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

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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Twane, Tuane, adj. (n.). Also: twaine, twayn, tuaine, twyn(e, twynn, tuyn, tuin, twe(e)n, tueyne. [ME and e.m.E. tweȝen (c1175), tweyne (Chaucer), twayne (c1450), twayn (1511-12), twain (1542), OE tweᵹen.]

A. adj. Two. Only in verse, in post-position.(a) a1400 Leg. S. vii 507.
& set thai al in payre twyne, & cuttis caste quha suld begyne(b) c1409-1436 Kingis Q. § 42.
I … sawe hir walk … With no wight mo, bot onely wommen tueyne(c) a1500 Henr. Fab. 748.
He … tuke the kid be the hornis twane c1508 Ch. & M. Prints iib 9.
A man at one for to serue lordis twayn The quhilk be bath contrair in opynioun … id accordis nought 1513 Doug. iii vii 62.
Lat ws of Epyrus and of Italy … Mak bot a Troy of athir realmys twane [Ruddim. tuane] 1513 Doug. x xiii 170.
Thou … lyis slane By the gretast Eneas handis twane 1531 Bell. Boece I v.
Abone our heid wes the ursis twane: Quhen sterris small obscuris in our sicht a1568 Scott xxiii 26.
The luik vnleill Of hir bricht fair ene twane

B. ellipt. and absol. Passing into noun. 1. (A group of) two. Also bayth twane, see Bathe adj. 1 for a further example.(1) a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 378.
Thus was thair cair aneuch betuix thame twane 1611-57 Mure Early Misc. P. iv 28.
Ȝit thocht ane perfyte end in loue the faits deny Still sall I hir adoir … And thocht against my will distant we must remaine Ȝit in a breist sall both our herts no more at all be tuaine Thoght crossis intervein … Ȝit still sall I most constant liue 1640 Elgin Rec. II 237.
Compeired Girsall Arthour, Agnes Smyth, Jeane Stewart, Janet Cuming for danceing and drinking on the Sabbath day … the on twaine sall stand in the jogis wpon Satterday betwixt 9 and 10 hours and the other twa betwixt 10 and 11 hours 1679 J. Somerville Mem. I 98.
Tween of his freeholders(2) 1513 Doug. ix v 13.
Nysus and Eurialus, baith twane

2. In twane, in(to) two sections or pieces; in two; apart, separately. Also fig. 1375 Barb. viii 175.
Thre dykis ourthwort he schar … That war sa fer fra othir, that thai War in-twyn [E. ytwyn] a bow-draucht & mar a1400 Leg. S. vii 217.
Thane ane … gafe Sancte Jamis sic a dynte That he the harne-pane brak in twyn a1400 Leg. S. xix 527.
& til hyre fete bynd in hy A gret stane … That thir tyrandis ma drau in tvyn a1400 Leg. S. xxi 455.
He … hyre enbrasit with al his macht As lyffaris that had bene in-twyne ?1438 Alex. ii 10238.
With the suord, richt to the chin Baith helme and hede he claue in tuin 1460 Hay Alex. 3182.
His nekbane was cuttit quite in twane a1500 Lanc. 2710.
So al the day enduring, to the dyrk Sal them, magre of thar desyre, constren On athar half fore [to] depart in twen c1475 Wall. ix 1240.
Wallace send Blayr … To warn the west … How they suld pas, or to gud Wallace wyn, For Inglismen thai held thaim lang in twyn 1513 Doug. iii ix 95.
Onhappy men … fle this cost, and smyte the cabill in twane [Sm. twaine] c1520-c1535 Nisbet Acts xv 39.
And discensioun was made, sa that thai departit in twynn [Vulg. ab invicem] 1535 Stewart 26667.
Mony Brit that samin da war keild, And all the laif war skatterit far in tuyn a1568 Scott iv 30.
Ȝe may chawcht hir To sched hir schankis in twanefig. c1420 Ratis R. 1195.
All has He turnand one a pyne As hyme lyst luf and deil in twyne a1500 Henr. Fab. 1931.
Quhen saull and bodie partit ar in twane a1497, 15.. Gray MS iv 64.
Quha has partit oure lufe in twane?