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

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About this entry:
First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Ee, n. Also: eee; pl. een(e, eeis. [Northern ME. ee, var. of e E n.]

1. The eye as a bodily organ. = E n. 1.(a) a1400 Leg. S. xix. 580.
Sowne ane erow in the ee Hyme hit 1535 Stewart 28718.
Theobald … That samin da thair loissit hes ane ee c1552 Lynd. Mon. 5616.
In the twynkling of one ee 1585 Reg. Morton I. 143.
Quhilk he will preserve as the appill of his ee 1604 Craig i. 14.
Though thou lackes ane ee 1608 Hilderstoun Silver Mines I. 20 b.
Johne Dausone … lying seik … of ane disease in his ee(b) 1549 Compl. 68/7.
Baytht my eene greu as fast to gyddir as thai hed bene gleuit a1585 Maitl. Q. xlviii. 65.
With angell hew & cristall eeis 1596 Misc. Spald. C. I. 100.
Ane ewill spreit … wald hef plukkit owt hir eene 1619 Misc. Bann C. I. 210.
He cam not mekle in my hous bot quhen he took physick for his een

2. The eye as the organ of sight. = E n. 2.(a) a1400 Leg. S. xli. 301.
Sene thai mycht with fleschly ee His wondir-werkis clerly se 1552 Reg. Privy C. I. 122.
Giff ye can aggre that the samyn be done be the sicht and estimatioun of eee 1572 Sat. P. xxxiii. 212.
It suld be ȝe To quhome the pepill suld giue eir and ee 1588 King Cat. 173.
I haue bene ane ee to the blind 1604 Craig i. 10.
Let forraine lands now looke with enuies ee 1622-6 Bisset II. 177/20 … .
That nather the ee hes sene, … nor any tung or langaig can exprese(b) a1400 Leg. S. xxiv. 44.
Thocht he blynd was … With hartly eene ȝet he beheld [etc.] c1420 Wynt. viii. 5879.
Blynd off bathe his eene fell he 1549 Compl. 24/18.
Thy ox sal be slane befor thy eene 1581 Bk. Univ. Kirk II. 494.
Be the eare, … the eeis and vthir sensis a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xlvii. 75.
To open vp his blindit ees, that they Might clerelie see these gratious ees of thyn 1607 Lett. & St. P. Jas. VI 94.
Giff I sould jornalie with idle letters truble your sacred ees

b. Before (his, thair, etc.) ee or eeis. = E n. 2 b. 1496 Douglas Chart. 156.
We … haffand God before ee, … decretis [etc.] 1509 Montgomery Mem. 72.
We, havand God befor ee, all in ane voce, … decretis [etc.] 1535 Carnwath Barony Ct. 83.
Haifand God befor thair ee 1549 Compl. 14/25.
Ane captan heffand his enemye befor his ee 1556 Lauder Off. Kings 416.
This juge is blynd, and may nocht se; For he wants God afore his ee 1583 Conv. Burghs I. 173.
Thay … , havand God and gude conscience befoir ee, altogether reformit the saidis rollis 1596 Misc. Spald. C. II. 134.
Quhilk assyse … haiffing God and guid conscience before thair eeis, … pronuncis [etc.]

3. To have (also tak) ee (to something). = E n. 3. 1385 Red Bk. Grandtully I. 139*.
I … hafand ee to mesur and rychtwysenes, … determynyt thaim fully tyl accorde 1398 Acts I. 210/2.
[To] gife him lele consail … nocht hafande ee to fede na freyndschyp 1461 Liber Plusc. 395.
Quha wald be ryche, haue ee til honour ay 1492 Acta Conc. 216/1.
Nocht hafand ee to the commoune proffit of the … toune 1549 Sutherland Chart. 107.
The saidis nobill lordis havand ee to the wele publik of the realme 1564–5 Reg. Privy Council I. 320.
Hir Hienes and hir Counsall mon tak ee and regard … that na kyndlie tennent nor possessour be removit fra thair kyndlie possessioun 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 27.
Schir James euir having ee to his awin scope hinderit this purpose

4. The eye of a millstone. 1568 Inverness B. Rec. I. 162.
That … he … sauld and disponit on ane mylstane of four fute braid and the ee