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

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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Chimnay, n. Also: chemmyne, chymne; chymna(i, -nay, chimna, -naye, schimnay, chimb-, chimpnay, chemnay; chym-, chim-, chemney, -nie, -ny(e. [ME. chimenai (a 1330), chymenay, occas. variants of chimenee (chimné), chemine(y, etc., OF. cheminée. As usual, the -é forms in Sc. are early and rare.]

1. A fire-place; a grate; a chimney.Very common in the 16th cent., usually in the form chimnay or chymnay, and frequently with irne, denoting a movable grate.(a) 1456 Hay I. 171/3.
Oure lord provis gude men in the chemmyne of mekenes, as gold or silver is provit in the furnas a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 76.
He saw throu ane entre Charcole in ane chymne 1499 Glasgow Dioc. Reg. II. 26.
Ane ark, and ane irne chymne 1507 Ib. 266.
Ane chymne of irn(b) 1474 Treas. Acc. I. 22.
Gevin … to by a chymna to the Kingis closat 1478 Acta Aud. 67/1.
A pot, ij pannys, a chymna, a speite Ib. 73/2.
Robert of Cunninghaim … summond … anent iij oxin and ane irne chymna 1483 Acta Conc. II. p. cxxiii.
A irne chimna, price half a merk 1573 Edinb. B. Rec. IV. 4.
Iames Ros, thesaurer, … to by ane chymna for the laich counsalhous(c) 14.. Acts I. 44/2.
The ayre sal hafe … a caldrone, a ketill, a brandreth, … a chymnay, … a cruk 1443 Reg. Cambuskenneth 126.
The said abbot … makand … ane chymnay of stane 1466 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 22.
He. biggand the said mylnis … and [to] mak a chimnay in the wall of ilk mylne beside the hopper 1474 Treas. Acc. I. 36.
To a smyth … for a chimnay to the Quenis closat 1490 Mun. Univ. Glasg. II. 256.
For the mendyng of the kychin chimnay 1513 Doug. vii. Prol. 93.
Repatyrrit weil, and by the chymnay bekyt, At evin be tyme dovne a bed I me strekyt 1521 Dunferm. B. Rec. 174.
Twa stane corbalis of the widnes of the said … chymnay 1556 Reg. Cupar A. II. 262.
Thai sall big and rais the vallis of … the chalmer, puttand ane stane gawill with ane chymnay in it 1562 Carte Northberwic 86.
Ane chemnay, … ane iron speit 1566 Prot. Bk. T. Johnstoun 148.
Alexander Heuch … tummylit the fyir out of the chymnay and tuk done the caile pott quhilk was sethand on the fyir 1574 Glasgow B. Rec. I. 32.
Ane irne chimnaye witht raxis, weyand aucht stane wecht 1578–9 Haddington Treas. Acc. MS.
Four cuttis of rauchteris … to bring ouir the ogeris of the chimpnay 1592 Edinb. B. Rec. V. 75.
For ane iron schimnay of 15 stane wecht with tyls 1599 Acts IV. 187/2.
Ane singular remeid … for euill wenting of chimnayis 1623 Crim. Trials III. 556.
Be causing brek ane hoill in the wall vpone the north syde of the chymnay 1635 Haddington Corr. 303.
Ane yron chymnay with the gallous and … cruiks 1685 Soc. Ant. LVIII. 357.
2 iron broads … with 2 handles for lifting the said chimnays(d) 1596 Highland P. I. 182.
In the window nearest the chimnie 1596 Fraser P. 229.
Ane irne chymny in the hall 1639 Thanes of Cawdor 284.
Thrie chemnyes … for wenting of the reik … withe ane chemney in the galrie 1659 Irvine Mun. II. 87.
For … new maid work in mending of the Counsell Hous chymney 1683 Ellon Presb. 226.
Ane chimne of stak and ryce

2. Attrib. with back, brace, brod, hede, jam, lum, nuke, stone, work. 1681 Blackness Customs MS. 16 b.
Ane larg iron chymnie backe — 1664 Melrose R. Rec. II. 92.
The chimney brace and neidle lybellit 1694 Lanark Presb. 119.
He laid his face to the wall, or towards the chimney brace — 1685 Soc. Ant. LVIII. 354.
A chimnay brode. A large faulding table — 1532 M. Works Acc. II. 43.
xxvj pece aslar for capis to chymnay hedis 1581 Burne Disput. 32 b.
As sum of ȝour brethrene … affirmis that Christ com in at the chimnay heid 1611–2 Mun. Univ. Glasg. III. 563.
To Iohn M^cIlvane … quhen he … soupit the chymnay heid 1633 M. Works Acc. XXVI. 2.
Fluiring nailles for the brydillis and propes of the caiphous and chimney heid 1656 Mun. Univ. Glasg. III. 579.
To A. Gray and I. Baird for sweiping the chimbnay heidis in the Colledge — 1628 M. Works Acc. XX. 11 b.
For doun carying to the abay viij chimnay jams — 1645 S. Leith Rec. 63.
His gavill and chymney lumbs was ruinous — a1605 Montg. Flyt. 115.
Bot, beast, I debar thee the king's chimney nuike — 1673 Leith Customs MS. 53.
A box & a mand of chemnie stones — 1639 Thanes of Cawdor 283.
Ane sufficient owen in the chemny work