Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1956 (SND Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

FAINNESS, n.

†1. Gladness, joy.Sc. 1728 Ramsay Poems 119:
For Fainness, Deary, I'll gar ye keckle, If ye'll go dance the Bob of Dunblane.Abd. 1778 A. Ross Helenore 97:
Upon the green they lean'd them down all three, And tears for fainness ran frae ilka eye.Sc. 1837 Carlyle Fr. Rev. I. v. ix.:
Foulon (in his fainness, as his Destiny would have it) also claps.wm.Sc. 1854 Laird of Logan 303:
The young things danced round me as gin they were clean gaen gyte, and nearly grat for fainness.

2. Liking, love (Sh.¹⁰ 1950).Lnk. c.1779 D. Graham Writings (1883) II. 17:
For fainness I'll bite you.Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 44:
He hiz an unco fainness for the drink.