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

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First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Hing, Hyng, v. Also: hinge, hynge; Heng. P.t. hang, hung; hing-, hyngit. P.p. hung(e, hwng, hong, houng, howng; hungin, -yn(e, hwngin, hunging; hingit, hyngit, -yt, heingit. [Northern and north midl. ME. hing, hyng (13–14th c.), earlier heng, henge (p.t. henngde, Orm), ON. hengja (p.t. hengde, p.p. hengdr). The strong forms of the p.t. and p.p. correspond to ME. variants replacing earlier forms of OE. origin.]

1. tr. To hang up, suspend. Also with up, out, over.(a) c1450-2 Howlat 476.
He gart hallowe the hart, and syne couth it hyng About his hals a1500 Henr. III. 98/76.
Tak ȝe my sark … and hing it forrow ȝow 1488 Treas. Acc. I. 100.
For cordis and hakkis and ryngis to hyng up the claythis 1512 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 82.
That … na walcaris duelland within this burgh … hing na claithis apoun the kirk wallis 1573-1600 Cath. Tr. 110/25.
Extreme danger of famine constrainit me to hing ouer ane purse at the tolbuith vindo 1589 Perth Kirk S. 265.
To cause the said David hing up the bell-tows again 1589–90 Ayr Common Good Acc. MS.
For ane cleik making on it for to hing ane bowat on in mirk nychtis 1591 Crim. Trials I. 245.
To hing, roist and drop ane taid, and to lay the droppis … in his hienes way 1613 Conv. Burghs II. 430.
The Maister of the Consergerie to caus hing ane box above ilk ane of the eitting taibles c1650 Spalding II. 358.
The Laird of Hadoche now … haistillie hingis out ane signe of parlee 1692 Foulis Acc. Bk. 148.
For 12 fadom small ropes to hing cloathes in the gallerie(b) 1513 Doug. ii. vii. 55.
He … hang a Gregioun swerd down by his the Ib. iii. v. 5.
Apon a post … I hang A bowand scheild Ib. ix. vii. 86.
At … thy haly tempillys rufe … Gif evir I hung or fixit ony thyng a1568 Scott ii. 176.
Sum be the beuche he hang(c) c1475 Wall. viii. 1055.
Barrellis off pyk for the defens was hungyn thar 1531 Bell. Boece II. 210.
Thair bodys quarterit, and hungin in sindry townis of this realm Ib. 251.
Thair quarteris houng up in sindry townis a1586 Lindsay MS. 47 b.
The targat alway to be hingin be the myddis or be the tuesche gif it beis hungin be the helme a1605 Montg. Flyt. 74 (T).
Condempnit to be dryd, and hung vp fra hand 1612 M. Works. Acc. (ed.) I. 326.
The great doubell dor ... to be takin of ... and new hong againe

b. To hang, or serve to keep suspended, in a particular manner or position. 1494 Treas. Acc. I. 240.
Gevin to James Dog to hing the herrais werk 1502 Ib. II. 68.
Ane carpenter to cum with the bellis to hing thaim 1546 Ib. VIII. 439.
For haikkis and nalis to hing the tapizare 1563–4 Edinb. Old Acc. I. 448.
Ane futt gang and v traistis to meit and hinge the wyndow broidis 1665 Peebles B. Rec. II. 67.
To hing ane sufficient doore or yet … , with cruikes, bonds, lock and key 1696 Banff Ann. II. 175.
Ane tree to hing the school bell

c. To incline, bend over. 1618-60 Lithgow Poet. Rem. 40.
Howe woefull-like I hing my mourning face, And downewarde looke vpon the sable ground 1676 Welsh Gospel Summonds Pref. 4.
He will once make them hing their heads and think shame of themselves for what they haue done

2. To attach or append (one's seal to a document).Usually in the p.p. in the form hungin, -yn, etc., and frequently with the addition of to.(a) 1425 Liber Melros 545.
In wytnes of the qwylke thing we hafe gert hyng to our selle 1438 Ayr Friars Pr. Chart. 49.
The sele of Patrik Hair, alderman of Air, is procurit alsa to hynge thairat 1486 Maxwell Mem. 194.
I haue gert hyng to my seyll(c) 1427 Melville Chart. 22.
For the mar sekynes athir of the partyis has enterchangiabely thar seillis to hungyne 1443 Reg. Great S. 85/2.
In witnes of the condiciounes … my sele is to hungin Ib.
My sele is to hunging 1481 Douglas Bequest 17 May.
In witnessing of the quhilk thing I … has hungyn to my seill 1507 Reg. Dunferm. 361.
The commoune seil of the said abbay sall be to hungin 1581 Warrender P. I. 147.
In witnessing heirof … our greit seill is heirto … to hungin 1587 Antiq. Aberd. & B. II. 439.
To thir lettres of procuratorie … the commoun seill of our said Abbay is hunging 1599 Ayr Charters 131.
I haif subscryvit the samin … and hungin my seill heirto(b) 1455 Swintons App. xli.
In witnes, of the qwhilk thing I hafe hunge to my seil 1478 Colquhoun Chart. II. 297.
In vitnes heroff … I haue hovng to my sele 1507–8 Rec. Earld. Orkney 80.
Thay haffe … procurit the sele … to be howng … to this letters 1535 Reg. Great S. 324/2.
In witnes of the quhilk thing I hes hwng my sele to thir presentis(c) 1416 Maxwell Mem. I. 150.
In the witnes of [this] … the sel of athir party … ar hyngyt 1423 15th Rep. Hist. MSS. App. viii. 33.
To thire my present letteris of procurature, I haf hyngyt my sel 1460 12th Rep. Hist. MSS. App. viii. 88.
In vitnes of the quhilk thing to thir present letters my seile is to hyngyt

3. To decorate with hangings, to drape. 1501 Treas. Acc. II. 23.
Scarlate to hing the Kingis inner chamir in Strivelin 1506 Ib. III. 49.
For viij verdeouris to hing the coyis of the Kingis schip c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxxvii. 49.
The streittis war all hung with tapestrie 1552–3 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 337.
For the lane of blakks to hing the queir of the south side a1578 Pitsc. I. 336/18.
This palice withtin was weill syllit and hung witht fyne tapistrie and arrasis of silk 1641 Baillie I. 377.
The Nobilitie … mett in the New Parliament House, weell prepared and hung

4. a. tr. To put to death by hanging, esp. on a gallows. Also refl. (Cf. Hang v. 1. See also Hede v.¹ b).(a) 1375 Barb. ii. 455.
He … For dispyte bad draw and hing All the prisoneris a1400 Leg. S. xii. 277.
He went furth & hyme-self can hynge Ib. xix. 524.
He … bad thame … A gebet sone to gere ma, & hynge thare-one Aquila c1420 Wynt. viii. 3185.
To the gallows he gert harle And thare he gert hyng wp that carle c1475 Wall. vi. 383.
Gyff I gaynstand, thow hechtis till hyng me a1500 Bk. Chess 1802.
Throw his grant he gaif a sentens plane To hing this theif 1513 Doug. viii. Prol. 133.
Quod I, Smake, lat me sleip; Sym skynnar thé hyng 1560 Rolland Seven S. 7459.
He … Commandit them that thay suld Tak out his sone, and on the gallous hing 1596–7 Misc. Spald. C. V. 65.
For macking of a gallowis to hing the saidis pirattis ?1661-5 M. Bruce Soul-Confirmation 3.
lf any body will own it, they will head and hing them(b) 14.. Acts I. 5/2.
Thai that hingit hym sal mak fine with the kyng a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 976.
Judas throw covatice … Hyngit him self(c) 1375 Barb. xix. 57.
Tharfor thai drawin war ilkane And hyngit and hedit als tharto c1475 Wall. x. 476.
Ȝeit had I leuir to morn be hyngyt hye 1586 Gray Lett. & P. 107.
And all hir auld knaifish servantis heingit(b) 1560 Rolland Seven S. 2233
To be houng be the hals

b. intr. To be suspended on a gallows or cross; to suffer death by hanging. (Cf. Hang v. 2.)(a) a1400 Leg. S. iii. 141.
He tholit thar one for to hynge, Vnastrenȝet, bot of fre will c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyt. 371.
Cum hame, and hing on our gallowis of Aire 1540 Lynd. Sat. 4189.
Heir sall he luke vp to his fallows hingand c1552 Id. Mon. 3921.
That heuinlye Kyng In extreme dolour thare did hyng 1567 G. Ball. 53.
Christ for his fais on croce did hing a1605 Montg. Flyt. 829 (T).
Deid dring, dryd sting, thou will hing but a sunȝie 1624 Crim. Trials III. 576.
He … was fund hingand in tua horse girthes or coirdes, deid, and his mouth fameand(b) a1400 Leg. S. l. 533.
Jhesu Criste, that hang one tre 1490 Irland Mir. I. 81/6.
The precius body of Jhesu that hang vpone the tre of the croce 1562-3 Winȝet I. 78/5.
The theif that hang on the rycht hand 1567 G. Ball. 81.
Upon the croce he grat and hang

5. intr. To be suspended; to dangle, droop.(a) a 1350 in Facs. Nat. MSS. ii. 14.
Sigillum commune capituli de Scona est appensum [glossed hingand] c1420 Wynt. vi. 1283.
A fayre purs he had hyngand ?1438 Alex. ii. 9057.
Ane mekill, heauy mas That with ane cheinȝe hingand was a1500 Bk. Chess 1919.
I am in sic a dreid Off ȝoue scharpe swerd that hingis be ȝone threid c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 17.
Hir cristall teris I saw hyng on the flouris Id. Flyt. 213.
Stra wispis hingis owt, quhair that the wattis ar worne 1513 Doug. x. x. 97.
Lucagus … felt the dynt, The schaft hyngand into hys scheild 1531 Bell. Boece I. p. xxxviii.
Fische, with coulis hinging ouir thair hedis, like monkis 1542 Acts & Decr. MS. I. 140 b.
Ane buter to hing at his belt ourgilt with siluer a1570-86 Maitl. F. lxxix. 44.
I suld … lat thame se my ȝallow hair Vndir my curche hingand down 1594 Edinb. D. Guild Acc. 532.
To ane painter for decoring the king and quenes airmes that hingis in the kirk with new ivy leiffis 1642 Kinghorn Kirk S. 46.
The house quharin the bell hings 1685 Soc. Ant. LVIII. 358.
In the transe in the laigh hall hings a dae net with all its furniturefig. 1513 Doug. x. ix. 49.
A puyr sawle, thus hyngand in ballance c1590 Fowler I. 129/83.
O wandring myndis that hingis in doubt(b) a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 160.
The ice-schoklis that fra hir hair doun hang Was wonder greit 1477 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 408.
A bukket and a gybbate that it hang by c1500-c1512 Dunb. Twa Mar. W. 61.
Thair brycht hairis hang gletering on the strandis 1513 Doug. x. xiv. 5.
Hys helm of steil besyde hym hang … Apon a grayn 1533 Boece xi. xii. 429 b.
Tapestrie hang apoun the wallis a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 113.
Ane cleinlie crispe hang ouir his eyis

b. fig. To hover over, be imminent. 1570 Sat. P. xii. 65.
The hand of God dois ouer thair heidis hing Thame to distroy c1590 Fowler I. 295/12.
The euil hingeth ouer thair heade, not ending at thair grave a1650 Row 157.
God's wrath and his heavie judgment hingand over the land 1646 Baillie II. 392.
Worse evills hings above the head of poor Scotland than yet we have suffered a 1660 Coll. Aberd. & B. 191.
The fatall punishment which did hing over the head of that noble familie

c. To remain in abeyance, pend. 1494 Acts (1597) § 57.
The summoundes that ar now dependand and hingand betuixt ony parties 1637 Baillie I. 15.
Our affaires … are hinging without any certaine

6. intr. To depend from, be dependent on. c1590 Fowler I. 115/74.
That band, Of whome did hinge that noble art on which our helth dois stand 1604 Craig I. 10.
Crownes of Kings On many fearefull fluctuations hings 1664 Pitcairn Spiritual Sacrifice 507.
If thou wilt close with and still hing upon him Ib. 524.
Though all creature help did fail, yet a believer could hing and depend upon a word of promise

7. intr. a. To cling, hold fast (to).(1) a1500 Henr. Fab. 339.
Scho … by the cluke thair craftelie can hing, Till he was gane c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyt. 226.
With … all the toun tykis hingand in thy heilis 1638 Baillie I. 48.
He come out of a water, … hinging by his horse taile 1676 Forbes Baron Ct. 301.
He saw the saides two bretheren hinging in otheres hairesfig. 1637 Rutherford Lett. (1671) 114.
But for you, hing on Ib. 249.
Hing on; your feast is not far off(2) 1513 Doug. i. xi. 140.
As Cupyd hyngis about Eneas hals, Enbrasit in armys Ib. viii. ix. 38.
The fader than … Apon hym hyngis, wepand ontellabilly 15.. Christis Kirk 171.
The toun soutar in breif was boudin, His wyf hang in his waist 1611-57 Mure Dido & Æn. i. 969.
The syren … Now sucks his lips, now hings abowt his halse

b. fig. To hang heavy on, to encumber. a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 1176.
Tell ȝour entent, As tuiching this thing That now hingis on my hart 1638 Henderson Serm. 213.
A great weight of sin whilk hings fast upon us 1704 Thanes of Cawdor 402.
Most people thinks his distemper will hing upon him till it end him