Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 1968 (SND Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
PEN, n.2, v.2 Also penn (Sc. 1826 Wilson Noctes Amb. (1863) I. 203), pend (Gall. 1700 Session Bk. Penninghame (1933) I. 52). Sc. usages of Eng. pen, an enclosure, a weir or dam. Combs.: 1. hen-pen, the droppings of fowls, hen-dung (see Hen, n.1, 1. (22)), phs. by synecdoche of container for the contained (ne. and m.Sc. 1965); 2. pen-head, the point at which a mill-lade branches off from the main stream, the dam-head (Sc. 1808 Jam.), sometimes covered by a grating (Sc. 1880 Jam.); 3. pen-stone, a stone surmounting the opening in a sluice.1. ne.Sc. 1881 W. Gregor Folk-Lore 176:
Another ley was made of the droppings of the poultry, and went by the name of “hen-pen”.2. Abd. 1795 Session Papers, Leslie v. Fraser (29 March 1805) 229:
They take in water from the river Don, at the intake or penhead of the meal-mill.3. Gsw. 1717 Burgh Rec. Gsw. (1908) 618:
The pen stone of the back slouce where the water gaes out.
