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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.

Nem, v. Also: neme. P.t. and p.p. nem(m)it, -yt, etc., nemmed, -yd, nammit, -yt. [ME. nemme(n, nemyn, nem, p.t. nemde, p.p. (c 1200) inemd, OE. nemde, p.t. of nemnan Nemmin v.: cf. also Name v.¹]

1. tr. To supply a name to, call by some name. = Name v.¹ 1. 1513 Doug. iii. i. 38.
The towne I nemmyt [R. nemyt] efter myne estaitP.p. 1494 Loutfut MS. 13 a.
And quhen thai ar brokin in twa … thai ar nemmyt sparkis c1515 Asl. MS. I. 157/19.
The see Elesponte … becaus of diuers placis that it rynnis by is diuersly nemyt 1513 Doug. iii. vi. 86.
Othir wys nemmyt Locry Ib. v. x. 43.
The secund, Atys, … Fra quham the Latyn lynnage to this day Actii bene nemmyt Ib. iii. iv. 1. a1568 Lynd. Bann. MS. 179 a/115.
Wait ȝe not weill how I am nemmit 1568 Bamff Chart. 103.
Ane uther new cairne … to be nemmit Menzies carne 1570 Cal. Sc. P. III. 470.
[A gentleman] nemmed [Captain John Clark]

b. To designate, style. = Name v.¹ 1 b.Also with ellipsis of the complement specifying the style or designation in question. a1400 Leg. S. xxi. 373.
Fore nemand fader thu did it Quhare-of wthyre thu has wyt a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 664.
Schir Bedwar to Schir Bantellas … That baith war nemmyt in neid nobil to neuin 1561 Crim. Trials I. i. 409.
Calland and nemmand him lord of obedience amangis the craftismen c1568 Lauder Minor P. i. 463.
Bot ye will all Protestantis still be nemmit [: eschamit] 1564 Prot. Bk. J. Foulis 47 b.
Hir part of quhatsumeuir gudis falling … to hir nemmit the deidis partellipt. 1494 Loutfut MS. 43 a.
Suppos that diuers princis nemmys thaim be the grace of God bot that thai do at thair awn pleseir

c. To have the name or reputation of (possessing) some attribute; to be reputed to be (of a certain character or identity): cf. Name n. 5 d. = Name v. 1 c. a1400 Leg. S. xix. 41.
[Christopher] socht fare … til he fand ane [king] That was nammyt of mychtis maste a1500 Lanc. 648.
But what folk ar thei nemmyt for to bee?

2. To utter the name of, mention by name. a1400 Leg. S. xix. 58.
Thare-in he nemmyt tymmis sere The wykyt fend 1513 Doug. iii. ix. 62.
Hutyt to speke of and aucht not nemmyt [v.r. nemyt] be

b. To specify by name or by the usual designation. 1375 Barb. x. 386.
[He] nemmyt ane husband thar by ner a1400 Leg. S. xxvii. 153.
[They] ioy mad, Ȝey, mare than ma nemmyt be 14.. Acts I. 110/2.
Fra this tym furth alswele salbe nemmyt in breif … the disseysour as the haldar and his feftour 1490 Irland Mir. I. 78/30.
Amang sa mony naturis and kindis of treis the scripture nemmis twa Ib. II. 92/22.
Mar than ony vthir sciens … as of writting pleding [etc.] … or ony vthir thou can neme or devis Id. Asl. MS. 65/18.
All said in confessioun suld be secret and nem neuer ane nother person 1515 Reg. Privy S. I. 407/1.
The Myltoun of Cambus and utheris landis nemmit in the said lettre 1533–4 Acta Conc. Publ. Aff. 414.
That lettres be writtin … to all maisteris of girthis … requiring thame to nem ane certane person … to be maister of the girth quha sall … deliver the personis … that reparis to the samin girth 1554 Misc. Bann. C. II. 29.
Sen thair is sindrie kirkis and townis nemmit of befoir in the said infeftment 1567 Anderson Collect. Mary I. 123.
That certain lordis and utheris nemmit in the said act suld decyde all materis 1622-6 Bisset II. 215/36.
The … jowallis … quhairof the blak croce of Scotland is speciallie nemmed Ib. I. 89/24.
Nemmit

c. P.p. (1) in the formula als wele nocht nemmyt (vnnemmyt) as nemmyt, also als wele nemmyt as nocht nemmyt (vnn emmyt), (2) with above (abone etc.) or before (see also Abone adv. 7 and Before-nemmit p.p.)(1) 1389 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 16.
Als wele landys & possessionys nocht nemmyt as nemmyt 1399 Melville Chart. 15.
With al … esementis als wele vnnemmyt as nemmyt 1433 Orkney & Shetl. Rec. I. 246.
All … pertenance … alse weile nemmit as vnnemmit 1475 Reg. Cupar A. I. 203. 1480 Orkney & Shetl. Rec. I. 53. 1490 Misc. Spald. C. II. 259.
Wyth all other … pointis als weile wnnemmyt as nemmyt 1509 Reg. Privy S. I. 295/2. 1518 Prot. Bk. J. Foular II. 21.
Als weill nocht nemmit as nemit 1549 Rec. Earld. Orkney 237. 1552 Reg. Cupar A. II. 107.
Alswele nammit as nocht nammit 1569 Grey Friars II. 119.
Als weill nocht nemmitt as nammit(2) c 1380 Charter (Reg. H.).
The self peny the qvylke is nemyt before 1482 Edinb. Chart. 146.
Burgesses … of the aboue nemmit toune of Edinburgh 1523 Mar & Kellie MSS. 13.
Except the lordis befoir nemmit 1552 Reg. Cupar A. II. 107.
Our landis effoir nemmit 1554 Reg. Privy S. IV. 413/2.
Aboue nemmitt 1565 Crim. Trials I. i. 459.
In the actioune aboue nemmit

d. To specify as to amount or value; to value at (to) a particular monetary value. (Cf. Liquidat p.p. and v.) 14.. Burgh Laws c. 18 (B).
Saufand til hym and his ferme nemmyt 14.. Acts I. 111/2.
And the scathis … the quhilk ar nemmyt [L. nominabuntur] be the plenȝeand 1478 Decr. Ld. Abernethy MS.
As anent … xj hed of nolt nemmyt to xj pundis and tuelf markes of Dudingstone

e. To nem with, to associate or connect with, to regard as friendly or intimate with. — a1568 Scott xxvi. 40.
Thay [women] wald with nobill men be nemmit [: fremmit], Syne laittandly to lawar leindis

3. With cognate object: To utter or mention (a name). a1400 Leg. S. xxvi. 486.
Quhen thai hard this name nemmyt be 1385 3rd Rep. Hist. MSS. 410/2.
All the forsaydis personaris and all thaire namys nemmyt 14.. Reg. Maj. c. 4.
The name of hym that is somoundyt salbe nemyt 1494 Loutfut MS. 3 b.
The prest suld say, O thow man that I hald be the hand syn nem his nam 1490 Irland Mir. I. 162/13.
His heid nemmyt & jnwokit the haly name of Jhesus Ib./9. c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 118.
Quhen I heir nemmyt his name than mak I nyne crocis 15.. Dunb. App. viii. 22.
Quhen men His glorius name dois nem [: Jerusalem] c1500 Barounis Lawis ii b.
Neme

4. To nominate, designate, appoint (a person) to some office or duty. 1471 Acta Aud. 22/2.
The said partiis … compromittit thaim to bide at the deliuerans of certain jugis arbitrouris nemmyt … be thaim 1472 Bamff Chart. 28. 1487 Acts II. 182/1.
That twa of thir four persons be nemmyt be our souerane lord to be gret justicis to him on the sowth side of Forth 1496 Acta Conc. II. 23.
[He] nemmyt, askit and requirit the sade Jhone to be curat to him 1496–7 Ib. 42.
Marione Farnle … askit and nemmyt that scho micht haf to … hir son … curatouris, that is to say David Balfour [etc.] 1498 Ib. 205.
Til chese and nem incontinent freyndis to the sammyn Ib. 247.
Or til ony uthir persons that thai will nem 1501 Ib. III. 79.
Til gif him consale he nemyt Andro Lord Gray [etc.] 1513–14 Sc. Ant. XII. 119. 1516 Fife Sheriff Ct. 58. 1532 Acts Sederunt i. 2.
The athis of ony uithir quhem his grace will nem thair to 1547 Corr. M. Lorraine 189. 1554 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 202. Ib. 207. 1555 Ib. 212, 223. 1555 Conv. Burghs I. 7.
Thairefter nemmit thairto sex borrowis … to mak the said alteratioun 1562–3 Reg. Privy C. I. 234. 1572 Canongate Ct. Bk. 373. 1575 Reg. Privy C. II. 454. 1581 Ib. III. 413. 15.. Crawford Mun. Invent. II. 61.
Thair wes nocht ane mater … that gretar laubouris … all thame that wes nemmit for yow

b. To appoint or choose (a place). 1375 Barb. viii. 215.
He sped him fast toward the place That he had nemmyt for to ficht

c. To appoint, order (something) to be called (an assigned name): cf. sense 1. 1568 Bamff Chart. 102.
[The arbiters] hes nemmit the sammyn cairne to be callit … Drummondis cairne

d. To enrol, enlist, muster (an army). c1420 Wynt. iv. 597 (C).
[The ost] of Pers was nemmyt [R. namyd] then Sewyn hundyr thousande feychtande men