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.
Quotation dates: 1375-1513, 1581-1623
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Ne, adv.1 [ME. and OE.] Not.Chiefly early: cf. Na adv.2
Not, in no way, by no means.Placed immediately before a verb. Cf. Na adv.2 1. Also with another negative, esp. nocht, following the verb.(1) 1375 Barb. i. 108.
That he ne suld lyff and lymmys tyne 1375 Ib. 112. 1375 Ib. 293.
In Ingland … Wes nane … that hym ne dred 1375 Ib. ii. 133. 1375 Ib. v. 371 (E).
Off thretty levyt nane, That thai ne war slayne ilkan, or tane 1375 Ib. ix. 305, 455. —1375 Ib. xi. 505 (see Na adv.2 2(2)). — a1400 Legends of the Saints xxxii. 197.
That I ne durste duel a1400 Ib. xxxvi. 933.
Of the twa last spek me ne list a1400 Ib. vi. 89, etc. c1400 Troy-bk. i. 53, 168. c1420 Bute MS. 172.
Thai … ne aw bot anys kychyn on the day c1420 Ib. 174.
That he ne dyd it a1500 Lancelot of the Laik 102.
Ne blamyth her a1500 Ib. 963. 1513 Doug. ii. x. 135.
To suffir exile he said that he ne couth 1513 Ib. iii. ix. 6, vi. i. 95, vii. Prol. 22, viii. Prol. 159, etc. c1590 Fowler I. 385/213.
What happs might chance me I ne knewe 1581-1623 James VI Poems I. 122/155.(2) a1400 Legends of the Saints xxv. 391.
Na hyre purpos he chang ne mycht Nothir for prayere na for mycht ?14.. Ship Laws c. 26 (B).
The maystyr ne aw nocht to let [etc.] 1456 Hay I. 214/17. a1500 Lancelot of the Laik 39.
How sche … Ne knouith not how I ame wo begone a1500 Quare of Jelusy 42. 1513 Doug. vi. i. 129.
I ne ask na land, nor realm 1513 Ib. viii. ix. 59.
Gyf so war now with me … Ne suld I nevir depart 1513 Ib. viii. iv. 57, xi. iv. 57.
b. Ne war(e, wor, also, ne war not, were it not, had it not been (that, for), but for.(1) 1375 Barb. ii. 424.
He … haid till erd gane fullyly Ne war he hynt him by his sted 1375 Ib. viii. 270.
Thai war all to few … Ne war thair outrageous valour 1375 Ib. 83, xiv. 375. c1420 Wynt. ii. 311.
Neware that Joseph … Hade sene remede … for it c1420 Ib. 1399. a1500 Lancelot of the Laik 1176.
Ne wor his worschip a1500 Ib. 3357. 1513 Doug. vi. i. 60. (B).
Eneas … This sculptur al espyit had … Ne war Achates … Be than returnyt was [etc.] 1513 Ib. xi. xvii. 97.(2) 1513 Doug. xii. xiii. 47.
Ne war not that suld thou me se … Sustenand thus euery stres
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"Ne adv.1". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 17 Apr 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/ne_adv_1>
