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

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Turning, To(u)rnyng, vbl. n. Also: turnyng, turneing. [ME and e.m.E. turnunge (c1230), turnyng (Manning), turning (1387-8), tornynge (Gower), tournyng (Lydgate).]

1. The act of turning round a central point, a sharp turn; a revolution. (Turn v. 1.)1375 Barb. xiii 651.
Off this ilk quhelys turnyng King Robert suld mak na murnyng ?1438 Alex. i 1233.
He saw his eme at erd … And his gude steid vpon him ly, For he was fallin in ane turnyng ?1438 Alex. i 1881.
To ane turning that he couth mak, The renȝe of his brydill brak 1550 Knox III 67.
In the Papisticall masse, the congregation getteth nothing except the beholding of your jukingis, noddingis, crossingis, turnyng, uplifting 1586 St. A. Test. II 63a.
viij d. for the expensis in laying and turning of the ledder xij s. 1596 Dalr. I 4/24.
In respecte of turnings and windings of the erth

b. The act of turning one's back, retreat. (Turn v. 1 b.)c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace x 356.
The worthy Scottis weryt fer on bak Sewyn akyrbreid, in turnyng off thair bak

c. The act of turning on a lathe. (Turn v. 1 e.)1496 Treasurer's Accounts I 289.
To the turnour for turnyng of xij pailȝoun toppis, xvj s. 1532 Master of Works Accounts (ed.) I 87.
For turnyng and wirkin upon certane fyalis upon schorne verk 1573 Treasurer's Accounts XII 344.
To ane turnour for his laubouris in turning of the taponis 1628 Misc. Maitl. C. III 371.
For turning of the tua grit globis that wes sent to Falkland for the roundis thair

d. The act of turning the key to find a thief, etc. (Turn v. 1 h.)1646 Kirkcaldy Presb. 295.
Compeired Janet Dick for turning of the key and ane new emergent breakeing forth aganest hir of turning the key since the first time 1646 Kirkcaldy Presb. 295.
Compeired David Wood who confessed his guiltiness in turning the key both in teaching and practiseing the samyne

e. The act of turning the riddill, see Riddil(l n.² 2 b. (Turn v. 1 i.)1597 James VI Dæmonol. (STS) 22/8.
The turning of the riddle: the knowing of the forme of prayers, or such like tokens 1619 Perth Kirk S. MS 14 Sept.
Turneing

2. The action of altering the state of something, change, alteration. (Turn v. 4.)1681 Stair Inst. i xviii § 8.
Innovation is the turning of one obligation into another 1689 Acts XII 71/1.
The clause anent the turneing of this meetting into a parliament 1698 Morison Dict. Decis. XI 9109.
And it being stated, whether the turning it from a woolen to a linen manufactory was an inversion of the mortification

b. fig. The way matters turn out; a change of events.c1400 Troy-bk. ii 1375 (C).
As in-to the werray tournyng [D. tornyng], The blame of hym both old & yhing … Imput to kyng Agamenone [etc.] 1562-3 Winȝet II 26/23.
O meruolous turning of materis! the inuentouris of the samin opinioun ar haldin Catholikis, and the followaris ar haldin hæretikis 1665 Argyll-Lauderdale Lett. 110.
Ane true and honest account of the tumblings and turnings in this place since your lordship's parture

c. ? Counterfeiting of a light coin by minting it from another of a heavier weight, or, ? separating light coins from those of a heavier weight (? cf. 1 c above).1597 Cochran-Patrick Coinage I 269.
The maist part of the money gewin owt of the cunyiehous is heavy, and … the merchandis … transport the heavie and leifis the licht money in the cuntrey … I intend thair sall be na pece of money … that sall be ane grane heavier or lichter thikker or thinner [etc.] … nor another. Quhilkis commoditeis sall avoid all counterfuitting, romidging, or turning the licht from the heavy

3. The act of changing faith. (Turn v. 6.)1689 Cramond Kirk S. III 26 Dec.
Mr. Tolin an Irish man dishinherit for his turneing Protestant

4. The act of translating into another language. (Turn v. 8.)1573-1600 Burne Disput. in Cath. Tr. 131/31.
In the turning of Amen in your neu Sobeit 1700 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 329.
Togither with the turneing and makeing of vers

5. A change in direction; also, a change in the direction of a route. (Turn v. 12.)?1438 Alex. i 2902.
He maid mony ane fare turning, And mony ane straik he sadly set ?1438 Alex. i 3117.
Before him all his folk he draif … Thare mony fare turning he maid, For to help his that mister had —1691 Falkirk Par. Rec. II 34.
Downward from the Redheugh, where the said loan turns to the Overtoune … to which turning of the loan the way is exceeding good both sumer and winter

b. A movement back in the opposite direction, reversal. (Turn v. 13.)?1438 Alex. i 1411.
He could fle fairly … Quhan neid him strenȝeit to hald his way And quhan that he his point culd sie, Recouer couth he weill his bountie, And mak mony ane fair turning 1571 J. Maitland in Satirical Poems xxvii 21.
Scho is a bruikle barge … Thow may hir tyne in turning of a tyde

c. ? The creation of a new passageway (in a mine) going in a different direction.1643 Tulliallan Coal Wks. 25b.
Turning of ane geat in the west syd: Patrick Keadglye 6 dayes [etc.] 1670 Sheriffhall Coal Accompt.
Turning a gaitt to the levelheid 1678 Sheriffhall Coal Accompt.
For turning of a gait to the midstair … cutting in a gait to the mynd

6. Turning about, a rotation, a revolution. (Turn v. 20.)1688 Sinclair Doctrine Sphere 18.
By the word movable, the colures are differenced … from the horary circles, with … which, by one turning about of the sphere, they are twice united

7. Turning out, the act of dismissing a person from office. (Turn v. 28 b.)1673 Edinb. B. Rec. X 164.
The readie obedience yow gave to our comands … in turning out Mr. James Rochead your toun clerk

8. The action of stirring or mixing something.1683–90 Proceedings of Society of Antiquaries LIV 239.
For slockening, turning, and ridleing the same [sc. limestone]

9. a. comb. With lume (Lume n. 1), a lathe.c1550 Old Dundee II 370.
Turning-lumys, hand-saws, eitches, and hand-knyffis 1600 Crail B. Ct. 16 Oct.
Ane turning lume 1649 Cochran-Patrick Coinage I liii.
Ane turneing loome and ane justing loome 1688 J. Kincaid Diary 153.
Antymony told me … of fastning of pigs; … of a pendul clock; … [and] of markeing wood upon the turning loom

b. attrib. ? That turns or ? that has been produced by turning on a lathe.1674 Edinburgh Testaments LXXV 39a.
Whill wreght. Of turning timber work lyand besyde him