic ane stalwart stevin, Quhill that thair noyes rang vp to the hevin

c. With a stevin, in one voice, in unison. a1400 Legends of the Saints xxvii 62.
Angelis … syngand with a stewyn a1400 Legends of the Saints xxvii 553.
With a stewine, Machore thai lowyt and God of hewine a1400 Legends of the Saints xxvii 1452. a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 491.
Seing that companie, all with ane steuin Thay gaif ane cry [etc.]

d. transf. The ‘voice’ of a poet or author; his poetry, works. 1513 Doug. vi Prol. 70.
Virgil sawis ar worth to put in stor … Ful riche tresour thai bene … oft by Sibilys sawis he tonys his stevyn. Thus faithfully in his Bucolykis he saith [etc.]

2. The noise made by birds; birdsong. a1500 Tale of the Colkelbie Sow iii 114.
And Cok Rusty the sevin Dame Strange his wyfe quhilk had a stout stevin 1513 Doug. xii Prol. 238.
The styrlyng changis diuers stevynnys [E. stewnis] nys 15.. Clariodus i 947.
Up raise the mirrie lark with stevin joyous

3. With inanimate source. a. The noise made by musical instruments, singly or together. a1500 Golagros and Gawane 534.
Quhat signifyis … The brym blast that he blew with ane stevin stour? 1513 Doug. xi v 23.
The clamour of the men and trumpys stevyn Gan spryngyng vp 1535 Stewart 6603.
Trumpet and taburne tunit with sic ane stevin Quhill all thair noyis rang vp to the hevin 1535 Stewart 9534.
The sound of solace, and the mirrie stevin Of menstralie it rang into the hevin 1535 Stewart 50133.
The bemand buglis tha sa scharplie soundit, With trumpet, talburne in so stalwart stevin

b. The noise or din of battle or a natural force. a1500 Golagros and Gawane 667.
Thus thai mellit and met with ane stout steuin, Thir lufly ledis on the land without legiance a1570-86 J. Maitland in Maitland Folio MS 285/18.
As furious fluidis with gritter force ay flowis And starkar stevin quhone stoppit ar the stremis