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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1983 (DOST Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Oc(c)ean, n. (a.). Also: occeane, -ian(e, -ien, ociane; occisiane; oxiane. [ME. occean (c 1290), -eane, -ian, -yan, e.m.E. occean(e, ocean, OF. occean (12th c.) (F. océan), L. ōceanus.]

1. The great outer sea surrounding the land of the World; the open sea, the ocean.Commonly also ocean se, se (of) ocean: cf. L. mare ōceanum, OF. mer oceane, occeanne mer.(1) c1420 Wynt. i. 1250.
The lande off Setym halyly … Lyis sowth on to the occeane, That is in the Mekyll Se wyth-out, Beltand all the erde abowt c1515 Asl. MS. I. 156/7.
This gret se flowand out of the occeane tornes to the south Ib. 160/25.
The hale occiane 1513 Doug. xii. Prol. 48.
The aureat fanys of hys trone souerane … ourspred the occiane 1531 Bell. Boece I. xix.
The hail ile of Albion … is enveronid on every side with the gret occeane c1552 Lynd. Mon. 1552.
Thare wes none sey Mediterrane Bot onely the gret occiane 1622-6 Bisset II. 249/31.
On the seæ coistis of France towardis the occien c1600 T. Pont in Paterson Ayr & Wigton III. ii. 524.
Knock is a pretty dwelling, seatted one the mane occeane and veill planted(2) ?a1500 Steel Roy Robert 25.
King of Scotland and ylis richt That inebbis in the occeane see c1515 Asl. MS. I. 154/20. c1460 Alex. (Taym.) 12362.
Fra Paradise vnto the occisiane se c1500 Crying of Play 86.
Or he of eld was ȝeris thre He wald stepe oure the occeane se 1513 Doug. vii. iv. 74.
Ony ferthir regioun … Diuidit be the streym and occiane see Fra the ferm land Ib. i. v. 100, iv. ix. 14, xi. xvii. 99. 1531 Bell. Boece I. 5. Ib. 121. Id. Livy II. 204/17. 1533 Boece x. xi. 374.
Hirt the ferrest of all the Ilis … at the occiane Ireland seyis 1549 Compl. 12/22.
[To] drynk furtht the occean see c1552 Lynd. Mon. 4781.
Ane more fatt fysche I traist thay sall nocht gett, Thocht thay wald sers ouerthort the occiane seis 1596 Dalr. I. 4/12. ?1549 Monro W. Isles (1961) 77.
Out of the mane ocean seais 1615 Melrose P. I. 215.
A yle … far out in the ocean sea 1622-6 Bisset II. 388/27.
Albeit the greit ociane seas lyis betuix them(3) c1460 Alex. (Taym.) 15664.
Westwart to the sey oxiane c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxvi. 67.
Cummin … Our all the grit se occeane c1515 Asl. MS. I. 154/15.
The gret se of occean gais all about the erd Ib. 160/16.
The se of the occeane

2. A particular expanse of ocean. c1420 Wynt. i. 738.
That se That Yndys occeane callid we c1515 Asl. MS. I. 155/28.
Thar the se of the occeane of Athaland brekis out & makis the se Gaditan