Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1956 (SND Vol. IV). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1707-1928, 1988-1998
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GLOAMIN, n. Also gloaming, †glomin(g), †glomen. [′glo:mən]
1. Evening twilight, dusk. Since 19th c. adopted from Sc. into liter. Eng. Also used fig. and attrib. Rarely in pl.Rnf. 1707 W. Hector Judicial Records (1876) 202:
The said Mary Campbell . . . did come into the said George Paton his fathers house in the glomen or tualight.Edb. 1772 R. Fergusson Poems (1925) 19:
At glomin now the bagpipe's dumb, Whan weary owsen hameward come.Ayr. 1786 Burns To J. Simpson xiv.:
When ance life's day draws near the gloamin, Then fareweel vacant, careless roamin.Kcb. 1789 D. Davidson Seasons 90:
An' now, the glomin comin on The lasses turned skiegh, man.Slk. 1813 Hogg Queen's Wake (1874) 32:
Late, late in a gloamin when all was still, When the fringe was red on the westlin hill.Sc. 1814 Scott Waverley iii.:
They durst na on ony errand whatsoever gang ower the door-stane after gloaming.Abd. 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb xxv.:
Maister Tawse an' ane or twa o's jist tyeuk a stap doon the howe i' the gloamin.Gsw. 1877 A. G. Murdoch Laird's Lykewake 185:
Gloamin' haps the greenwood glen, An' a' is hush'd an' still.Sc. 1928 J. Wilson Hamespun 38:
Sae noo he doesna grudge my dole — Life's gloamin' meal.Ags. 1988 Raymond Vettese The Richt Noise 104:
as the gloamin settled,
gart me speir whit roosed him sae,
but I cuidna jalouse it, m.Sc. 1991 Tom Scott in Tom Hubbard The New Makars 42:
For she, nae less at gloamin nor at greikin
Reivan murderess, sic wounds hes given. Edb. 1992 Helen Crummy Let the People Sing! 20:
There we leave the tourists behind and in the gloaming approach Craigmillar - our home in this city. Lnk. 1998 Duncan Glen Selected New Poems 38:
There atween the trees,
atween the tears, atween fowre russet leaves
and a wally dug
seen
three herrins on a plate near to a
bowl this gloamin time in autumn.
Hence adv. gloamins, at dusk.Edb. 1812 P. Forbes Poems 4:
First your twa dogs, an unco tale, . . . To please me ance did never fail, At night or gloamins.
2. Morning twilight, "daybreak" (Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928), glomin; Wgt., Uls. 1954). Rare.Sc. 1894 Crockett Raiders i.:
I rowed home in the gloaming of the morning.
3. Half-light, dusky shade (Abd.27 1954).Lnk. 1832 W. Motherwell Poems 38:
And in the gloamin o' the wood, The throssil whusslit sweet.
4. Combs. (mostly attrib. uses of the n.): †(1) gloamin-fa', = 1. above; †(2) gloamin grey, id. See Gray, n.1, 1.; (3) gloamin hour ('oor), id. (Ags., m.Lth. 1954); †(4) gloamin-shot, "a twilight interval which workmen within doors take before using lights" (Sc. 1825 Jam.); a short time of relaxation in the evening; in the 1793 quot. used punningly; ¶(5) gloaming sight, a dim or vague perception; (6) gloamin(g) star, the evening star, Venus (Lth. 1825 Jam.; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B., rare); †(7) gloamin-tide, 1. (1); (8) glo(a)min time, idem (Abd.27 1954).(1) Dmf. 1821 Blackwood's Mag. (Jan.) 401:
A cannie hour at gloaming-fa' under the hazel birks.ne.Sc. 1836 J. Grant Tales 264:
When the balm o' the blessed gloamin'-fa' Was on ilka leaf an' flower.Edb. 1844 J. Ballantine Miller 256:
How eerie to the lonely heart The eerie hour o' gloamin-fa'.Sc. 1928 J. G. Horne Lan'wart Loon 18:
The gloamin-fa' noo 'gan to seek Saftly oot ower the watter's cheek.(2) Fif. 1806 A. Douglas Poems 28:
Singin' frae the dawn o' mornin', Till it's near the gloamin grey.s.Sc. 1859 J. Watson Bards of Border 37:
When we meet at gloamin' gray 'neath the auld aik-tree.Mry. 1865 W. H. L. Tester Poems 121:
O! merry may, at gloamin grey, Their lauch ring through the shaw yet.Kcb. 1890 A. J. Armstrong Musings 48:
Syne last we met, at gloamin' grey, Aneath the bonnie trysting tree.(3) Rnf. 1813 E. Picken Poems I. 62:
Just, as the gloamin' hour sets in.m.Sc. 1917 J. Buchan Poems 56:
But up in that gloamin' hour, On the heather and thymy sod, . . . I made my peace wi' God.Abd. 1924 Swatches o' Hamespun 44:
Fin the lang day's darg's pitten a' bi-han, An' it's gloamin 'oor i' the glen.(4) Ayr. 1793 Burns Letters (Ferguson) No. 580:
I once more roved out yesterevening for a gloamin-shot at the muses.Ayr. 1796 Burns Had I the Wyte iv.:
At gloamin-shot, it was, I wot, I lighted — on the Monday.Sc. 1820 Farmer's Mag. (Feb.) 22:
They [weavers] used to take 'a gloaming shot,' that is, a saunter, before they lighted their candles.Dmf. 1832 Carlyle Letters (Norton) II. 46:
I must now out for my gloaming-shot on the Glaister's Hill side.(5) Sc. 1818 Scott Rob Roy xxi.:
He's no a'together sae void o' sense neither; he has a gloaming sight o' what's reasonable . . . a glisk and nae mair.(6) Edb. 1791 J. Learmont Poems 276:
It's an hour yet frae the gloamin starn.Rxb. 1847 J. Halliday Rustic Bard 313:
The gloamin' star's o'er Whitop Hill.ne.Sc. 1884 D. Grant Lays 146:
I meet her 'neath the gloamin' star, When daily toil is o'er.Lth. 1914 C. P. Slater Marget Pow comes Home xvi.:
The walk along the shore was peacefu' and pleasant, with the gloamin'-star shinin' in the West.(7) Bwk. 1879 W. Chisholm Poems 39:
There would I list, at shadowy gloaming tide.Dmf. 1894 R. Reid Poems 244:
I'll never set fit i' thy boun's again, At dawin' or gloamin-tide.(8) Abd. 1748 R. Forbes Ajax 5:
Which ay were done at glomin time, Or dead hour o' the night.Rxb. 1826 A. Scott Poems 37:
His wife, a frugal, carefu', cleanly body, Had ay at gloamin time his dinner ready.
