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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.

Pin, Pyn, v. Also: pine; p.t. pynit, -yd, pind; p.p. pinit(t; pinn(e)it, -ed; pynit, -yt, -yd(e; pind, pynd(e. [ME. pynne, pinne (Piers Plowman), penne (id.), e.m.E. pin, to transfix or fix with a pin, underpin, fill up joints of masonry with chippings, f. Pin n.¹; also, = confine within bounds (Piers Plowman), perh. shortened from Pind v. and conflating with pin in this sense.] To pin, in various senses.

1. tr. To fasten with a pin, also a peg.(a) a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 423.
Quhair is … Thy plesand lawn pinnit with goldin prene? 1598 Paisley B. Rec. 222.
Misorder done … be casting of riging turvis upon the commoun … that the said turvis be pinit upon the woddesyd and sic personis that leiffiis the said turvis unpinit to be pundit 16.. Pleugh-Song in Wode's Psalter (ed.) 241.
The ring the sling Mine oxen bows is wreathed and pind [: wind](b) 1604-31 Craig ii. 127.
Pine with thy snow-white hand The verse before thy view 1675 Coltness Coll. 355.
She appointed her sisters to pine the curtaines at the bed-foot, that [etc.]

2. ? To fit tuning pegs to a stringed instrument, or ? to tune it by adjusting the pegs.Cf. e.m.E. pynnyng vbl. n. = fitting of tuning pegs to an instrument (1475 in Cely Papers). a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 98 (Wr.).
She firdound flat and shaep Than Muses which uses To pin Apollos harpe

3. To fill in the interstices of masonry with small stones, splinters of shells, or the like. 1556 Edinb. Guild Ct. 24 July.
& gif he pynnis it ony tyme heirefter that he pay the ferd penny of the dichting of the saidis clossettis 1567 Edinb. B. Rec. III. 239.
The said new wall … weill pinnit and harlit 1589 St. A. B. Ct. 17 Sept.
And sall harll and pyn sufficientlie the haill wark sa far as neid requyris 1613 Inverness Rec. II. 118.
That the cross be mendit and pinnit and frie stains bocht thairto gif it neidis 1616 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II. 21.
Pind 1623 Rec. Univ. Aberd. 282.
The roche wark besyid the said stepill to be pinitt and harllit with lyme 1633 Ecclesia Antiqua 331.
[The song school to be sufficiently] roofed slated spargit and pinneit 1680 Cramond Ch. Grange 35.
That the churchyard dykes should be pinned with stone and lyme to prevent their ruine