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

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First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Hew, Hewe, v.¹ Also: heugh. P.t. hew, hewit, -yt, hevit; heuch. P.p. hewin, -yn, -en, hevin. [ME. hew(e, hewen (p.t. heud, hewed; (rare) hugh, huȝ, hewȝ; p.p. hewen, hewed), OE. héawan (p.t. héow, p.p. héawen). See also Heuch p.t.]

1. intr. To strike hard, deliver severe blows, with a sharp weapon. c1420 Wynt. viii. 2212 (W).
Thai … slew, and hewit, and maid fell hak ?1438 Alex. ii. 10,023.
Thare he hewit, dang and smait c1475 Wall. ii. 129.
Amang thaim lous ȝeid he, On athyr part in gret ire hewand fast a1500 Rauf C. 823.
Haistely hewit thay togidder, to leif they war laith Ib. 830. a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 962.
With baith his handis in haist that haltane couth hew

2. tr. To cut into or through (something) by striking hard with a sharp implement. ?1438 Alex. i. 158.
His helme and lance baith hewin wair Ib. ii. 2843.
At the ȝet quhare the barreris hewin is c1460 Regim. Princ. 281.
He is manslayer of ane thousand ma As he had hewin thame with his handis tua a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 702.
Helmys ... thai hatterit and heuch 1478 Acta Conc. 12/1.
Herbert of Johnestoune has hewin and brokin the mylne of Kirkmichel 1535 Stewart 505.
Helmes wer hewin, and heidis that wer under 15.. Christis Kirk 188.
Tratourlie behind his bak ane hewit him on the howis

b. To hack in pece(s), in tua, in sunderis. Also with doun. 1375 Barb. x. 233.
He … hewit in twa the soym in hy ?1438 Alex. i. 470.
My haubrek hewin in peces small Ib. ii. 6681.
The folk of Grece Had hewin ȝour body all in pece c1475 Wall. iii. 391.
Harnes and hedis he hew in sonderys fast a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 681.
Thair riche birnys thai … Hewis doun in grete haist

3. To cut (wood) with an axe; to cut down (a tree, forest, or mast) in this way. Also with doun and in intr. use.(1) 1375 Barb. xvi. 363.
To hew Jedwort forrest sa clene, That na tre suld tharin be sene Ib. 476.
The forest left thai standand still; Till hew it than thai had no will c1475 Wall. viii. 1040.
Quha hewis best off this forest lat se a1500 Seven S. 334.
Than gart he hewe the bewes faire Of the gret tre Ib. 1373.
I will nocht hew this tre 1513 Doug. ii. x. 107.
The lauboreris … byssely hak and hew A mekil ayk 1560 Rolland Seven S. 4580.
First ȝe hewit doun my nobill plant and tre(2) c1508 Sir Eglamour 64 in Ch. & M. Prints 55.
The man that hewys ower hee, The spaile will fall in his E a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 169.
Quha hewis he, The spaill sall fall into his ey(3)?14.. Ship Laws fol. 174 (B).
Of hewyng of the mast. It befallys oft that the maystyr of a schyp behufys for to hew his maste thrw ivil wedyr he aw to cal the chepmen and schaw thaim that thai mon hew thair maste for saufte of the schyp and of thair gudys and gyf it swa fal at thai hew thair maste and tynys thair takyl & thair ancrys for saufte of the schip & of the gudys it aw to be castyn ponde be ponde 1511 Treas. Acc. IV. 317.
Quhen the Pansy hevit her mast 1540 Lynd. Sat. 610.
Tostit on sea ay sen Ȝuill day, That wee war faine to hew our mast c1575 Balfour Pract. 623.
Gif … mastis be hewin, or gudis be castin, … the ship and gudis sall be taxt at the ship's price c 1617 Melrose P. I. 292.
Ane bark … wes constrained to hew hir mast

4. To cut (wood or stone) in or into a desired form by the use of appropriate implements; to shape or make in this way. a1400 Leg. S. xxi. 803.
Thai fand twenty thousand men & mare, … that … til heu maubre deputyt ware 1501 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 89.
He sall furnys … the astler weill hewin on all faces 1506 Glasgow Dioc. Reg. II. 152.
The gest at the siloure standis in to be hewin and graithit be him 1513 Doug. i. iv. 23.
Satis of stane neuer hewyn with manis hand Bot wrocht by natur 1533 Boece ix. x. 312.
Ane plesing kirk craftely biggit of assillare weill hewyn & dressit 1554–5 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 303.
To ane masoun to hew the saids rebatts and lintale 1591 Misc. Spald. C. III. 160.
Aucht gryt aikin treis … tane downe and hewin to thair awin particular uses 1693 Melrose Reg. Rec. III. 115.
To cutt, heugh, saw, and dight … als many couples and jests as would serve ane house

b. intr. To do hewing of this kind. a1400 Leg. S. xxiii. 214.
Quereouris … Begane til hew quhare thire men lay 1493 Cart. S. Nich. Aberd. II. 338.
Jonhne Lossale, masone, … to … pass to Cowe … thar to hew and wirk … to the stuff and bigyne of the queir and kirk werk c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxiii. 14.
Masouns, lyand vpon the land, And schip-wrichtis hewand vpone the strand a1586 Lindsay MS. 64.
For to be ane … carpentar him behuffit that he haue ane maister than [sic] can schaw him to … hewe

c. tr. To cut in wood or stone as a design or inscription. 1589 Edinb. Archit. Assoc. Trans. IX. 130.
Thomas … sall hew and graif upon sufficient stanes … the Kingis Majesteis armes 1596 Dalr. I. 132/10.
The sentences of this contracte in marmor war hewin, in hieroglyphical or mistical lettiris c1650 Spalding I. 313.
Lord Jesus Christ his armes to be hewin out of the foirfroont of the pulpit