Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1971 (DOST Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Money, Mone(e, Mony, Monay, Muné, n. Also: moneye, -eyie, -eȝ, -ei, -ye, -ie, -ȝe, -aye, -a(e, monney, -y, -ie, -ij, -ay, muny(e, -i(e, mwny(e, munney, -é, -ey, mouney, -é, mowny. [ME. (13–14th c.) and e.m.E. money(e, -é, -oye, -y(e, e.m.E. -ay, OF. moneie, mon(n)oie (mod. F. monnaie): cf. also Moneth n.² and Monet(e.]For further examples in various senses see Blak Mone(y n., Borowit ppl. a., Clippit ppl. a., Counterfait a., Counterfaitit ppl. a., Cunȝeit ppl. a., Gud(e a., Hand-money n., Lauchful(l a., Lay n.⁴, Layit ppl. a., Lent ppl. a., Licht a. and numerat, quhite, redy, smal, sterling etc.

1. Money in the form of current coin, ready money, cash.Also peice of money, see Pece, and mony trimmer, one who pares coins.(1) 1375 Barb. xx. 54 (E).
He … Full twenty thowsand pond suld pay Off siluer in to gud monay a1400 Leg. S. xxiii. 302.
The monay [: thai] 1671 Annandale Corr. 311.
I know yow wantt not monnay to carry yow ther(b) a1400 Leg. S. v. 410.
Sum money As in depose that with hym lay 1456 Hay II. 110/3.
Think on how the Quene of Inde send thé money, jowellis and speciale presentis a1500 Bk. Chess 1961.
In his richt hand sum moneye suld he haf 1533 Boece vi. xv. 217 b. 1540 Lynd. Sat. 2238. 1539 Treas. Acc. VII. 56.
Gevin for xx^m cronis of the sone quhilk wes changit for money 1567 Prot. Bk. J. Johnsoun 156.
The money was offered in a lynnyng clout 1571 Events Q. Mary 65. 1603 Moysie 3.
The irenis of the counyiehouse … with tene thovsand pundis money 1643 Dumfries Treas. Acc. 42.
Losed att clipett money 1662 Crim. Trials III. 613.
The devill wold giw ws the brawest lyk money that ewer wes coyned c1686 Depred. Clan Campbell 81.
Of money two leg dollars 5 lib. 12 s. 1701 Rothesay Par. Rec. 140.
He … could not for money or moyen procure provender(c) c1420 Wynt. iv. 2194.
Off thare tresowre a gret dele Bath off mone [W. money] and jowelle Ib. v. 1546.
Hys weschale … He gave his knychtis in thare fe For he defawte had off mone 14.. Acts I. 328/2.
Gif … that lord resavis mone or ony other thing fra that trespassour and helis the forfalt 1446 Raine N. Durham App. 22. 1451 Acts II. 40/2.
At na man sal tak the said mone fra it be burlit & clippit 1483 Ib. 166/1.
To be punyst as havar of mone furth of the realme 1501 Treas. Acc. II. 71.
To ilk pur man of xxix, in monee, xxix s. 1506 Peebles B. Rec. I. 200.
[The tenants having received] twa aykis and tene merkis of mone 1543 Corr. M. Lorraine 37.(d) 1545 Corr. M. Lorraine 135.
The mony and thesawrar is cum … to pay the wageouris 1560 Rolland Seven S. 5218.
Ony hid gold, greit jowellis or monie [: be] Ib. 8665. a1578 Pitsc. II. 203/14. 1584 Sempill Sat. P. xlv. 1044. 1610 Conv. Burghs II. 297.
His monye being in his bulgett 1666 Laing MSS. I. 350.
I fynd ther is redy in the tenents hands of monie to deliver four hunder pound sterlin c 1685 Annandale Corr. 314.
My lords monny was saved [from the fire](e) 1548 Corr. M. Lorraine 218.
The haill mowny ȝour grace send to me is gewin to the gownnaris 1559 Cal. Sc. P. I. 276.
Extortions sik as cewngining of unlawful muni 1667 Laing MSS. I. 357.
Preparation is making for munny for the forces to goe to the feilds(2) 1675 Hist. Carnegies 358.
Ane peic[e] of monnij … which was leikways delywert up(3) a1585 Polwart Flyt. 813 (T).
Lieand lymmer, mony trimmer

2. Coinage as minted and issued by an authority for circulation at a certain value.Also plur. in same use.(1) c1420 Wynt. vii. 768.
He ordanyd … Hys mona to be cwnyhede rownd(b) 1475 Acts II. 112/1.
Al money gold and siluer that is cunȝit and has prent 1478 Ib. 118/2.
Throu the quhilk thair is litle or nane ald moneye of this cuntre nor utheris gangand 1533 Bell. Livy II. 135/10.
Thay cunȝeit gret sovmes of brasin money 1533 Boece v. x. h. of ch.
How Donald began the first cunȝe of money in this realme 1564 Cochran-Patrick Coinage I. 91.
Testonis, ryallis, ȝokindaillis and uther gude mouney a1578 Pitsc. II. 320/29.
The puire peopill war all hereit be the crying downe of the money c1590 Fowler II. 56/3.
Christe him selfe did not condemne Cæsars image in the money 1632 Aberd. Council Lett. I. 356.
Cungȝied in all cungȝied money of 6 deneris fyne 1663 Cochran-Patrick Coinage II. 151.
As to the intrinseck value of fynnes of the money of both kingdomes(c) c1420 Wynt. vii. 257.
Sex schyllyngys he tuke off swilk mone As than wes oysyd in that cuntre Ib. 3612.
A bolle off atys pennys foure Of Scottys mone past noucht oure Ib. iv. 2534. 1424 Acts II. 6/1.
In lik … fynes to the mone of Inglande 1456 Ib. 46/1. 1467 Ib. 89/1.
The haill realme … sulde be gretly hurt … in the … heing of the cours of the mone ?c1500 Rathen Manual 27/1.
All clypparis of the Kyngis monee 1506 Treas. Acc. III. 187.
To the forgerris of the monee(d) 14.. Acts I. 338/2.
Gif thar be ony inbringaris of fals mony of ane other kinrik a1633 Hope Major Pract. I. 8.
The King may gar strike new mony quhen he pleases(2) 1632 Aberd. Council Lett. I. 359.
Tuiching the expulsion of foiren monays out of … Scotland 1637 Cochran-Patrick Coinage II. 109.
Vther nationes hes drawin away fyne moneyes … be converting thame in blak moneyes as soussis [etc.]

b. The Scottish coinage; the Scottish mint.Maister of the (Kingis) mone, the master of the Mint.(1) 1436 Acts II. 23/2.
To bring hame in Scotlande to the maister of the Kingis mone thre vnce of buiȝeon 1451 Ib. 40/2.
The master of the mone 1487 Ib. 182/2.
That our souerane lord deput a persoun … to be maister of his moneye(2) 1457 Acts II. 48/2.
As to the mone thir ar the lordis that ar chosyne thar apone 1468 Ib. 91/2, 92/1. 1483 Ib. 166/1.
That our souueran lord sall lymyt a wise man that has knaulege in the mone to be wardan thairof

3. Currency of a particular nation etc. specified as that in which a payment is to be made or of which a sum consists or as the standard of value of a money of account.Freq., (the, gud and) usual money (of Scotland, etc.).(1) 1398 Acts I. 212/1.
ij^m pond of the monay now rynnande 1425 Coll. Aberd. & B. 525.
The saide tuenti pundis in … mouant mone of Scotlande 1426 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III. 202.
Twa hundir pundis of lauchful monee of Scotland 1430 Sc. Hist. Rev. XXIX. ii.
xl d. … of the mone now ryngande 1460 Swintons App. xlii.
Worth fyff hundreth markis of Scottis mone 1482–3 Acta Conc. II. cxii.
Twa li. … of the mone of Flandris 1502 Treas. Acc. II. 242.
[£6 8s. 2d.,] quhilk Inglis monee is in Scottis monee [£22 8s. 7d.] 1503 Ib. 214. 1582 Perth B. Ct. 1 June.
Apone the sowme of ane hundreth pundis moneȝ of this realme a1633 Hope Major Pract. I. 196.
Redemptions of landis should be with the samen kynd of mony contained in the reversion 1694 Aberd. B. Rec. IV. 315.
Fyue hundreth marks Scots money 1702 Irvine Mun. II. 319.
Skots acount five pund and twelve shiling Skotts mune(2) 1389 Wemyss Chart. 24.
Aucht penys of syluer of vsuale monay proporcyonaly 1393 Slater Early Sc. Texts 28.
Mone 1406 Ib. 63.
Twenty punde of vsuale monay of Scotland 1416 Charter (Reg. H.) No. 247 a.
Fourty sillyngis off gud and vsuale monay off Scotland 1424 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III. 96.
Ellewyn markis of vsuale monay and lachful of Scotlande 1434 Exch. R. IV. 567.
Ten markkis of usuale mone of our realme 1437 Cop. St. A. 130.
Monae 1443 Milne Home MSS. 21.
v lib. of the wsuall monee of Scottland; … of the said catail and the said monee 1455 Lennox Mun. 71.
Monaye 1492 Reg. Cupar A. I. 254.
Monee 1493 Douglas Chart. 143.
Monae 1495 Contract (Mey P.) MS.
Monȝe 1500 Charter (Reg. H.) No. 633.
To pay … fyffty markis in ony vther vsuale monee concurrand for the tym within the realme of Scotland Ib.
In gude and fyne goide vsuale monie of Scotland and lakker metale 1549 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 275.
viij lib. of mone vsuale of Scotland 1565 Prot. Bk. J. Foulis MS. 85.
Ane grit soume of money in plakkis babeis lyartis & vther vsuale money of Scotland 1595–6 Cal. Sc. P. XII. 128.(b) 1486 Stirlings of Keir 257.
Mvny 1549 Buccleuch Mun. II. 192.
Mowny 1558 Douglas Chart. 249.
The sowme of tuenty pundis gud and vsuall mvnye of this realme

4. In the phrase (of) money, used as a (more or less redundant) complement to soum (= pecuniary sum) or to a sum specified in pounds or marks.(1) c1420 Wynt. vii. 197.
This Robert … A part sawld off hys duche For a gret sowme off mone. Bot quhen he gad the mone tane [etc.] 1453 Douglas Bequest 10 June.
The sayd Schir Robert … lefande the sayd soume of mone … vpon the he altar 1456 Hay I. 238/1.
Oblist … in certane soumes of moneye 1466 Acta Aud. 4/2. 1490 Treas. Acc. I. 186. 1494 Acta Conc. I. 361/2.
The soumes of money quhilkis ar in depos in evin handis 1502 Charter (Reg. H.) No. 65.
For a certane sowme of monay to be giffyn c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxxix. 12. 1510 Lennox Mun. 189.
Mowny 1512 Ib. 204.
Monȝe 1525 Reg. Panmure II. 299.
The said Robert … sall … pay competent sowms of mone in name of toquhir gud 1560 Rolland Seven S. 5005.
Bot I beleue rather hid for to be, Vnder thy feit sum greit sowmes of monie 1620 Melville Chart. 154.
Monei 1630 Conv. Burghs III. 318.
Quhat soumes of mony they vald adventure thairto 1679 Glasgow B. Rec. III. 275.(2) 1507 Charter (Reg. H.) No. 709.
The ȝeirlie payment of ten punde of monei allenarlie 1554–5 Corr. M. Lorraine 130.
Of thre hundret punde of mwnye 1546 Reg. Privy S. III. 305/1.
The sowme of fourty pundis money 1559 Peebles B. Rec. I. 255.
Monei 1574 Misc. Spald. C. II. 41.
Thre thowsand markis of moune 1640–1 Kirkcudbr. Min. Bk. i.
j^c lib. monie 1651 Glasgow B. Rec. II. 198.

5. Money, whether in currency or otherwise, as a form of wealth, means of purchase, payment or investment, etc.; pecuniary resources, funds.‘Property or possessions of any kind viewed as convertible into money, or having value expressible in terms of money’ (OED.).Also, money paid or payable, sometimes as opposed to kind.(a) c1420 Wynt. v. 1796.
[He] befor hys tyme alway Lywyd off tendys or monay(b) ?1438 Alex. ii. 4816.
Clarus is … Mychty of land and of money [: say] a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 52. a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 184 (Asl.).
Men for money may fynd ane aduocat a1500 Seven S. 1222.
And se na money now be spard 1531 Bell. Boece II. 337.
Sindry … gaif him large money 1549 Compl. 11/3.
To pure pilgryms that hed nocht mekil moneye to by ilk instrament be the self c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 1454. 1558 Admir. Ct. Bk. (St. S.) 85. a1568 Scott xxxiv. 97. 1572 Sat. P. xxxv. 31.
[Morton's father] tuik King Hareis money so Our cardinall to keip in hauld And syne for money luit him go a1578 Pitsc. I. 169/5. 1594 Warrender P. II. 265.
I know it is spokin that I suld haif resavit money for listing of fyve or sax hundreth hors 1596 Aberd. Council Lett. I. 65.
And I had send gair in Scotland to mak money to satisfie yow 1597 Acts IV. 119/2.
The exhorbitant … vsurie tane for the lane of money a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 1083.
Love may meikle, but money may mair 1637 Edgar Old Church Life 317.
Moneyie 1644 Lochwinnoch Par. 165.
For … maill and sex pecks teynd meill convertit in money 1647 Aberd. B. Rec. IV. 84. 1650 Fugitive Poetry II. xxiv. 5.
Monney(c) c1420 Wynt. ii. 361.
Mone [v.rr. moneȝ, monee: be] 14.. Reg. Maj. c. 149.
Thai sal tak nan mone throu the quhilk the law may be smoryt 1489 Charter (Reg. H.) No. 545 a.
Quhilk conquest trevly with my mone this estir forland 1500 Treas. Acc. II. 97. 1507 Ib. III. 278.
For ane man … remanand in Flandrez xj owkis resavand the Kingis monee betuix France and Flandrez 1517 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 42.
Of certane mone of a kow 1544 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 194.
That all the fre mone the towne hes afordale … be tane oup incontinent 1544 Corr. M. Lorraine 102.
For I can get nane heyre for mone 1608 Aberd. Eccl. Rec. 201.
Gave thame harbrie … for thair monee(d) a1400 Leg. S. v. 208.
He that mony heppis ay Is seruand thare to c1420 Wynt. vii. 860.
Mony [: rychely] 1533 Boece iv. v. 131 b.
To caus men of substance deburs maist monye 1685 Ellon Par. 139.
A silver cup … the whole being worth for monie and workmanship 46 libs. and 8 shilling(e) 1544–5 Corr. M. Lorraine 131.
Quhowbeid I had mwny in this cuntre 1653 Wemyss Corr. 98.
Heaueng never reseuied anie munie this tualmunthe 1669–81 Haddington Corr. 194.
A uerie gret mach, and I beliue much munie upon it 1702 Annandale Corr. 215.
Munney

b. Also with qualifying words denoting the nature or purpose of a payment.For some further examples see *Harne money, Instrument n. 5 d, Locality n. 3 c, Lone n.³ 2 b and pan, reke etc. 1674 Dunferm. Hammermen MS. 90.
The first end of his fredome money 1682 Cochran-Patrick Coinage II. 195.
The proffeit aryseing … from the … exaltatione money 1687 Lorimer St. Cuthbert's 166.
Mr. John Cunninghame to be one of the doctors of the said school with power … to uplift … the halfe of the cock money and the halfe of the handsell [infra bent money, Candlemas money, coal and candle money] 1691 Foulis Acc. Bk. 133.
For hearth monie of the house I dwell in, being 8 lums, [£5/12/0] 1698 Aberd. Trades 279.
No prenteis shall be admitted [etc.] … and also it is ordeined that the bill money and sey mony be allowed in pairt of payment

c. Attrib. and comb. — 1587 Carmichael Etym. 18.
Praes, a suretie in a money matter 1680 Cunningham Diary 130.
Money-rent and victual as converted 1697 Rental of Brabster in Old-lore Misc. VIII. iv. 199.
This old mony rest payed

d. Also with definite article, demonstrative or possessive, in particularising function. = (the, that, one's) sum of money, or body of funds, in question.(a) c1420 Wynt. vi. 1088.
And for Saynct Elpheg wald noucht pay Thre thowsand pownd off that monay(b) a1500 Colk. Sow i. 8.
Thus the money he ward c 1560 Liber Dryburgh 352.
The sombe of the haill money of the abbacie 1572 Buch. Detect. (1727) 15.
Scho hirself laid out the money to by him apparell 1691 Cramond Kirk S. III. 3 Dec.
That money belonging to the poore of this paroch(c) 1406 (1427) Reg. Great S. 17/2.
I … grant that the said Jon haf the mone the quhylk lyis apon tha landis 1551 Prot. Bk. Sir J. Cristisone iii.
[To all the above goods and victuall and to] the mone of the haill cornis(d) 1492 Myll Spect. 289/17.
And payet the monye 1515 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 34.
And Woll Turnbyll wald red him of his mony 1524 Douglas Corr. 91.
The monye ȝe gaif the Qweyne that sche has spendyt it c 1612 Highland P. III. 124.
The enteress of the wholl mony I wes ingadgit for(e) 1546 Glasgow Dioc. Reg. I. 198.
The mwnye ressauit be our self in our chammerlans absence ? 1548 Corr. M. Lorraine 226.
And is for my mune that I laid doun at Dunde a1578 Pitsc. I. 115/3.
Thinkand that he had wastit him sellff and his muny 1680 Lauderdale P. III. 197.
My lord M^cDonele cam in & demanded his munny of his pention

e. Latterly also plur. in same uses. 1593 Skipper's Acc. (Morton) 69 b.
Reseuet … iii scor ane stane of tolone ane pound les, of moneyes is sum 1^c honderis xxxiiiilib. 4 s. 1623 Aberd. Council Lett. I. 209.
Of necessitie our monneyis most be transportit quhairby in schort tyme the haill moneyis in the cuntrie wilbe exhaustit 1624 Melrose P. 560.
These munis 1627 Aberd. Council Lett. I. 273.
Moneyes 1628 Reg. Privy C. 2 Ser. II. 383.
The lenning of moneyis Ib. 621.
Maist delicious fair that can be haid for moneyis 1630 Haddington Corr. 169.
To prepar my compts of the conceled munneis 1634 Maxwell Mem. II. 251.
For my monys 1635 in Hay Geneal. 100.
To venter monyes 1637 Dumbarton B. Rec. 52.
Outstanding monies to be got in 1637 Baillie I. 10. 1640 Hibbert P. No. 9.
All that the merchandis bad was bot ten dollors half moneys half wairs 1644 11th Rep. Hist. MSS. App. vi. 57.
As for my detis … thair is als mouch monays bay me as to pay them 1644 Baillie II. 156. 1648 Peebles B. Rec. I. 383.
Quhasumeuer sall geve moneyis to ony sojer [etc.] c 1650 Red Bk. Grandtully II. 145.
With lous lying moneys upon bank or wodsett 1662 Glasgow B. Rec. II. 481. 1671 Wemyss in Sc. Diaries 131.
Geo. Herper … gritte receaver of monys for all my colles 1686 Aberd. B. Rec. IV. 306.