A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1971 (DOST Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Mine, Myn(e, Mynd(e, v. [ME. (c 1330) and e.m.E. myne, mine, F. miner.]
1. intr. To mine, tunnel in the earth. ? Chiefly or only for military purposes, in order to penetrate or cause the collapse of a defended wall. Also to mynd throw (the wall).1375 Barb. xvii. 599 (E).
With armyt men inew tharin And instrumentis for to myne c1420 Wynt. viii. 5538.
Wndyre the erde he gert thaim myne [: syne] And stall thare wattyr away haly 1496 Treas. Acc. I. 300.
Giffin to the masounis … to myne all nycht at the hous of Hetoune 1570 Leslie 224.
Thay founde meanes to mynd throw the wall of the dungeoun
2. tr. To undermine (a defended wall) in order to penetrate it or cause its collapse.Also to myne doun, to demolish by undermining.(1) a1500 Seven S. 862.
Bot gif we mycht wyn in the tovre Wnder the erd full preuely With mattokis myne it subtelly 1513 Doug. ii. viii. 47.
We holk and mynd the corneris for the nanys Quhil down belive we tumbil it al atanys Ib. v. viii. 42.
By craftis sle To mynde the castell on the rochys hie(2) 1375 Barb. x. 771 (E).
[He] gert myne [C. mynde] doun, all halily, Bath tour and wall rycht to the grond Ib. xiii. 668. 1513 Doug. vi. ix. 41.
Of ferm adamant war the pillaris bet Sa that na fors of men mycht thame down myne [: ingyne]
3. To drive a ‘mine’ or underground passageway in a colliery etc.: cf. Mine n. 4.1672 Sinclair Hydrostaticks 298.
It seems a very little time before this that way of mineing underground hath not been fallen upon
