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: 1501-1568
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Nerve, n. Also: narve. [L. nervus sinew, tendon, bow-string: also e.m.E. nerve (1538), ME. nerf (Chaucer), nerff, F. nerf.]
1. A sinew or tendon.Only in verse in the phr. vane and nerve or nervis. 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 99.
Quaiking for feir, baith pulsis, vane and neruis a1568 Bannatyne MS 239a/17.
Lufe … Quhilk did my hairt in pecis kerve And pers throw every vane & nerve [v.r. narve] a1568 Scott ix. 34.
Ane hairt of ȝouris bayth vane and nervis
2. A band of material applied to (or ? inset into) a garment, for ornament.Cf. F. nervin (Godef. Compl.) and nervure in same sense and Nerve v. 1531 Treasurer's Accounts VI. 20.
For xv elnis blak satyn of Venyse … to be ane goune cuttit out with tway nervis of the selff to the King agane Ȝule 1532 Ib. 26.
For iii½ elnis veluet to begarie the said goune, with Burgundȝe bandis, and nerves 1532 Ib. 78.
To be ane hogtoun with lumbardis and nervis … viij elnis blak veluot 1532 Ib. 77.
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"Nerve n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 14 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/nerve_n>
