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

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First published 2000 (DOST Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Seme, n.¹ Also: semm-, seim(e, seym(e, seam(e, seem(e, sime, saim. [ME seme (Manning), seem (Wyclif), sem (14th c.), e.m.E. seam(e) (1541), OE séam. Cf. ON saumr.]

1. The join between two pieces of cloth or other material, effected by stitching the edges together; the part of a garment so stitched. c1420 Wynt. v 5516.
In Saphat, nere Jherusalem, Crystys kyrtill noucht sowyd wyth seme Wes fwndyn a1538 Abell 49b.
Christis coit without seym wes fundin and put in Jerusalem 1562 Inv. Wardrobe 154.
Thre curtenis of crammosie dames … enrichet upoun the seames with a litle bisset of gold a1568 Bann. MS 140a/19.
For lowsy semis that thow hes bittin Thy gwmis ar giltin quhair evir thow gay a1568 Bann. MS 156a/16.
Ane rattoun in a window satt Sa fair a seme coud schew a1568 Bann. MS 228b/19.
Hir sark suld be of sobirnes … The semis sewit with sacreitnes 1573-1600 Burne Disput. in Cath. Tr. 172/1.
Ane change from that quhilk keipit your vomankynd in al vomanlie grauitie … from threid, seyme, and neidil, to danse at the feidil 1626 Edinb. Test. LIII 337b.
xiiij pair of seamed gluifis with silk & siluer vpon the seames 1638 Elphinstone Mun. 194/2.
Tua watting pasmentis on all semes of the doublet 1638 Elphinstone Mun. 194/2. 3751
Ane double vennes caff witht tua lefe on all seamesproverb. a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 1147.
Manie seims manie lice, manie furris meikle corne

b. comb. Seme-byttar, ‘one who bites seams’, i.e. a tailor. (Cf. the quot. Bann. MS 140a/19 above). c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 154/130.
The tailȝeour … Convoyit wes unto the feild With mony lymmar loun Off seme byttaris and beist knapparis [etc.]

2. The place where the planks of a ship overlap; the join between adjacent or overlapping planks. 1513 Doug. i iii 49.
And scho … The storm ourset, raif rovis and syde semmys [L. laxis laterum compagibus] 1611-57 Mure Dido & Æneas i 290.
Their leiking seames drink in the floods so fast

3. A geological layer or stratum containing mineral or ore deposits, such as coal, silver, etc.(a) 1566-70 Buch. Comm. on Virgil Georgics ii 166.
Venis, seamis 1592 Acts III 556/2.
Quhensoeuir ony myne or seme of mettaill wes found be ony of the leigis 1592 Acts & Decr. CXXXVII fol. 468 (5 Aug.).
To haif wrocht the semis of metallis discoverit and wrocht of ald 1653 J. Hope Diary 155.
And when I looke to the walles I thoght the seemes betuixt the stones was stiking full of sproutings and litle plates of pure and rude silver 1699 Glasgow B. Rec. IV 280.
A thinn coall, halfe ane elne thick, betwixt tuo seims of the craig in the tounes quarrie(b) c1500 Makc. MS xiii 40.
Hec sectura, a saim

b. The Great Seam, the widest stratum of coal in the Lothian coalfield. Also attrib. 1679 Fawside Coal Compt. 49.
Nailes to the great seime 2 s. 6 d. 1683 Fawside Coal Compt 114.
To tuo uncostmen for the great seam 16 s. 1683 Fawside Coal Compt 114.attrib. 1680 Fawside Coal Compt 62.
For reding the great sime sinke £3 4 s. 1683 Fawside Coal Compt 112.
To the wncost for the greit seime mynd £2 1683 Fawside Coal Compt 114.
For timber to the great seim credling £5 4 s.