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.
Quotation dates: 1499-1659
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Pennar, -er, n.1 Also: -are, -air. [ME. and e.m.E. penner (Chaucer), -ar (1398), -ere (15th c.), med. L. pennarium f. penna pen.] A case or sheath for pens.Hence also a similar case or sheath used for keeping other things, esp. needles; and in neiddill-penner: see Nedil(l n. 1 e (1).Also comb. with -scheith, and in Pennar-inkhorn(e.Also plur. without inflexion.For further instances, see Inkhorn(e n.(1) a1500 Henr. Fab. 1358 (Bann.).
Ane ynkhorne with a pretty gilt pennair [bair] 1543–4 Treasurer's Accounts VIII. 269.
For ane pennar and ane inkhorne 1546 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 237.
ix pennaris the price vj d. 1561 Criminal Trials I. i. 416.
The tyme of the putting of ane string to ane penner and yncorne quhilk scho had coft fra the said cramer 1575 Edinburgh Testaments III. 364.
Sex paintit pennaris & inkhornis price xlv s. 1585 Edinb. Hammermen III. 39.
His assay to wit ane scheith and ane pennar c1590 Fowler II. 25/17.
This butchour … batit … with penners inkhornes & batons vpon my head 1593 Edinburgh Testaments XXV. 192.
[12] middel penneris of silk 1659 Blairs P. 163.
I lost the inkhorn of your penneruninfl. pl. 1580 Edinburgh Testaments VIII. 109.
Fyve penner & inkhornis(2) 1541–2 Treasurer's Accounts VIII. 57.
For ane pennare of silver to keip pyke teith in 1598 Edinburgh Testaments XXXI. 321 b.
Fyve penneris for neidillis(3) comb. 1615 Edinburgh Testaments XLVIII. 249 b.
Ane dosone of sleicht penner scheithis price of thame fyve schillingis
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"Pennar n.1". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 5 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/pennar_n_1>
