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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.

Sain(e, Sayn(e, Sane, v. Also: sayin; sene. P.t. and p.p. saynit, sanit, etc., also, p.t. saynde. [ME saine (north., a1300), p.t. saynned, sanid (Cursor M.), etc., e.m.E. sayn (north., 1575–6), sane (1616), OE segnian. Also in the mod. Sc. (chiefly) and north. Eng. dial.]

1. tr. To confer a blessing upon and/or to protect from evil influences (a person or thing), by a ritual sign or act, esp. by making the sign of the cross over him or it; to bless in this way.(a) a1400 Leg. S. xxxiii 515.
The cope to George he betacht; & but blissing he it lacht, & saynit it & dranke [it] of Ib. xxviii 435. a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 457.
Quhen that the schip was saynit and undir saile 1584 Sempill Sat. P. xlv 399.
Scho sayned it with hir halie hand, The pure pith of the pryoris wand Ib. 403.
For scho had sayned it tuys or thrise, His rubigo began to ryis 1597 Misc. Spald. C. I 91.
Nocht to sayn hir self nor hir sone sowkand on hir breist 1601 Elgin Rec. II 96.
Thomas Symond, cutlar … sayis that he takkis a smythis hammer and his tonges and sayins the barne, with the saying ‘In nomine patris [etc.]’ 1605 Crim. Trials II 478.
Be taking ane clayth af the said bairnes face and sayneing and croceing with his hand the said bairnes face 1633 Orkney Bp. Ct. 85b.
For geving of ane thing to Assie Linkletteris wyff … saying … it was good to sain hir kye with 1685 Sinclair Satan's Inv. World 217.
In the time of popery … they believed the repetition of this … prayer was effectual to preserve them from danger … ‘Who sains the house the night, They that sains it ilk a night [etc.]’ 1688 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. XIII 259.
Johne Ker … heard the pannall say to Helen Patersone [who was sick] that she had not bein weill sained that day(b) a1400 Leg. S. xix 262.
And to that takine I thé sane [: tane] Ib. xxvii 599.
Sanyt c1475 Wall. vii 94.
Scho … With a saffyr sanyt his face and eyne 15.. Lord Fergus' Gaist 65.
Than with ȝour left heill it [sc. the little ghost] sane And it will nevir cum agane a1538 Abell 109b.
The wiffis of Ingland in the mornyng wald sane thame and tharis fra the king with the fire in his face 1540 Lynd. Sat. 2222 (B).
With my richt hand my haill body I sane [Ch. saine; rh. agane] Ib. 2234.
With raipis and rillikis I sall thé sane [Ch. saine] agane 1567 G. Ball. 194.
To rottin banis ȝe gart vs kneill, And sanit vs from neck to heill

b. reflex. To invoke a blessing upon oneself by some holy sign or act; to cross oneself.(a) 1375 Barb. vii 98.
Quhen Schyr Aymer herd this, in hy He sanyt [H. sained] him for the ferly And said [etc.] a1400 Leg. S. l 908.
Scho … haile to Jhesu Criste hir tuk, & saynyt hir Ib. xxiii 267. a1500 Prestis of Peblis 231.
He wald him sayne with benedicite 1596–7 Misc. Spald. C. I 98.
Scho refuisit to gang withe thé, and saynit hir self Ib. 100. a1603 Anc. Prophecies 26.
I … stood … And sained me on euery side 1604 Dundonald Par. Rec. 57.
Thai had neid to sain thame veill quhen thai met Pet Lovrie for it ves als evil to meit him as the devill him self 1639 Fugitive Poetry II xiv 2/42.
Let us pray, Stop our ears, and saine ourselfes 1696 A. Telfair in Sinclair Satan's Inv. World Suppl. xxvi.
Let us saine (or bless) ourselves, and then there is no ground to fear't(b) a1400 Leg. S. i 522.
Sanct Petir sowne com in hy, And sanyt hym with the rycht hand Ib. xxx 11.
For Cristine mene, that stedfastly Throuys in God & deuotly Sanis hym with the taknyng Of the corce quhare-on God can hyng Ib. xviii 217, xxxiii 261. c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 444.
I sane me as I war ane sanct a1538 Abell 109b (see 1 (b) above). c1530-40 Stewart Maitl. F. 353/3. a1540 Freiris Berw. 390 (M).
Sche stert abak as scho war in effray And sanis [B. sanyt] hir a1568 Pedder C. 20.
And sanis thame with deid menis banis 1588 Crim. Trials I ii 164.
Mr. Williame will … bid hir keip hir and sane hir, that scho be nocht tane away

c. Const. for or fra (from) (= from, against) the evil influence threatening. a1400 Leg. S. xxx 679.
Ane vthyr tyme scho schaw ly A lumpe of fyne gold hyre by, & for the sycht sanyt hir sone, & saw it nocht a1598 Ferg. Prov. No. 770.
Saine you weill fra the devill and the lairds bairns 1603 Philotus 962.
The Croce of God, our Sauiour sweit, To saif and sane me fra that spreit 1691 Kirk Secr. Commonw. (1964) 218.
Seers … have made it a custom … among the Scotish-Irish … to sene or hallow themselves, their corns and cattell from the shots and stealth of these wandering tribes

d. absol. or intr. To make the sign of the cross or other sacred gesture. c1420 Wynt. viii 1789 (W).
With his hand saynand for dispite, And biddand thaim fast sla and smyte The Scottis doune 1571 Sempill Sat. P. xxviii 24.
And with that word I went sum thing abak And bad say on and, with God saif me, sanit [: remanit]

2. tr. In invocations: (May God, etc., also, the Devil) bless (me, you, etc.).(1) 1375 Barb. ix 25.
Sa our Lord me sayn [: slayn], Ik had gret caus him for to sla ?1438 Alex. i 279.
Sa God me sane, I sall se first the grete bargane Begin Ib. 357, etc.
Sane 1535 Stewart 2353.
Sane 1596–7 Misc. Spald. C. I 98 marg.
And scho ans'rit, God sayn me 1600 M. Napier Mem. J. Napier 309.
So God me saine, to quhom I prey for you a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 1020.
Kw cairle S. Bryde saine yow(2) a1568 Bann. MS 93b/11.
The diuill mot sane ȝone company I pray fro many hairt trewly(3) 1540 Lynd. Sat. 4272 (B).
Gude day my Lordis and God sane

3. To invoke a blessing upon. c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 200/41.
Sum sanis the sait, and sum thame cursis a1510 Aberd. Univ. Rev. XXXVI 50.
Scho ys advocat to ws to sane

4. To influence apotropaically (some maleficent agency) by invoking divine help and/or by some holy sign or act. a1400 Leg. S. xx 121.
And that [sc. pig] a wolfe has fra me tane The quhilk fore God I pray thé sane That hyme thu gere it bryng agane 1603 Philotus 319.
Scho, be Sanct Marie saynde mee sa I dar not ga agane