A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Cunȝe, Cunȝie, n. Also: cwnȝe, -ȝie, cunȝhe, -ȝee, -ȝey; cungȝe, -ȝie; cuinnȝe, cuinȝee, -ȝei, -ȝie, cwinȝie. [OF. cuigne (AF. coigne), wedge, die. See also Conȝe n., Counȝe n., and Coinȝie n., Coynȝhe n.]
1. A corner of a wall or building. 1375 Barb. xviii. 304.
He … bad him hald him all preve Quhill that he saw thame cumand all Richt till the cunȝhe of the wall Ib. 316.
Quhen the formast passit weir The cunȝhe 1529 Dundee B. Laws 545.
Fra the said Sir Finlas cunȝe of the wester gavill 1578 Aberd. Chart. 344.
Decernis the ȝard biggit be William Ronaldson fra the northt cunȝie of his hous to be dimolischit 1597 Dundee B. Laws 145.
Ane steiple and pricket of aistler wark wpon the east newk and cunȝie of the new tolbuith 1645 Edgar Old Ch. Life 16 n.
That no furmes be placed about the cuinȝies 1648 Aberd. B. Rec. IV. 87.
To cause build ane stane dyk … beginning at the wast cunȝie of vmquhill Alexander Donaldsone his yaird dyk 1675 Peebles B. Rec. II. 91.
Letting them tak doun the cunye of his gavell to build ane cheek of their fleshmercat yet with free stones
b. ? A corner piece of ground. Chiefly attrib. 1460 Peebles B. Rec. 136.
The said Thom … recwnnyssyt a land on the Cwnȝe pertenand to Rob of Percle 1575 Mun. Univ. Glasg. I. 92.
The tenement … at the Cuinyei Nuik fornent the Mercat Croce 1605 Ib. 158.
The tenement … at the Cunyie Kirk beneith the cros 1653–4 Peebles B. Rec. II. 196.
To the gard at the Cunȝie-nuk … , ane stouk ait straw
2. A corner-stone. (Cf. Cunȝie-stane.) 1496 Acta Conc. II. 34.
As to the jc hewin stanis sic as rabellis and cunȝeis, the said Wilȝeam grantit xvj hewin stanis 1553–4 Edinb. Old Acc. I. 118.
For vj draucht of sloppis and cunȝeis fra the mure to the schoir Ib.
Ressavit furth of the querrell of the Borromure, xl pece hewin wark to be sloppis and cunȝeis 1577 Inverness B. Rec. I. 257.
Quhar … his boit was arreistit … for non deliuering … fyff dussan cuinyie, rebell, and lyntallis 1616 Aberd. B. Rec. II. 339.
The cungyeis, and foir pairt of the said transe, to be all of eastlar wark 1617–8 M. Works Acc. XIV. 7 b.
To John Maxwell quarriour … for half a hundereth lang cunȝeis at elne lenth 1636 Kirkcaldy Presb. 102.
For winnin of half ane hundreth stanes to be cunyies, rebuts, lintells, and peatstanes to the high chalmer on the east end of the hall 1641 Ib. 203.
For the stone work … being builded … round about the tour four cunȝie height 1657 Lanark B. Rec. 158.
To build ane outshote at the eist syd of his doore, … of hewen wark the cuinnyes and pitts 1684 Thanes of Cawdor 368.
The cuinȝies and pends of the windowes and the jambs of the chimneys to be smooth hewen
3. Coin; coinage.(a) 1475 Acts II. 112/1.
Nother siluer nor gold that beris prent & forme of cunȝe 1480 Acta Conc. 76/1.
William … sall content and pay … xx pece of gold of the mone and cunȝe of the duc of Burgunȝe 1513 Doug. viii. Prol. 107.
Sum trachour crynys the cunȝe, and kepys corn stakkis 1526 Acta Conc. MS. XXXVI. 58.
Deliverit to him on the chakker burd thre keis of the box of assais of cunȝee, gold and silver 1533 Boece v. x. 183.
Scottis before that tyme vsit … the cunȝe of Romanis or Britouns in all thare change 1540 Reg. Privy S. II. 492/2.
Throw being of the said Johne fugityve fra the law or convictit or at the horne, for making of fals cunȝe 1558-66 Knox I. 403.
Maist lyik that sche and thay had conspyreit to destroy all the haill gud cunȝey of this realm 1567 Reg. Privy C. I. 510.
The greit skayth and detriment of this commoun weill, throw the hamebringing of fals corrupt and countirfuttit cunye 1578 Ib. III. 17.
That the lauchful and trew cunyie may be markit with a crownit thrussill a1578 Pitsc. I. 308 marg.
Ane Kok that struik cwnȝie hangit c1590 Fowler I. 320/21.
If this day yeil … come to sun your moulyie cunȝe 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. 44.
All the gude cunȝie or money of the King of England 1635 Ann. Banff I. 72.
That sort of cunȝie of copper callit fardingis or Irische moneye, or fals or adulterat cunȝie(b) 1493 Acts II. 233/2.
The saidis officeris sall clip and brek the said fals … cuinȝie of euill stuffe 1554 Treas. Acc. X. 263.
To … ane unce of silver to mak certane peces of money to be an assay of his cuinȝie 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 120.
Ane proclamatioun twching the new cuinȝee to be maid 1598 Acts IV. 164/1.
Anent the cwinȝie(c) 1583 Edinb. B. Rec. IV. 286.
The overtures anent the brekking down of the cvngyie of the plakis, balbeis [etc.] 1584 Ib. 328.
[The] assignatioun of the cvnghie [sic]
b. In the titles of officers of the mint. 1456 Acts II. 46/1.
Golde and siluer the quhilk is present to thame … in a buist be the wardane of the cunȝe 1489 Acts II. 221/2.
It is thocht expedient … that thare be a trew substancius man maid maister of the money & cunȝe, quhilk sall forge and prent money 1512 Treas. Acc. IV. 459.
Summa of the wolkis expens … payt be Maister David Scot of the cunȝe 1538 Reg. Privy S. II. 401/1.
Makand him maister of the cunȝehous and maister changeour of the cunȝe, gold & silver 1543 Ib. III. 12/2.
Philp Quhitheid … comptar wardane of the quenis grace cunye 1559 Ib. MS. XXX. 10.
Ane of the wardanis of oure Soueranis cunȝie Ib. 23.
Dauid Firhous being generale of thair cunȝe 1561 Ib. 62 b.
Makand him maister assayour of hir hienes cunȝe
c. A single coin or separate coinage. c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxxix. 4.
For left is nether corce nor cunȝie Off all that I tuik in the ȝeir 1533 Boece v. x. 183 b.
Euery cunȝe had on the ta side the figure of the Emprioure 1570 Leslie 48.
Cochrain … , quha causit strik ane cunye of copper unmeit to have course or passage in ony realme a1578 Pitsc. I. 169/20.
Quhen the wyffis wald refuse the said cunȝie quhilk was callit ane Couchrinis plak 1595 Duncan Appendix.
Numisma, numus, cunȝie, a pennie
4. Coining or coinage (of money). 1533 Boece v. x. 182.
How Donald began the first cunȝe of money in this realme 1586 Edinb. Test. XVI. 214 b.
The thrie merk peice of King James the fyftis cunȝe 1604 Conv. Burghs II. 190.
That the preuelege of the cwnȝe and cwnȝehous of Scotland be reseruitt
5. A mint for coining money. 1489 Acts II. 221/2.
As for the siluer wark of this realme, that beis brocht to the cunȝe [1597 cuinȝie] 1558-66 Knox I. 453.
It was thocht expedient that a cunȝe should be erected
6. Attrib. with irnis, place, silver. 1503–4 Treas. Acc. II. 222.
For the cunȝe irnis and the punschionis for the samyn 1527 Reg. Privy S. I. 567/1.
Ane lettre to Adam Boyd; — makand him wardane principale and kepar of the kingis cunȝe irnis 1581 Reg. Privy C. III. 376.
To caus and se all the cunye irnes baith of gold and silver be brokin doun — 1451 Acts II. 40/2.
The new yrnis that salbe maid salbe gravin within the cunȝe place — 1496 Treas. Acc. I. 312.
Resauit fra Schir Thomas Tod of the cunȝee siluir of the penyis, xx lib.
You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Cunȝe n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 31 Oct 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/cun3e_n>