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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.

Morning, n. Also: morne-, mornn-, morin(e)-, moren-; moirn(e)-; murn- and -yn(g, -ynge; and morvinge. [ME. morning (Cursor M.), mornynge morennynge (14th c.), morowning (14–15th c.), early moreȝeninge (13th c.), mor(e)wening(e (13–14th c.), f. morȝen, morwen (Morn n.), and -ing on the analogy of Evining.]

1. a. The morning, the early part of the day. b. The following morning. c. Tomorrow morning.Common in in and into (also on) the morning (see also Morn(e n. 3 (2) for examples), also in specifying a time of day (also of the morning), and in prep. phrases without the article, as in, at, fra morning.(1) a1400 Leg. S. xxx. 342.
Theodera … stil lay til the mornyng 14.. Burgh Laws c. 83 (B).
And gyf he be tane on the nycht … he sal be haldyn … qwhyl the mornyng 14.. Acts I. 35/2. a1500 Henr. Fab. 1334 (Bann.).
The grund growand with gres gratius … The mornyng [Ch. murning] myld 1604-31 Craig v. 5.
And the clear christall sky banished the night, And the red morning rose from the right airt(2) 1375 Barb. vi. 398.
He … fand a few a trayn to ma That sone in the mornyng can ta Cattale Ib. x. 200.
That in-to the mornyng Veill soyn ane fudyr he suld bring a1400 Leg. S. xix. 265.
& to-morne in the mornynge Berand fluris thu sal it fynd ?1438 Alex. ii. 2827.
Tomorne airly in the morning Ane lytle forrow the sone rysing Ib. 10895.
This was ane day in the morning That rissin was the nobill King 14.. Burgh Laws c. 81 (B).
Bot in the mornyng qwhen tyme is thai [fish] sal be borne hale to the market 1456 Hay II. 64/24.
Quhen he seis a womman kemmand hir hede nakit in the mornyng a1500 Rauf C. 85.
To-morne on the morning 1489 Treas. Acc. I. 127.
To the King, in his bed in the mornyng x angellis 1490 Treas. Acc. I.
On Payce dayin the mornyng … to the prest Ib. 132. 1490 Irland Mir. I. 39/37. 1499 Prestwick B. Rec. 36.
At the sergeand … tymly in the mornyn be folk rys serche the toune c1500-50 Brevis Cronica 326.
Ane in the morneyng and ane uthir at nycht 1544 Corr. M. Lorraine 106.
This Furisday in the morvinge 1560 St. A. Kirk S. 69.
[He] saw hyr ryis in the mornyngis and cum but a 1595 Misc. Spald. C. II. xxx.
And drink it in the mornynge tua or thre days 1611 Crim. Trials III. 204.
The said William Forbes … came tymouslie in the moirning befoir the sone-ryseing 1631 Elgin Rec. II. 222.
Tuo tymes in the morening and in the forenoone 1639 Innes Sketches 372.
On Satterday in the morneing(3) 1518 (c 1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I. 176.
And thairafter continuallie clenge the said houssis within tyme of nicht quhill v houris of the morning 1528 Acta Conc. MS. XXXVIII. 185.
Betuix vi or vii houris to morne in the mornyng 1539 Soc. Ant. II. 397.
In the mornyng at the five hours 1552 (c 1580) Edinb. B. Rec. II. 165. 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 13. 1565 Reg. Privy C. I. 333.
Fra viii houris on the morning to ellevin houris befoir none 1583 Cal. Sc. P. VI. 634.
Be sex of the clok in the mornyn 1628 Dundonald Par. Rec. 264.(4) c1500-c1512 Dunb. xii. 1.
Off Lentren in the first mornyng [M. moirnyng] Airly as did the day vpspring(5) a1500 Henr. Fab. 2235 (H).
His vse wes ay in morning to ryis air a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. xcvii. 1.
At moirning in ane garding grene 1599 Rollock Wks. I. 412.
Ane husbandman that haldis the pleuch fra morning till evening 1679 Kirkcudb. Sheriff Ct. Processes No. 282.
Otherwayes no master that hath ane servant at night is sure to have them at morning

2. With the indefin. article: A (certain) morning, the early part of some particular day.Also with descriptive adj. and fig. 1375 Barb. xi. 183.
Arly he rais in ane mornyng c1450-2 Howlat 157.
All thus in May as I ment in a mornyng a1500 Henr. Fab. 1713 (Bann.).
Into a soft morning … I passit furth a1500 Bk. Chess 267. a1540 Freiris Berw. 28 (B).
So appinit in a Maij morning 1600-1610 Melvill 85.
The student colling his candle in a morning, the coll falles throw the laft 1616 Shetland Witch Trial in Dalyell Darker Superst. 118.
In ane somer morneing, earlie befoir the sonefig. a1658 Durham Comm. Rev. 332.
The Church hath a foul morning, and a fair evening

3. Used adverbially without prep., in various applications. 1560–1 Edinb. Old Acc. II. 121.
For candill, mornyng and eining, xij d. 1563–4 Ib. 190.
For … covering of the [communion] taiblis baith the dayis and morinyngis 1577 3rd Rep. Hist. MSS. 419/1.
I rassauit this moirneing ane wreitting 1629 Justiciary Cases I. 138.
Quhilk scho commandit him to do thre seuerall moirnings before the sone ryseing 1631 Elgin Rec. II. 222.
To serue the tables the morne John Mill [and three others] morneing 1633 Orkney Witch Trial in Reg. Privy C. 2 Ser. V. 547.
For comming so earlie ilk mornning to hir guidmotheris house befoir the sone ryseing 1678 Rothesav B. Rec. 357.
Goeing to the lizour with his kyne at 4 houres ilk morneing 1680 Banff Ann. I. 159.
For his goeing morneing and ewining throw the toun

4. Attrib. and comb. a. Passing into adj.: That exists or takes place in the morning. b. Morning tyde, -time.Also Morning-gift.a. 1561 Edinb. B. Rec. III. 123.
The necessar and godlie seruice dalie done be Jhonne Carnys, actour of the mornyng prayeris a1597-1617 Hist. Jas. VI 70.
This great noyse … perturbit the Lord Fleayming … from his mornyng sleap a1658 Durham Comm. Rev. 332.
The enemies [of the Church] haue a fair morning-blink … but ere long wrath is pouredb. ?1438 Alex. ii. 500.
Thow sall thame se at morning tyde 1649 Last and Heavenly Speeches of Viscount Kenmuir 24.
His omission of prayer in the morning time … he confessed with regrate

c. = Morning-drink n. — 1656 Edinb. Justices Peace 410.
And without any bounteth, morning or four hours drinks