A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1504, 1564-1689
[0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1]
Sing, v.2 Also: signe. P.p. also signet. [Sc. var. of e.m.E. singe (1560), ME synge, (a1450) (also senge (Chaucer), etc.), OE sencgan; also in the later Sc. and north. Eng. dialects.] tr. To singe, to burn the edges or surface (of something); to cleanse etc., by singeing. —1504 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I 101.
Provydand [pr. proydand] … that thair houssis be first singit and fyrit with hather or thai enter thairvnto 1564 Reg. Privy C. I 281.
The uther gudis, pik, tar, irne, tymmer, that the samyn be clengeit be owirflowing of the sey … the barrellis of asse to be singit with haddir set on fyre 1596 Dalr. I 95/7.
Thay thresche na stuf, bot with fyre thay signe it into the pile vpon the ground, [and] quhen thay haue signet it, thay winnow it 1633 Dalyell Darker Superst. 193.
Fyre ane piece of linying cleath and sing ane hair of the beast 1658 R. Moray Lett. fol. 309.
Though you had mist more then one [sc. letter] there is enough behind to sing all the hens you will win at the curling on this side of Yule a1689 Cleland 19.
Rebellious books Whose paper well might serve the cooks To sing their poultrie
