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

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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. X).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

String, Stryng, n. Also: stringe, stryn, streng, streing, streyng. [ME and e.m.E. stræng (c1200), streng (1297), stringe (a1300), streing (c1325), strynge (c1340), OE streng.]

1. A rope, a bell-rope, part of the rigging of a ship, etc.See also Bell-string n. and knok-string Knok n.¹ 2.(1) 1499 Dunferm. B. Rec. I 97.
Item for ane bell stryngis [sic] … xv^d 1539 Haddington B. Rec. (Robb) 31 July.
For favour of the samyn the town gevis thai[m] the bell stringis 1551 Cupar B. Rec. 16 June.
[The said balȝe] gaiff to the said Jhone Baxter possession and institution … of the said parroche clerkschip and in tokyn thairof deliuerit to hym the haly uater fatt & ane grip of the bell stryngis wyth the haly uater stik 1552–3 Cart. S. Giles cv.
Ordanies that … the commoun bell haif ane string cummand thairfra to the nether end of ane piller in the kirk and to be lokkitt in almery 1554 Edinb. B. Rec. II 196.
To find stringis to all the bellis inwith the stepill 1619 Perth Kirk S. MS 6 Sept.
The sessioun appoyntis him to stand wnder the bell stringis and gifis him to this day aucht dayis to resolue and gif his anser anent the premissis(2) 1643 Edinb. Test. LX 236b.
Fyve stane of knok towes or stringes at xij s. the stane(3) 14… Bute MS 119a.
The strengis of the [weighing] balk sal be evyn elik lang with the balk 1573 Edinb. B. Rec. IV 4.
To furneis stringis, yrne wark, and vther necessaris to the over trone(4) 1560–1 Edinb. Old Acc. II 125.
For butter and stringis to the mast 1611 St. A. Baxter Bks. 76.
For vrang and offence done be him to the deakin and cuttyng his veycht brod streingis

2. A (piece of) cord, line or string. 15… Sc. Hist. Rev. L 113.
Rasaif fray this barer v dry herein [= herring] Weyll kneyt on ane streyng 1591 Edinb. D. Guild Acc. 440.
Fisch lyne to be ane lyne to ane maissoune and to be stringis to the levellis 1596 Dalr. I 128/16.
As Thay [sc. a succession of kings] had beine with a string knutt togithir 1618 Edinb. Test. L 164b.
Aucht schlicht cowmon stringis at x s. the peice 1662 Highland P. III 27.
Putting a string with knots and beids about the bairne 1666 Edinb. Test. LXXII 194b.
Ane streyng with elevin wind staffes for drying of cloathes

b. A (length of) fishing-line. 1565 Inverness Rec. I 126.
vij stringis of lynes, thre hundreth huikis … the best nett of thre hering nettis [etc.] 1581 Crail B. Ct. 12 Dec.
vj s. viij d. for ane taise of new grytling string

c. A cord or leash attached to something for the purpose of leading or controlling it; ? a horse's rein.In the 1633 quot., perhaps attached to a model of a sailor and/or boat in a basin of water, in a witchcraft ritual. 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 423.
Of goldin cord wer lyamis and the stringis Festinnit coniunct in massie goldin ringis 1633 Coll. Witchcraft 115.
Mony ships and boats has thou put down; and when I would have halden the string to have saved one man, thou wald not

3. The mechanism of the eye.‘The "eye-strings" were formerly supposed to break or crack at death or loss of sight’ (OED, s.v. Eye-string.) 1513 Doug. iv v 131 (Sm.).
He makis folk sleip … and to the deid Closis thar ene, and brekkis the stringis tway

4. One of the strings of a musical instrument.For further examples see Lute-string n.¹ and Lutray-string n. c1460 Regim. Princ. 1 (Marchm.).
Rycht as [all] stringis ar reulit in a harp In ane accord, and timyt al be ane uth a1500 Henr. Orph. 134. 1490 Irland Mir. II 150/7.
Alsua in the musik … of a harp or lut ar mony diuers notis minvtis and stringis 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 803.
Thair instrumentis all maist war fidillis lang, Bot with a string quhilk neuer a wreist ȝeid wrang 1507 Treas. Acc. III 398.
Gluffis and Franch lut stringis and othir gere 1513 Doug. vi x 45.
Orpheus … Apon his harp … Now with gymp fyngris doyng stryngis smyte a1568 Bell. in Bann. MS I p. 4/105.
As craft and hand vpone the stringis playis Proportionate in hevinlye melodye 1540 Treas. Acc. VII 314. 1546 Aberd. B. Rec. I 239.
Thre dosoun of menekin stringis for lutis 1562-3 Winȝet I 20/11.
Ȝour awin scoleris thinkis that ane mistoneit string confoundis all ȝour harmonie 1570 Sat. P. xxxvii 52.
Gif ȝe lyk musik, mirthe, or myrrie mak, Thai sweir ȝe feill ane string and bownis to brek it 1586 Edinb. Test. XVI 126b.
Tua haill bouttis of luitt stringis 1606 Birnie Kirk-b. v.
The ingratious discord in the eare of the least string, wil mar al the mirth

b. To harp upon ane (this) string, to dwell on (a particular topic) at great length. 1562-3 Winȝet I 18/4.
Sen ȝe haif harpit sa lang on that ane string … schaw it iustlie toneit, or ȝe leif it 1638 Baillie I 130.
When Traquair and Lowdon had harped upon this string a while, Argyle lends in his word

c. To strike on a string, to agree, to pursue the same objectives. 1600-1610 Melvill 78.
All strak on a string and soundet a harmonie

5. A bow-string. Also fig.For further examples, see Bowstring n. 1. a1500 Henr. Fab. 23.
Ane bow that ay is bent Worthis vnsmart and dullis on the string a1500 Peblis to Play 182.
The stringis stert out of thair nokkis 1505–6 Treas. Acc. III 183.
To Robert Muncreiffis man, to by stringis to the kingis cors bow, xiiij s. 1506–7 Treas. Acc. III 375.
For vj stringis, ane fals string, windes cordis and creviling threid for the kingis corsbow 1513 Doug. v ix 29 (Sm.).
Ȝoung Hippocaon … A quhidderand arrow leit spang fra the string 1532 Treas. Acc. VI 30.
For bowis, arrowis, and strengis 1535 Stewart 4541.
Ane threfald string is straitar on ane bow, Nor singill cord quhilk is of better tow 1537 Treas. Acc. VI 463.
For twenty cors bowis … with double stringis to thame 1539 Treas. Acc. VII 194.
Stryngis 1601 Treas. Acc. MS 81.
Tua pellok boll stringis a1646 Wedderburn Voc. (1709) 25.
Areus nervus, the string of the bowfig. 1645 Baillie II 262.
Allaster McDonnell wes the smallest string in his bow, and a designe which he least trusted in

b. Betuix the bow and the string, very narrowly, by the skin of one's teeth. a1578 Pitsc. II 122/28.
Thay … eschaiped with thair lywes narrowlie betuix the bow and the string

c. pl. The thong of a sling. 1513 Doug. ix ix 138.
Meȝentius … The stryngis [L. habena] thrys abowt hys hed assays, And … Arcens … Hes smertly with a ledyn pellok slane

6. A lace, cord, ribbon or the like used for securing a garment, etc.See also hat-string (Hat n. 3) and murning-string (Murning vbl. n. 3 c).(1) 1507 Lanark B. Rec. 18.
For strynis to Cristis cot 1539 Treas. Acc. VII 155.
Wrocht be Katheryne Bellenden to the kingis jurnall, of variant colorit welvot, xiiij knoppis and stringis effering thairto 1541–2 Treas. Acc. VIII 50.
For silk to be stringis to the poyk 1542 Treas. Acc. VIII 61.
To be stringis to the kingis grace sarkis, twa unces quhite and blak rubenne silk 1561 Treas. Acc. XI 66.
For ane pair of stringis to the quenis grace cloik 1564 Reg. Privy C. I 308.
lxxxxvi stringis to hattis of diverse cullouris 1566-70 Buch. Comm. on Virgil Georgics iii 487.
Nivea … vitta, a bande with ane quhyt string, ribband 1575 Edinb. Test. III 362b.
Tuelf mydling round stringis for hattis 1585 Perth B. Ct. 27 April.
Ane self blak bonet without the string 1594 Argyll Acc. 10 Jan.
For stringis to the tua pair of breikis 1625 Edinb. Test. LIII 17b.
Aucht stringis of gowne claspis at xxx s. the stringe c1630 Tailor's Acc. Bk. B 3b.
Item for stringis to the lyineing ij s.(2) 1539–40 Treas. Acc. VII 293.
For iiij knoppis, iiij fassis, witht iiij stringis of silk to thame 1583 Edinb. Test. XII 340.
viij stringis of silk & gold mext 1593 Edinb. Test. XXV 192.
Fyve lang stringis of craip of Ley vnfassit at xiij s. iiij d. the pece(3) 1580 Edinb. Test. IX 53.
Hat stringis of worset(4) 1603 Shetland Sheriff Ct. (ed.) 89.
The stowth of ane creip string a1605 Birrel Diary 27.
The said lord's cnapscull tippet, quherone ves a silk stringe 1612 Edinb. Test. XLVII 125b.
Twa velvet stringis wrocht with jeat

b. A cord, etc. attached to an object as a means of carrying it. 1511 Treas. Acc. IV 196.
xij elnis rubanis to be ane string to the kingis quhissill of gold 1540 Acta Conc. & Sess. MS XIII 83.
Ane hingar sett with ane string stane & thre perle 1561 Crim. Trials I i 416.
Standand at the crame of Willeam Speir … in comoning with him, the tyme of the putting of ane string to ane penner and yncorne quhilk scho had coft 1565 Treas. Acc. XI 439.
viij elnis of pasmentis for stringis to the torbullioun and the panigȝeour 1590 Mill Mediæv. Plays 199.
For ane string of silk to thame [sc. the keys presented to the queen] 1600-1610 Melvill 21.
Being molested by a condisciple wha cutted the stringes of my pen and ink-horn with his pen-knyff 1705 Foulis Acc. Bk. 388.
For a new string to her [sc. a watch] of silver from Ja. Penman [£3]

7. A cord or line stretched between two poles as a measuring device. Also, a particular unit of length as so measured.Recorded by OED (s.v. String n. 8) as a 17th c. exclusively Anglo-Irish usage. 1597 Skene s.v. Verb. S. s.v. Particata.
There is bot ane forme of metting vsed and vnderstand, to wit, be rod and raip … ane rod or gade of sex elnes lang or … ane string or coard, of sex elnes lang, stented betwixt twa staues 1659 A. Hay Diary 137.
Found it [sc. the common] to be of circuit 325 strings, each string being 24 elns 1686 Orkney Perambulation in Sc. Hist. Rev. XXII 187.
Measured from the eastmost laigh bow upward, compting 5 strings att 38 faddoms per each string, and 19 faddoms more … From the north east dyke to the south west burn measured 7 strings and 20 faddoms

b. attrib. With -way, ? = (a) straight or direct route. Also fig. c1641–54 J. Gordon in Macfarlane's Geog. Coll. II 547.
It is 24 or 25 myl … the string way is up the water Okell upon 2 myl and ther throw the mouthfig. 1602 Colville Paraenese 53.
Tyning once the string vay of treu religion eury one … doth find out sum od and extravagant by-vay

8. A cord, line or thread of (objects); a number of objects of a certain kind on a thread, etc. Cf. 2 above.(1) 1488 Treas. Acc. I 84.
Ane string of grete perle contenand fyfti … and stringis of small perle 1575–6 Dumfries B. Ct. 20 Jan.
vij dosand stringis of blak melȝeis … iiij s. 1592 Edinb. Test. XXV 25.
Ane gros & ane string of buckie buttonnes 1598–9 Edinb. B. Rec. V 244.
Jhonn Moresoun resavet the string of the keyis of the said boxe, contening sex keyis with an chak key(2) 1592 Treas. Acc. MS 67b.
Four jeit stringis—-viij li.

9. The number of soldiers contained in a formation in line from front to rear. 1627 Kellie Pallas Armata 6.
A file or string … is defined … A number of men from one leader, and his followers to the last man: and againe, … A row of followers placed after a leader … A sequence of men standing one behind another backe to bellie 1627 Kellie Pallas Armata 52.
Our wordes of command, Double your stringes to the right hand [etc.] 1627 Kellie Pallas Armata 70.
Our wordes of command are, Stringes to the right hand countermarch [etc.]

10. A list or rota. 1563–4 Perth B. Ct. 9 Feb.
Quhilk day the bailye continuit all actiones that is on Tuisday string to Tuisday nixt to come and all actiones that is on the Wednisday string to this day aucht dayis

11. A small strip. 1646 J. Hope Diary (1958) 170.
Milnes for cutting of yron into small stringes or virges of ¼ inche square

12. In fig. context: The cord or chain wound round the fusee of a watch. 1639 Baillie I 186.
A laudable curiositie to understand and behold all the strings of that muntoure