Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

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

Pan, Pann(e, n.¹ Also: pane, paun. [ME. and e.m.E. panne, pan(e, also ponne (c 1420), OE. panne, ponne.] A pan, in the usual senses.

1. A (? comparatively shallow) domestic cooking-vessel, usu. of metal; a domestic pan.Once, plur. without inflection.Appar., sometimes used as an improvised gong.(1) a1400 Leg. S. xlvi. 181.
Pottis or pannis vald he hynt In armys 14.. Acts I. 306/2.
Of a dusane of pannys of battry 1505–6 Edinb. Hammermen 36.
For the bodemmyng of the pannis 1506–7 Treas. Acc. III. 273.
Ane pan with ane lang hand for the prince 1513 Ib. IV. 494. 1538 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 154 (see Lume n. 2 b). 15.. Sym & Bruder 113.
He gatt twa plaitis of ane awld pan [: span] Ane breistplait maid him boun 1567 Bamff Chart. 71.
Pann 1568 Edinb. Test. II. 200.
Your brasyn pannis 1571 Hawick Arch. Soc. (Sept. 1878).
Aucht pannis of Flanders work 1596 Dalr. I. 94/28. 1596 Elgin Rec. II. 45. 1646-54 J. Hope Diary (1958) 157.
A copper panne 1651 Fam. Rose 348. 1661 Acts VII. 253/1. 1667 Edinb. B. Rec. X. 26.
For eatch creill of panes 1681 Colvil Whig's Suppl. (1751) 99.
All … set on pans to make their brose(b) 1488–9 Acta Conc. I. 106/2.
A pan price xx s. 1506–7 Treas. Acc. III. 274.
Ane pane bandit and bowit 1507 Dunferm. B. Rec. I. 163.
A yetlyne pane of a chopyn 1562 6th Rep. Hist. MSS. App. 649/1.
Ane litle how pane(c) 1678 Sc. Ant. I. i.
Tuo paunes [sic. in pr.]proverb. a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 1387.
Speid yow ben and the litle pan in your hand 1639 Moray Synod 44.
It wold have maid our pott to play and our pan to ambleuninfl. plur. 1612 Rooseboom Sc. Staple 112.
For … caryeing of ilk grit creil of pan or kettill(2) 1604 Elgin Rec. II. 119.
Jonnet Smyth confessit the ringing of a pan with the knewill of a hairie raip

b. A similar vessel used for heating substances in operations other than domestic. a1400 Leg. S. xxxii. 733.
& [in] a gret pane … be done Blak pic & gert brynstane bla & vndir it a fyre gert ma 1507 Treas. Acc. IV. 76.
For ane pan in Strivelin for the quinta essencia and potingary thare, vj s. 1539 Ib. VII. 343.
For expens debursit … apoun … petis, pannis, and uthir necessaris apoun the making of vj gun muldis 1540–1 Ib. 492.
Gevin for twa grete pannis … to mak ballandis to wey the puider witht 1541 Ib. VIII. 125.
For ane pan to melt the talloun witht 1542 Ib. 130.
For twa pannis to seith the salpetir in 16.. Alchem. MSS. V.
Ane pan with ledges hie

2. ? The pan or bowl containing the fuel and wick of a lamp; ? a lamp. 1511 Edinb. Hammermen 73 b.
For ane pane of latoun to the lamp 1554–5 Edinb. Old. Acc. II. 41.
For tauch candill to the pann in the myds of the kirk all the winter 1554–5 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 356.
For xviij faddome of ane tow to the pann 1556 Ib. 247.
For x half pund wecht candill furnist be tham to the pane on the hie altar

b. ? A candle-holder or candle-stick. — 1694 Inchmahome Pr. 161.
Of brass snuffers and panns conforme

3. The receptacle in a commode or close stool. 1615 Haddington Corr. 290.
Ane dry stull with the pan 1631 Buccleuch Household Bk. 26 Sept.
2 clos stulis with ther pans of tinne 1632 Inv. Newark 4 b.
Jack panes 1683 Inv. in Donibristle Mun. 9–10 May, 17.
Ane easing pan with a cover to it

4. ‘A hollow or depression in the ground, esp. one in which water stands’ (OED). 1562 Edinb. B. Deeds 65b.
Nyne riggis of land … liand eist and west in the watter pannes

5. Applied to (the upper part of) the skull in Harn-pan n.

6. A salt-pan.A large shallow vessel, normally stationed on the sea-shore, in which brine is evaporated, usu. by heating over a fire, in the manufacture of salt.(a) 1504 Wemyss Chart. 123.
Schir Robert … sall entir a man of his awin … to tak vp the thrid part batht of colearis pannys and heuchis 1534 Ib. 156. 1561 Reg. Dunferm. 433.
Ilk panne payis of ferme salt be yeir … viij b. 1573 Reg. Privy C. II. 264. 1575 Ib. 427. 1581 Reg. Soltre 196. 1583 Edinb. Test. XII. 197 (see Crag-leif n.). 1584 Kirkcaldy B. Rec. 102. 1602 Elphinstone Chart. 166.
For we haiff servandis that will staik ane off the pannis … Thais pannis hes bein our deir to me gif now thai will deny c 1640 Wemyss in Sc. Diaries 125.
When ther pans ar att beitte, herthing or standing could I give them 3 lib. that wiek 1642 Culross 200.
Accused for having his panne not drawene at ten hours on Sunday last 1678 Fawside Coal Compt 34.
For the tow to draw vp the pan 1679 Ib. 38.
To the salter for the pan dressing 1679 Torry Coal & Salt Wks. 2 a.
Robert McGibon takeing in salt fra pans, Robert Callender directing coalls to pans Ib. 22 a.
Leading tharoff fra pans to peir at 2 merks the 100 [etc.] 1680 Ib. 80 a.
For inputting 10 iron tyes in the pans at 5 ss. the peice 1683 Fawside Coal Compt 115.
For 5 dayes wood to my pan [£3/10/-](b) 1653 Sc. Ant. IV. 160.
Cited for heaving fyre under his pawn on the Lord's day

b. plur. A group of salt-pans or the site occupied by them; a salt-works of this kind.Also as the second element of a place-name.(1) 1472 Prestwick B. Rec. 20.
For the wrangwis manuring of Johne Simsounis saye in the pannis 1549 Treas. Acc. IX. 320.
To Alexander Hutoun send to the pannis and Mussilburgh chargeing the boittis thair to cum [etc.] 1566 Reg. Episc. Morav. 393.
Et terris vocatis the pannis in baronie de Spyne 1578 Reg. Privy S. VII. 273/1.
The pannis of Lurg and Kyncardine 1590–1 Crim. Trials I. ii. 236.
They that wer convenit att the pannis 1591 Edinb. Test. XXII. 362.
Hir duelling hous at the eest end of the pannis of Kirkcaldy 1606 Hume Orthog. vii.
[The] minister of the panis producit the presentatione of Mr Alexr Hoome to be schoolm^r of the schoole of the panis 1621 Ritchie Ch. S. Baldred 196.
Ane man quha brocht salt from the panis to this towne(2) ? 15.. Chart. Coupar A. I. 201.
Ad magnam foueam vulgariter lie gret slak et Reschypannys 1606 Acts IV. 302/1.
The inhabitantis of Prestoun and Prestounpannis 1643 St. A. Presb. 10.
The greeve of Barnes pans shew that his pannes rests from sixe on the Sabboth morning till sixe on Monday morning 1680 Foulis Acc. Bk. 42.
Madalen pans

7. a. As the second element of a compound, freq. following a function-specifying first element, as dreping-, drope-, dropping-, fire-, frying-, guse-, ketill-, stoving-, tosting-pan, qq.v. under the first element.Also by-pan, a spare or additional pan [By adv. 1; cf. Bygirdle n.]; caiddill pan, a caudle pan; thre-futit pan, a three-legged cauldron or pot.Heart (= ? Harth n.) pan. See also sense 5 above.(1) 1519 Reg. Episc. Aberd. II. 177.
v brokin worne and cassyne by pannys 1607 Edinb. Test. XLIII. 201b.
Ane caiddill pan of bras 1618 Ib. L. 62 b.
Thrie futtit panis at xiij s. iiij d. the pece(2) 1666 Edinb. Test. LXXII. 194.
Thrie heart panes with leids

b. Attrib. and comb. For, of, pertaining to, or resembling, a pan or pans, in sense 1 or sense 6.Also Pan-crache, -wode and Pansw[ode].(1) 1617 Compt of Provisions brought from England for the King MS. (Reg. H.).
Of irone panberaris called thriefoottis — 1513 Doug. viii. Prol. 93.
A pan boddum — 1646 Edinb. Test. LXII. 287.
Ane littill pane kettill — 1679 Sc. Ant. IX. 108.
For … pane mending 2/- — 1651 Arbroath Old Doc. 6/1.
Pan money and transport money for ilk souldier(2) 1629 Justiciary Cases I. 131.
On the pan brae of the salt pannes — 1678 Fawside Coal Compt 26.
For a panbuckitt [13/4d] 1679 Ib. 41.
For girres to the pan buckitt — 1531–2 Reg. Soltre 196.
Thai bring thair pan cole out off the paroche of Wemis — 1571 Edinb. Test. II. 187.
Fyve pair of pangrath polkis and crelis — 1635 Pittenweem Ann. 24.
That all dreave boats … be removit yeirlie … to the … pane haven to winter there — 1636 Musselburgh 145.
The panherthis [= hearths] 1689 Ib. 63.
Excluding the said Sir John allways from use of pan-hearthings without payment therfor — 1573 Reg. Privy C. II. 286.
The awnaris and panmaisteris of the salt pannis of Culros, Kynneill, and certane uther partis 1574 Acts III. 93/1.
The pan maisteris and laubouraris of the salt — 1502 Acta Conc. MS. XII. 114.
The wrangus … withhalding … of … part of the pan maile 1520 Wemyss Chart. 144. — 1603 Reg. Great S. 496/1.
Salinas patellas ac lie pan-rowmes — 1654 Wemyss in Sc. Diaries 126.
For every load of pan smealle or colls — 1680 Fawside Coal Compt 65.
Ane 100 nailles to the panspout — 1679 Torry Coal & Salt Wks. 78 b.
For making a new streiner to Andro Nicolls pan stand(3) 1531–2 Reg. Soltre 196.
The land and ane salt pan of Blair, the pan hous granall —1581 Ib. (see Granale n.). 1625 Dysart Rec. 68.
Salt pansteads panhouse and pan potts the panstead of umqhile James Maister of Sinclare(4) 1552 Treas. Acc. X. 101.
Pan bras to be maid in chandillaris 1576 Edinb. Test. IV. 291.
Pan brace price of the pund iiij s. vj d. 1643 Ib. LX. 280 b.
Ane pott of pan brass … v lib. … ane pott of vther brass … viij lib. 1662–3 Peebles B. Rec. II. 202. 1694 Dunbar Social Life I. 148.
Pannbrass — 1538–9 Treas. Acc. VII. 212.
Frenche pan irne to be schone to the grete cannoun quhelis 1540 Ib. 351.
Braid pan irne(5) 1582 Edinb. Test. XI. 159.
Fyve pan hattis … Tua pot hattis

8. Clerk of the pannis.Appar. he kept a record of some part of the royal household expenditure (see Sc. Hist. Rev. LII. 17). 1488 Acta Conc. I. 97/2.
The copy of the said bukis extracte be the hand of Henrj Alane clerk of the pannis for the tyme 1501–2 Ib. III. 137. 1502 Treas. Acc. II. 160.
For thre gounis to the clerkis of the pannis and the Clerk of the Chancellry 1504–5 Ib. 479.