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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1968 (SND Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

†PROPINE, n., v. Also propyne.

I. n. 1. A gift, present, tribute, reward, benefit, boon, orig. one given in recompense of services in the form of drink-money (Abd. 1790 A. Shirrefs Poems Gl.; Sc. 1808 Jam.). Phr. in propine, as a gift or present, in tribute. See also In.Sc. 1708 Analecta Scot. (Maidment 1837) II. 363:
There are leaves also tore, and others that are damnified; however, as it stands, it is a good propine to the church.Sc. c.1730 Rymour Club Misc. III. 125:
Gowden Chains and Diamond Rings upo my Troth are Costly Things to gie a mistress in propine.Abd. 1777 R. Forbes Ulysses 14:
The fates deny us this propine, Because we slaithfu' are.Edb. 1798 D. Crawford Poems 50:
Sae, lad, receive this as a sma' Propine frae me.Sc. 1819 Scott Bride of Lamm. xxxiv.:
Sir William Ashton promised me a bonny red gown to the boot o' that — a stake, and a chain, and a tar barrel, lass! — what think ye o' that for a propine.Lth. 1853 M. Oliphant Harry Muir xxviii.:
Your propine of the ham was very well taken, and did me good in my errand.Fif. 1895 S. Tytler Kincaid's Widow iv.:
If you're to succeed me here, you ought in common fairness, to do something as a propyne for the succession you are to step into so easily.

2. A tribute in words in the form of a toast or pledge; in 1736 quot. the dedication of a book.Sc. 1736 Ramsay Proverbs (1776) 6:
Since dedicators scantily deserve that name, when they dinna gar the praises o' their patrons flow freely through their propine.Ayr. 1822 Galt Entail lxxviii.:
Noo' what I would propose for a propine, Geordie, is, Health and happiness to Mr. and Mrs. Milrookit.

3. In extended sense: one's power of giving, one's gift, disposal.Sc. a.1800 Lady Anne in Child Ballads (1956) I. 227:
If I were thine, and in thy propine, O what wad ye do to me?Rnf. 1813 E. Picken Poems II. 71:
The richest gift in Heaven's propine.

4. Erron., for opine, proposal.Dmf. 1826 H. Duncan Douglas I. x.:
My propine is, that we let him off at ance, taking his parole.

II. v. 1. To offer as a present, present, proffer, make an offering of (a thing) to (a person). Liter.Sc. 1819 Scott Ivanhoe xxxii.:
In expectation of the ample donation, or soul-scat, which Cedric had propined.s.Sc. 1857 H. S. Riddell St. Matthew ii. 11:
Whan they had openet their thesaures, they propinet untill him giftes, gowd, frankincense, an' myrrh.

2. To endow, present (a person) with (Sc. 1710 T. Ruddiman Gl. to Douglas Aeneis).Sc. 1722 Ramsay Poems (S.T.S.) III. 9:
How Joukum sinder'd wi' his Bonnet; And bought frae's senseless Billy Bawsy, His to propine a giglet Lassy.Kcb. 1895 Crockett Moss-Hags xlix.:
Bless God that you have had a husband, if it were only to propine Him with.

3. To drink a health to, propose a toast to.Sc. 1887 Blackwood's Mag. (Sept.) 402:
And thus did he to the King propine: “Long live the King!”