A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1400-1513, 1569-1639
[0,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0]
Unevin, adj. (adv.). Also: unevyn, -even, -ewin, wnevin, -ewyne, -eavin, onevyn. [ME and e.m.E. unefne (Ancr. R.), vn-euene (c1275), vneuyn (c1400), vneauen (1577); Evin adj., adv.]
A. adj. 1. Unequal; not corresponding to (with) (something, each other, etc.). 14.. Acts I 12/2.
Gif ony man … haldis unlele and unevyn wechtis he sal geyff to the kyngis amendis viij ky 1628 Mure Doomesday 489.
O joyes, with these as farre vn-even To man which to conceiue are given As loftiest of the planets seven
2. Inequitable, unjust. c1460 Thewis Wysmen 380.
Thai tak debait one lytil evyne For lytill querell and wnewyne a1570-86 Maitland Folio MS 236/22.
It is maid knawin thy opin tressoun Our all the land thy iustice is vnewin
3. Of ground: Not even of contour; irregular, rugged. 1513 Doug. iv v 135.
The heich top and sydis braid onevyn [Sm. wnevin, Ruddim. and euin] Of hard Atlas, baryng on his crown the hevyn
4. Unfitted, incapable (for some task). c1639 Mure Psalmes Introd.
For this chairge, (in strength how e're wneavin), As God hath furnischt, I againe have givin
B. adv. Inequitably, unjustly. c1500-c1512 Dunb. (STS) lxxxi 96.
Quod Ressoun than ‘The ballance gois vnevin, That thow allace to serff hes kirkis sevin. And sevin als worth kirk, nocht haifand ane’
You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Unevin adj.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 17 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/unevin>
