Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

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First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Gan, p.t. Also: gane. [ME. gan (c 1200), p.t. of gin v.] Began, did. (Only in poetry, freq. in Barbour and Douglas, usually with simple infinitive.)(1) 1375 Barb. ii. 10.
The marschell to the hall gan ga Ib. iii. 629.
Thar fayis gan thaim se Forowth thaim c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 2441.
This place nere the se gan stand Ib. 2887.
At his moder he gan inquere 1513 Doug. i. iii. 16.
A blastrand bub … Gan [Sm. gane] … in the bak saill dyng Ib. xiii. ii. 126.
The cristit fowle gan hir curage avans(2) a1500 Doug. K. Hart 227.
So Bewtie with hir wangarde gane to reill Ib. 750.
Airlie affoir the sone scho gan to ryse Id. Æn. iii. ii. 152.
Herbis wolx dry, wallowyng, and gan to faid 1528 Lynd. Dreme 1022.
One schip … gan to creip Towart the land a1568 Scott ii. 191.
Be than the bowgill gan to blaw