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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.

Teme, Tume, v. Also: teim, teym(e, teem, twm(e, toum, towm, toom(e, tome. P.p. also tumde. [ME and e.m.E. teme (Cursor M.), temyn (Prompt. Parv.), teame (1641), teem (1648), ON tœma; Tum(e adj.]

1. To empty (a vessel or container of any sort), also, to unload (a cart), to remove (the occupant) from a saddle, to discharge (persons, etc.) from an enclosed space. Also transf.(a) a1400 Leg. S. xxv 544.
Scho … temyt the poyttis ?1438 Alex. i 1057.
Sadillis temit of douchty men c1475 Wall. viii 213.
Teym a1500 K. Hart 869.
Thair tunnis and thair tubbis war all temit And failȝet was the flesche that wes thair fude a1500 Bk. Chess 332.
Thai … temyt a jurdane … Dovne on his hed c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 12/36.
The weir is gon … The fetteris lowsit and the dungeoun temit 1531 Bell. Boece I xxxv.
The watter that droppis in it growis … in maner of ane hard quhit stane and wer nocht the cove is oft temit, it wald be fillit sone with stanis 1567 Crim. Trials I i 497.
Thay tuk all the polks [sc. of gunpowder] … and temit thame on the flour in an heip 1570 Canongate Ct. Bk. 274.
Quhilk purs eftir he had temit the samin he cuist in the … closet a1570-86 Maitland in Maitl. F. 329/3.
Thevis hes done my rowmes range And teymd my fald 1573–4 E. Loth. Antiq. Soc. VII 79.
To help to teim and fill the cartis 1638 Rec. Kirk Scotl. 161.
The bag was almost teemed(b) 1540 Lynd. Sat. 1953 (B).
I sall sitt in to this chyre till I haif towmit [Ch. tumde] this stowp 1562 (c1650) Dundee B. Laws 26.
That na man nor woman … presum … to toum any closetts without the flood mark 1580 Edinb. B. Rec. IV 187.
The inhabiteris … maist filthely castes furth and tomes thair closettis … on the hie gaitt 1584 Sempill in Sat. P. xlv Pref. 136.
We toome a tas of wyne a1585 Polwart Flyt. 796 (T).
Laisie luggis, leap iuggis! twm mwggis on the midding 1658–9 Aberd. Shore Wk. Acc. 435.
To the workmen for tooming 6 keills at 20 s. per keill 1671 Wodrow MSS 4^to XXXVII No. 7.
They toomed the very bolsteris and coodis and filed them with meelltransf. 1596 Dalr. I 204/31.
Sancte Ninian … had teimed the hartes of mony, of the foul puddil of errour and vice 1605-6 Welsh Forty-eight Serm. 459.
Incredulity will toom thy hands of Him 1638 Henderson Serm. 173.
That teims him of all conceit of himself

b. With reference to bodily functions. Also reflex.(a) 1531 Bell. Boece I lx.
Mony of us ganis to na othir besines bot to fil and teme our wembe 1540 Lynd. Sat. Proclam. 275.
Or ȝe cum thair, faill nocht to teme ȝour bleddir(b) a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 520.
To tume [B. twme] thy tone it has tyrit carlingis ten 1531 Vaus (1566).
Gif me leif to twme my mekill vymbreflex. 1540 Lynd. Sat. 4361 (B).
Of hir hurdeis scho had na hawld Quhill scho had temid hir monyfawld

2. To discharge (a gun, etc.), to spit out (off shot). b. To discharge (shot).(a) c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 152/64.
Ay as thay tomit thame of schot Feyndis fild thame new up to the thrott 1659 Boharm Kirk S. 1 May.
Two of the Englishes teimed two muskets in him(b) a1568 Sempill in Sat. P. xlvii 52.
Now ȝe ar lamit fra labour … Ȝour pistolis twmit, and bak sprentb. 1679 Russell Account 443.
Clavers was tooming the shot all the time on them

3. To empty (the contents) from (of) a vessel, to unload (goods); to dispose of (waste products). Also const. out. Also transf.Cf. also quot. 1567 in 1 (a) above.(1) 1482 Edinb. B. Rec. I 45.
Gudis ventit or temyt in the rade havin 1513 Doug. viii iii 198.
Ȝong men … The bakyn breid of baskettis temys a1568 Bann. MS 267a/18.
Quhen … Tay and Tweid ar temit to the grund 1574 Glasgow B. Rec. I 25.
That na fleschouris teyme thair vschawis vpone the foirgate 1598 Acts IV 176/2.
Mynes … quhairby … the watter of … quarrellis may be teimit and maid dry(b) 1581-1623 James VI Poems I 143/265.
One dishe ane other summoundis & her gormande entrailles eates & toomes thairby 1607 Aberd. B. Rec. II 290.
Filthines cassin and tumeit thairintransf. c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 213/39.
Thair tratling tungis that all furth temis(2) c1650 Spalding I 315.
Thay toomit out what wes left on spent within the girnellis

4. To pour (in) (liquid, etc.) in a vessel. 1535 Stewart 39522.
This ilk Banquho … Of thir herbis … Amang the aill gart tume thame in the fat 1602 Dundonald Par. Rec. 4.
The said Kaithrein … temit in the brothis in the pot

5. fig. ? To part with, discharge or conclude one's interest in (something). 1649 Rec. Old Aberd. II 36.
Christaines husband would not tume with the cow bot coft hir against the said Christianes will