Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

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

Gam, n.¹ [ME. gam, gamme (13th c.), var. of Game n. with short vowel from the inflected forms gamne(s.] Game, sport. Also with a or in pl.(1) a1500 Henr. Fab. 1060.
As thai war carpand … And all the Court in merines and in gam [: lam] 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. i. 55.
Now wo, now weill, … Now gam, now gram c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxxii. 4 (M).
Ane tod wes with ane lam, And with hir plaid and maid grit gam 1513 Doug. iv. Prol. 159.
Lat ws in ryot leif, in sport and gam Ib. v. Prol. 7.
Ȝong folk thame schurtis with gam, solace, and play 1531 Bell. Boece I. 205.
Quhen the faid had brocht in the wolf … , the skry arais, and ilk man went to his gam a1570-86 Maitl. F. cxxix. 71.
Than gam [B. game] and gle gaynis not for thé(2) c1420 Wynt. viii. 5949.
With swylk gammys solasand He rade offt blythly throw his land ?1438 Alex. ii. 7610.
I am in euenture for to by Thair gammis and thair droury 1457 Acts Jas. II March 6.
That men … past thre scoir ȝeiris sal vse vther honest gammys c1500-c1512 Dunb. lv. 19.
Sum … hes forsaekin all sic gammis [: rammis] 1513 Doug. i. Prol. 174.
The lusty gammys and plays palustrall 1533 Boece vi. xii. 209.
Thir Pichtis war expert in casting the dart and … war intertenyit be the king to that gam mekill gevin 1536 Lynd. Answ. Flyting 36.
Beleif richt weill, it is ane bydand gam 1562 Edinb. B. Rec. III. 134.
Vnleissum gammis … quhilk may disquiet the communite 1595 St. A. Kirk S. 807.
That na persoun … be fund nor sein, tyme of sermone, … at playis nor gammis