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

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First published 2000 (DOST Vol. VIII).
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S(c)ham(e, n. Also: s(c)haym(e, schaem, schamme, schaheme; scheyme, sheam(e; schome, schoym. [ME and e.m.E. shame (Orm), scome (Layamon), schome (a1250), scam, scamme, schame (all Cursor M.), OE sce(a)mu, sc(e)omu. Cf. ON skǫmm.]

I. 1. The feeling of self-reproach or disgust arising from a person's consciousness of his failure, or that of his family, community, etc., to achieve an acceptable standard of behaviour, honour, decency, etc.(1) 1375 Barb. xiii 279.
Bot thai … That schame lettyt to ta the flycht a1400 Leg. S. i 535.
Sic schent and schame at hart had he Ib. xviii 495.
Schame & dout lattis me To tel mare of myn syne to thé a1500 Henr. Fab. 660.
In dreid and schame our dayis we indure c1490 Irland Asl. MS 21/32.
And the mair that a persoun confessis him of that syn with schame & devocioun 1513 Doug. x vii 89.
Than schame and dolour, mydlit baith ourane, Baldis the pepill Arcad eueryane 1528 Lynd. Dreme 282.
Sum wemen … Ouerset with schame thay did thame neuer schryue Off secreit synnis done in quietie 1549 Compl. 7/2.
Dredour ande schame beand repulsit fra my melancolius cogitations 1567 G. Ball. 13.
Saif vs from schame and from dispair … And Deuillis doctrine(2) a1500 Bk. Chess 614.
In sic a schame scho stud Scho wald erar [etc.]

b. Consciousness of this feeling; (a) sense of shame. 1490 Irland Mir. I 78/5.
Als lang as the man and woman perseuerit in innocence of thare nakitnes and membris thai had na schame

2. Shame viewed as a virtue or an aid to virtue; apprehension of immoral consequences acting as a brake on behaviour; a sense of propriety. c1400 Troy-bk. ii 2743.
Menelay … All schame and nobilnes put away And one Andromatha but delay Ruschit 1456 Hay II 65/34.
Lautee, veritee, justice, humilitee [etc.], … drede, schame, with othir syk like vertues a1500 Henr. Fab. 52 (Makc.).
A man … Quhilk leiffis ay carnal foul delyt, That schayme can nocht derenȝe & arrest Id. Garmont 11.
Hir sark … Of chestetie … With schame and dreid togidder mixt The same [sc. her body] suld be perfyt a1500 Bk. Chess 607.
Quhar in a woman schame is tynt ȝe se, Als tyte is tynt hir werraye chastite 1513 Doug. iv Prol. 96.
Honeste, prowes, dreid, schame and luk ar gane Quhar thai [supra lust of wyne … warkis veneryane] habound Ib. xii ii 31.
The fervent fyre of schame rysys on hie, Kyndland mar large the red culloryt bewte Ib. iv ii 5. 1530 Lynd. Test. Pap. 798.
Humyll thay war, simpyll and full of schame a1538 Abell 119b.
Wemen thare schenis with ontrowable honeste & wemenlie scham 15.. Clar. iv 601.
Scho changit hew, as scho that ay Abandonit beine with [all] schame and dreid 1558-66 Knox II 415.
That schame haistit mariage betwix [etc.] c1590 J. Stewart 49/46.
Hir cumlie corps … For seimlie schame reed sprinklit

b. Modesty, unpretentiousness. 1673 Fam. Innes 246.
Diligence passes all sheame and ane man diligent in his calling shall not be ascheamed to stand beffor kings

3. Disgrace, ignominy, loss of esteem or reputation.Freq. coupled with lak (see Lak n. 5 and 5 b (2) for examples), and scathe. See also Scath(e n. 1 g (2).Also proverb., see also Pas v. 18 b (3) for examples of schame is past (the) sched of (one's) hair.(1) 1375 Barb. iii 566.
With-thi thar-to folow na blame, Dishonour, wikytnes na schame a1400 Leg. S. i 502.
Bot Petir … sad that schame inucht had he, ‘At of his craft has no mar mawcht’ c1400 Troy-bk. ii 348, etc. c1420 Wynt. viii 6571.
In fycht is mensk and schame [C. schoym] in flycht 14.. Acts I 6/2.
Sayand … that the deffendour hes done hym sic schame to the valur of xx merkis wyth the scath that he hes tane the party deffendour … sal not put his weddis for the price of the schame of the folowar bot allanerly [etc.] 1456 Hay I 143/16. a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 1075.
Than war I woundir vnwis To purchese proffit for pris Quhare schame ay euer lyis All my leuing Ib. 1042. a1500 Rauf C. 898. 1490 Irland Mir. II 54/3. c1490 Porteous Noblenes 178/7 (A).
To lif in schame a1500 Seven S. 915.
He slewe his fader to chewe the schame Ib. 1016.
On a pillar [to] … thole schame for thair trespas a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 311. 1544 Corr. M. Lorraine 79.
Better … to de with honour than leif with perpetuall schame 1560 Rolland Seven S. 7533.
The mater ryndes haill To hir awin schame 1570 Sat. P. xix 91, etc. 1590–1 Crim. Trials I ii 234.
To keip me frome syn and wardlie schame c1650 Spalding II 4.
Schame(b) 1375 Barb. vii 632 (C).
Tharfor till Ingland turnit he With mair schaym [E. schame] than he com of toune c1420 Wynt. v 3853.
Schayme a1597-1617 Hist. Jas. VI (1825) 156.
Thay could geve na suddan assault, and tharefore war compellit to reteir with shayme Ib. 237.
That … we conqueis unto our selfis perpetuall shayme and ignominie(c) c1420 Ratis R. 13.
At thow sal punyst be In this lyf here with mekle scham Ib. 945.
Scho wyll forȝet quhat is scham And fra thin-furth worth mar hardy c1460 Consail Vys Man 78.
Ȝit have thai scham in euery place 1542 Lynd. Bk. Arms 6.
To the gryt scham and dishonour of tham 1567 G. Ball. 91. a1578 Pitsc. I 18/11.
We brocht to pouertie scham and vthir miserie 1600-1610 Melvill 33.
That … thretning against the Castel … that … it sould spew out the captan with scham(d) c1520-c1535 Nisbet III 317/33.
For feare of repreiff, schamme, ande pwnyschment(e) c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 106/21.
And quhai in felde receaves schaem And tynis thair his knychtlie naem(f) c1400 Troy-bk. ii 2420.
Quhill tyme that Pirrus suld come home That he thocht suld revenge his schome c1420 Wynt. viii 6559 (C) (see (a) above).(2) ?a1400 Reg. Morton I xl.
For the qwhilk doyng I soume the schame and the skath of the fornemmit J. and his men apon thé R. iiii^c li of sterlingis ?1438 Alex. ii 1846.
Great schame and skaith this dois to vs Ib. 1475.
Shame 1556 Stirling B. Rec. I 68.
Quhilk may redound to his schaheme and skayth 1560 Rolland Seven S. 9572.
For ȝe haue saift this day fra schame and skaith Ȝour awin honour 1605-6 Welsh Forty-eight Serm. 356.
Ye should not lie against your neighbours to bring them to shame or skaith 1646 Baillie II 354.
Our shame and skaith wes not so great these six hundred years as this last year 1694 Dundee B. Laws 452.
The gryt los, sheame, and skeath that the craft doth lyie under(3) 1560 Rolland Seven S. 869.
That he suld vnder the pane of schame … befoir the king to stand 1584 Sempill Sat. P. xlv 830.
Vnder pane of schameproverb. a1570-86 Maitl. F. 159/13.
Comunlie still syn makis loud schame a1598 Ferg. Prov. MS No. 105.
Auld sine new sheame

b. An instance of disgrace or ignominy.1492 Myll Spect. 285/25 (see Lak n.¹ 5 (1)). 1513 Doug. xi xvi 31.
Ne salt thou not that schame suffir 1639 in Spalding I 222.

c. Schamis deid, a shameful death. Only in Seven S. a1500 Seven S. 282.
That he suld de ane schamis deid Ib. 1734.
That gart him get … Mekle magra and schamis deid Ib. 1612.

4. What is morally disgraceful; baseness in conduct. To do schame, to do something base or wicked. —(1) c1400 Troy-bk. ii 1263 (D).
Of worschipe that proceded nocht Bot of tratoury throw him wrocht And of fals wordis with schame c1490 Porteous Noblenes 177/28 (A).
Thai persewe this lady worthines richt swerlye and with gret schame … That … revis the gudis … of pure commonis c1552 Lynd. Mon. 2658.
Than Kyttoke thare … Without regarde other to syn or schame, Gaiff Lowre leif at layser to loupe on 1560 Rolland Seven S. 2092.
Quhat eirdlie schame, dispite and displesour Done be ȝour sone, and to my dishonour 1567 G. Ball. 13.
Saif vs from schame and from dispair a1578 Pitsc. II 112/2.(2) c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 38/6.
Be layth alway to do amis or schame

5. (It) is (war, etc.) (gret) schame, a cause of shame or disgrace; (it) is (was, etc.) shameful or reprehensible. a1487 Gud Wyf & D. 131.
Schaym is, to day be quhit and rede, And vallowit on the morn as lede a1500 Rauf C. 87, 488. c1475 Wall. viii 46.
Or ellis war schaym in story to racord c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 206/19. 1534–5 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 148.
Quhilk is schayme and it be nocht punyst 1540 Lynd. Sat. Proclam. 71.
That war grit schame Gif [etc.] c1550 Id. Meldrum 290.
It wer greit schame Without battell ȝe suld pas hame 1560 Rolland Seven S. 8152.
It will be schame to me and to vs all a1605 Montg. Flyt. 481 (T).
To sie it wes schame

6. transf. The external genital organs of a man or woman. a1538 Abell 67b.
The naip on the ȝerd hidis hir schame bot quhen sche is on hicht than it is seyn 1602 Colville Paraenese 102.
Him that vncouerit and irridit his fathers scham 1642 Bk. Pasquils 117.
He saw and leuiche, thou hid thy fathers shame

II. In various special phrases.

7. To have schame, to be ashamed, to feel ashamed. Const. to do something, or clause object, also of (a thing).Also, once, to have a schame (to do something).(1) a1400 Leg. S. ii 624.
Is nocht this he, that all the men Werrayt in Jerusalem, That euir callit one Cristis name, And now to prech it has na scham Ib. xxvii 1014. Ib. xxviii 373.
The tyrand than, to se the flude That fra the maydine ran of blude, Had schame Ib. xxxii 281. c1490 Irland Asl. MS 28/25.
He for schame & gret pryde that he has to be ourcummyn(2) a1400 Leg. S. xxxvi 105.
Haffand scham that men suld meyne Scho sa auld with barne suld bene(3) a1400 Leg. S. v 364.
To that entent that thu Of thi mystreutht haf scham now 1490 Irland Mir. I 117/14.
Than thai … in a part had hunt and schame of thare pertinacite Id. Asl. MS 24/9.
Be schame that the synnar has of the syn(4) a1500 Bk. Chess 1976.
And has a schame to thig

8. To think (grete) schame, to feel shame, to be ashamed. Without const., or const. of, for or infin.(1) 1492 Myll Spect. 295/1.
Than this man thocht gret schame and callit to him ane preist a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 290.
Thair feit, claggit in clay, He wesche … Peter thocht schame & said schortlie: ‘Nay’ c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 201/26. 15.. Wyf Awcht. 104. c1552 Lynd. Mon. 983.
Than gan thay boith for to thynk schame, And to be naikit thocht defame 1584 Sempill Sat. P. xlv 264.
This duble drunckerd thought no schame … Persuading him to sell his land a1585 Polwart Flyt. 746 (T).
Fy! fuill, thinkis thow no schame?(2) a1500 Seven S. 1535.
Hir lord thairof he thocht gret schame And said [etc.] 1561 Q. Kennedy Compendious Ressonyng (ed.) 181 (G).
That thaj sall thynk na lak nor schaym thairoff 1692 Presb. Eloq. (1694) 58.
I think shame of the board-head, and the first mess, and the royal king's dining-hall(3) c1475 Wall. x 517.
And for hys wrang reyff othir he sall think schame Or de tharfor(4) a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 159.
For his powerte the kingis thocht na schame Till knell on kne, and him adorne as king 1513 Doug. ix xiii 20.
Think ȝhe na lak and schame into ȝour mynd To do sa gret owtrage to strang Enee, In hys absens thus catyfly to fle? 1529 Lynd. Complaynt 223.
To mak seruyce he wald thynk schame 1533 Gau 104/6.
The blynd … pastors … quhilk alsua thinkkis nay scheyme to cal thayme selff vicars of Christ 1535 Stewart 13875.
I think schame to reveild [etc.] 1540 Lynd. Sat. 255. c1552 Id. Mon. 5386.
I thynk thay sulde thynk mekle schame, Off Christ for to tak thare surname, Syne, [etc.] a1568 Bann. MS 261b/28. 1570 Sempill Sat. P. xii 113.
Think ȝe not schame to heir ȝour lordschipis lakit a1578 Pitsc. I 175/28.
He thocht schame to haue his handis bund with sic ane tow of hempt 1599 in Melvill 459.
War nocht they [sc. bishops] wald think scham to be merschallit with sic as Piter speakes of ther, viz. murderers [etc.]

9. To do (a person) schame, to inflict injury or dishonour; to subject to reproach or obloquy. Also, to do (a person) schame and scathe. Cf. 3 above. Also const. to (the person) and absol. a1400 Leg. S. i 208.
A man … That Symon Magus had to name, And be his crafte did fele men schame ?1438 Alex. ii 132.
Gif ony man hes done … Thé or thyne outher shame or skaith I sall gar mend it Ib. 6658.
Ȝe … Defoulis the barronis and dois thame schame c1420 Ratis R. 1565.
May nothir auld na ȝonge it blame, Bot gyf thai do thaim-selwyn scham 14.. Acts I 6/2 (see 3 (1) above). 14.. Quon. Attach. c. 48.
Doand him in that feloune reff scham & scath a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 274 (see Lak n.¹ 5 b (1)). c1475 Wall. vii 282.
For in his lyff he did neuir woman schayme ?a1500 Dewoit Exerc. 12.
For the pane and schame that the Jowis did to ȝow a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 482.
Lat nevir this synfull sot Do schame fra hame unto your nacioun c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 110/39.
Or dethe or schame war done to thi persoun 1531 Bell. Boece II 207.
At last, be lang franing of his wife, he schew quhat schame the king had done to him 1535 Stewart 58022.
To do him self so mekill schame and lak 1568 Waus Corr. 57.
Ye did schame to my brother in the mene tymeabsol. 1570 Sat. P. xvi 43.
Gif he gar Athol do sic schame, As to consent to bring hir hame

b. To genner … schame (to an innocent person).1438–9 Rec. Earld. Orkney 71 (see Gener v. 2 (b)).

c. To mak (a thing) schame, to bring disgrace upon, sully. c1420 Ratis R. 264.
That hand was kepit innocent Fra al wnlefull ewil thinge Mycht mak it scham or defowling

10. To put, or bring, to schame, to bring into disgrace. c1475 Wall. x 1004.
The Roman [supra buikis] at than was in Scotland He gart be brocht to scham quhar thai thaim fand 1670 Alford Rec. 163.
Mr. Andrew Abercrombie is exhorted to … put to sheam those that are apt to speak evil of him

b. To schout (a person)4 to schame,5 to insult, reproach or belittle publicly. a1568 Scott ii 122.
This still for bargan Sym abyddis And schowttit Will to schame

11. For schame, from a sense of shame, because one feels shame. For schame of, because one is ashamed of.(1) c1420 Wynt. vii Prol. 25.
Than suld I worth red for schame c1450-2 Howlat 817 (A).
The dene rurale worthit reid Stawe for schame of the steid a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 1077.
The sege that schrenkis for na schame, the schent might hym schend a1500 Henr. Fab. 2281.
Ane lord, and he be leill, That schrinkis for schame c1475 Wall. vi 201.
War nocht for schayme he had socht to the ground c1500 Fyve Bestes 225.
Quhy syng ȝe nocht for schame? c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 39/13.
Leif creuelte, and saif ȝour man for schame 1513 Doug. i Prol. 252.
I hald my tung for schame, bytand my lyp Ib. iv Prol. 18.
Ȝour sport for schame ȝe dar not specify Ib. viii iii 60.
Pallas … abasyt worth for schame 1562-3 Winȝet I 33/16.
Albeit thir twa ȝoure kempis dar not for schame ansuer in this mater a1570-86 Maitl. F. 194/30.
For schame, quod scho, for schame go hyd ȝow(2) c1450-2 Howlat 60 (A).
I … droupe as a dovle, Nocht for schame of my schape in pert till appeire

b. Fy for schame, see Fy interj. (3).

12. In schame of, in order to, or in such a way as to, put (another person) to shame. 1419 Wemyss Chart. 45.
Oure lord governyoure accusit the said Schir Jon … that wrangwysly he had ressavyt … a thusand markys, in grete schath and schame of the said guvernyour 1596 Dalr. I 101/24.
To put a gluue vpon the poynte of ane speir in exprobatione and schame of him quha crakit his creddence

13. To (one's) schame, so as to bring (a person) to dishonour, discredit or disgrace. a1568 Scott xxix 20.
Thair hairtis ar sett … Ȝow to dissaif … To ȝour schame and reprufe a1570-86 J. Maitland Maitl. F. 285/6.
The suythe sall schaw it selffe out to thair schame 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 276. a1578 Pitsc. I 18/2.
To our gret rebuik and schame Ib. 107/24.
To no les schame and mervell of his adwersaris then great laude … of this our natiue countrie a1586 Maitland Geneal. Setoun 9.
In aventur that it be spokin monie yeirs efter thair deceis … to thair sklander and schame 1640 Aberd. Council Lett. II 230.
[They] tuick away sex great jeystes … and maid fyre wood therof to our scheyme

14. In ejaculatory formulae expressing imprecation, disapproval, etc., as a. Schame betide (fall, happin) a person, const. indirect object, b. Schame (for) to say, se, c. Schame … on (a person).a. c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 110.
Schame him betide! 1533 Gau 15/12.
Wordis of ir … as scheyme happine thé, lowne a1598 Ferg. Prov. MS No. 1206.
Schame fall them (quoth the webster hes maist of the web) 1679 Welsh Alarm to Impenitent 5.
To say … foul fall you, or shame fall youb. 1513 Doug. iii vi 27.
Schame for to say the Harpye Celeno Spays onto ws a feirful takyn of wo Ib. xi vi 102.
Quhou … The kyng of Myce … Ha, schame to say, fowlely befell … The first nycht in hys palyce lost hys lyf — 1513 Doug. x viii 143.
Quhou that the fyfty ȝong men, schame to se, War fowlly murthuryt on the first nychtc. a1568 Wedderburn Bann. MS 288b/110.
Schame pouerty or ane vyle suddane end On thame that maculattis pudicitie a1605 Montg. Flyt. 359 (T).
Botht schame and sorrow on hir snowt that sufferis thé to sowk