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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

NANE, pron., adj., adv. Also nain(e), naen (w.Sc. 1854 Laird of Logan 442); neen (Abd. 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb xiii.), neun (Ork.); nen(e). Sc. forms and usages of Eng. none. Freq. as one element of a double neg. = any. See P.L.D. § 32.1. [nen; Sh., n.Sc. + nin]

I. pron. 1. As in Eng.Sc. 1728 Ramsay Poems (S.T.S.) II. 223:
A Dish o' married Love right soon grows cauld, And dosens down to nane, as Fowk grow auld.Edb. 1773 Fergusson Poems (S.T.S.) II. 89:
I wat there's nane whase name is, For strappin dames and sturdy lads, And cap and stoup, mair famous.Ayr. 1785 Burns Holy Willie's Prayer xvi.:
That I for grace an' gear may shine Excell'd by nane.Slk. 1819 Hogg Tales (1874) 148:
Did nane o' the rest see anything?Sc. 1823 Scott St. Ronan's W. xiv.:
Nane o' your whullywhaing, Mr. Bindloose.Abd. 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb vi.:
The mistress bad's seek some preens fae ye. Ye gyauna's neen last.Fif. 1896 D. S. Meldrum Grey Mantle 68:
I need nane to tell me that.Arg. 1907 N. Munro Daft Days xxx.:
I hope we have nane o' thae aboaminable English amang us.Abd. 1920 T. McWilliam Sc. Life 26:
For the man tae hae nene o' 's ain.Sh. 1949 New Shetlander No. 16. 43:
Every man hed a dug, though nen o dem wis muckle use. Abd. 1993:
'Ony sweeties in e baggie?' 'Ere's nae neen left.' Abd. 1995 Flora Garry Collected Poems 18:
I've hard fiddle tunes sae rare
An sweet they'd thowe a hert o steen
An fire the caalest bleed, bit neen
Wi yours, my bawdrons, can compare. m.Sc. 1998 Lillias Forbes Turning a Fresh Eye 6:
'Twixt Warbla Knowe an' Ruberslaw
Twas there we gaed alang -
The waters yet ding doon the dales
But there's nane that mind the sang.

Phr.: neen nor some, absolutely none, none at all (ne.Sc. 1963).Abd.²⁷ 1920:
“Hiv ye ony news the day?” “Neen nor some.”

2. Of two: = neither, esp. in phr. nane o' the twa(e) (Per., Fif., Lth. 1915–26 Wilson). Gen.Sc.Ags. 1826 A. Balfour Highland Mary II. 155:
There's nane o' us fit for our lightsome clatter that we use to beguile the time wi'.Rxb. 1847 H. S. Riddell Poems 24:
Our twa sons thegither Were stan'in' wi' their father's sheep, When down the wreathe cam' wi' a sweep, That nane could aid the ither.Lth. 1857 Misty Morning 41:
Ye gie nane o' the twa o' them ony thanks aither.s.Sc. 1873 D.S.C.S. 177:
Nane o' the twae o' ye maun gang.Fif. 1894 J. W. McLaren Tibbie and Tam 19:
Nane the twa seemed to tak' ony notice. Ork. 1952 R. T. Johnston Stenwick Days (1984) 2:
"There's neun o' the two o' thee comin' in wi' me," snapped Medusa, "for a'm wantin' tae spick tae Chenet Cutt aboot some private matters." Abd. 1992 Sheila Douglas ed. The Sang's the Thing: Voices from Lowland Scotland 214:
Moll, my aullest sister, she's never mairried, an Peter, there's neen o' the twa o' them mairrit an they baith bide owre in a hoose in Banchory,...

‡II. adj. As in Eng. = no, not any, esp. when placed after the noun qualified (Sh., ne.Sc. 1963).Sc. 1776 Lord Ingram in Child Ballads No. 66 C. 23:
A maiden she is nane.Ayr. 1790 Burns Ay Waukin, O ii.:
Sleep I can get nane.Lth. 1813 G. Bruce Poems 13:
Hopes I'd nane o' kin' relief.Bnff. 1924 Swatches o' Hamespun 83:
Guile there wis neen.

III. adv. Also non.  As an emphatic neg.: not at all, in no way, by no means (n. and m.Sc. 1963).  (nane Ags., Edb., Gsw., Ayr., Dmf., Rxb.; non Sh., Cai 2000s). Obs. in Eng. since 17th c.Sc. 1765 Trial K. Nairne 62:
She slept none till towards the morning.Edb. 1772 Fergusson Poems (S.T.S.) II. 73:
Than ours they're nane mair fat and fair.Ags. 1798 W. Anderson Ladywell (1823) 5:
I'm nane sae fear'd as ye wad trow.Sc. 1821 Scott Pirate xviii.:
If you will walk by my advice, you will quarrel nane.Ayr. 1824 Galt Rothelan II. iii. ii.:
He saw that I was none informed regarding the page.Sc. 1826 Wilson Noctes Amb. (1855) I. 102:
The haill loch was laughing at him. The cretur can skate nane.Edb. 1844 J. Ballantine Miller iii.:
I'll gang nane to bed.Ags. 1889 Barrie W. in Thrums xxii.:
I would hae said he wasna nane weel.Kcb. 1893 Crockett Stickit Minister 86:
Gin I hadna gi'en ye that dunch, ye micht hae preachen nane at Cauldshaws this nicht.Abd. 1926 Abd. Univ. Review (July) 223:
He wiz nae nane surpriz't to see'r.Arg.² 1931:
“I'll tak it back.” “Ye'll tak it back nane.”Gsw. 1958 C. Hanley Dancing in the Streets 201:
“I saw your cartoon in the Times yesterday,” Charlie told Bud. “You can draw nane.”Abd.²⁷ 1960:
I dinna neen think that. Gsw. 1962 Bill McGhee Cut and Run 71:
'A song?' I ejaculated. 'Are ye kiddin'? Ah canny sing nane." Sc. 1987 T. S. Law Chapman 50-1 144:
'You dae it nane, aye mynds this lesson laerit: Edb. 1991:
Yer faither! He can dance nane! m.Sc. 2000 Herald 22 Mar 26:
...the strictly aesthetic proposition that Vettriano can paint nane.

Hence nanetheless, neendaless (Sh.), nevertheless, none the less.Abd. 1868 G. Macdonald R. Falconer III. v.:
But nanetheless wad I ken him.