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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.

Nes, Nesse, n. Also: ness, nass, nis, nys, (nest). [ME. in Heorternesse (Symeon Durh.), Katenesse (Manning), late ME. and e.m.E. naisse (15th c.), nasse (1491), e.m.E. ness(e (1538), OE. næs (nes), ON. nes.] A promontory or headland.a. As a place-name: c 1150 (14th c.) Liber Calchou 27.
Terras … iacentes … super le nesse … & extendente se a fronte vici del nes vsque [etc.] 12.. Liber Melros II. 691. 1214–49 Ib. I. 265.
Nes 1292 Reg. St. A. xxxviii.
Super le Nys in villa de Berwic a 1309 Coldstream Chart. 10.
Nesse 1330 Exch. R. I. 273.
Del Blaknis vsque Clacmanane Ib. 314.
Blacnes Ib. 315.
Blacknes c1475 Wall. xi. 740. c1515 Asl. MS. I. 218/15.
And brynt … the Blak nestis 1513 Doug. vi. viii. 58.
Down at the nes [v.r. neis] Rethe 1533 Boece vii. vi. 231 b.
Fra ane vailȝeand chiftane namyt Cato and ane hedeland callit Nes … is callit Catenes 1547 Ex. Processes (Reg. H.) No. . Hope v. Tod & Robertson.
At Gulanenes 1600 Reg. Great S. 359/1.
Lie baye super australi parte de lie nes de Abirdene conficiendi 1602 Shetland Sheriff Ct. (ed.) 30.
Within the nesses of Excanaboe Nones and Scatnes 1635 Edinb. Test. LVII. 177 b.
[Linlithgow] George Allanes schip in the Nes

b. In general use: 1486 Craven Ch. in Orkney III. 127.
Freedom of the said haill nesses 1533 Boece ii. ix. 73 b.
[They] come in Albion … and saw promontouris nessis hedelandis 1535 Stewart 1295.
Fra ane nes lyis far within the se 1536 Kirkwall Chart 9.
Totum et integrum dictum lie nes nuncupatum lie Carnes 1577 Skene Celtic Sc. III. 428. ?1549 Monro W. Isles (1961) 46. 1633 (1711) Sibbald's Orkn. & Shetl. 65. 1641-8 Skipper's Acc. (Smettone) 8 b.
For the lightes of the 2 Forlandes & the Nes 1652 Urquhart Tracts (1774) i. 42.
Nasses 1701 Brand Orkney & Shetl. 83.
About the ness or southern most point of landattrib. 1574 Reg. Great S. 57/2.
Verticem promontorii the nes heid