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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1976 (SND Vol. X). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

YESTREEN, n., adv. Also yestrein (Sc. 1782 J. Sinclair Ob. Sc. Dial. 48), estreen (Sc. 1832 Scott Works Gl.; Abd. 1974); yestereen (Ags. 1915 V. Jacob Songs 39, m.Sc. 1917 J. Buchan Poems 49), in liter. use only; yestern; and by analogy with The, 10.(3), thestrein (s.Sc. 1802 J. Sibbald Chron. Sc. Poetry Gl. s.v. yistrene), the streen (Abd. c.1750 Garland of Bon-Accord (1886) 25; Lnk. a.1779 D. Graham Writings (1883) II. 233; Rnf. 1827 W. Motherwell Minstrelsy 255; Ork. 1880 Dennison Sketch-Bk. 104; Per., Ayr. 1915–23 Wilson; Mry. 1927 E. Levack Lossiemouth 18; Ork., n.Sc. 1974), the straine (Sc. 1818 Child Waters in Child Ballads No. 63. K. xxiv.); and I.Sc. forms da streen (Sh. 1898 “Junda” Klingrahool 8; Ork. 1908 Old-Lore Misc. I. viii. 322; Sh. 1949 J. Gray Lowrie 102), de streen (Sh. 1914 Angus Gl.; Ork. 1949 “Lex” But-end Ballans 6). [jɛ′strin, n., wm.Sc. ðe -; I.Sc. dɑ -]

I. n. Yesterday evening, the night before today (Sc. 1808 Jam.). Gen.Sc.Cai. 1776 Weekly Mag. (25 Jan.) 145:
Whar's this you're gaen'? an' fu's a sin the streen?Ayr. 1785 Burns Halloween xv.:
Ae Hairst afore the Sherra-moor, I mindit as weel's yestreen.Sc. 1819 Scott Bride of Lamm. x.:
Ae leaf of the muckle gate has been swung to wi' yestreen's wind.Dmf. 1836 J. Mayne Siller Gun 137:
Yestreen's debauch the drunkard mourns.Slg. 1876 A. B. Grosart Poems A. Wilson I. xxxi.:
As I cam alang yestern's mornin' somebody or ither tauld me.Rxb. 1897 E. Hamilton Outlaws xiii.:
Since yestreen just and now it's eleven o' the foreday or nearly.Edb. 1900 E. B. Strain Elmslie's Drag-net 72:
There was naebody suspected us up to yestreen.m.Sc. 1917 J. Buchan Poems 21:
I mind the days as 'twere yestreen.Ags. 1954 Forfar Dispatch (18 Feb.):
Yestreen wiz a fair cocker though.Sh. 1958 New Shetlander No. 46. 14:
Da streen is past, da moarn we never saw.

II. adv. Last night, more gen., yesterday (Sc. 1808 Jam.; Per., Fif., Lth., Ayr. 1915–26 Wilson; Bwk. 1942 Wettstein; Uls. 1953 Traynor). Gen.Sc.Sc. 1721 Ramsay Poems (S.T.S.) I. 51:
Now wat ye wha I met yestreen?Sc. 1765 Sir Patrick Spens in Child Ballads No. 58 A. vii.:
Late late yestreen I saw the new moone Wi' the auld moone in hir arme.Ayr. 1780 Burns Mary Morison ii.:
Yestreen, when to the trembling string The dance gaed thro' the lighted ha'.Sc. 1818 Scott H. Midlothian xiii.:
Ye will be the same lad that was for in to see her yestreen?Slk. 1824 Hogg Confessions (1874) 515:
I'm sure you heard enough about it yestreen.Abd. 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb xix.:
Dawvid was up b'cairts the streen.Sh. 1891 J. Burgess Rasmie's Büddie 49:
Da streen I saw ipo da voe.Ags. 1891 Barrie Little Minister x.:
I met a man yestreen that kent your mither.Kcb. 1913 A. Anderson Later Poems 116:
I saw you late yestreen.s.Sc. 1927 Border Mag. (May) 71:
Kiss me again as eestreen.Ork. 1956 C. M. Costie Benjie's Bodle 169:
The gret haal o' cuddings that Tammie Robison hid gotten the streen.Edb. 1991 J. K. Annand in Tom Hubbard The New Makars 19:
Yestreen I dreamed a dream
A dream was ill to dree Abd. 1991 George Bruce in Tom Hubbard The New Makars 21:
Yestreen oor telly took's tae keek aneath
the watters o Chesapeake Bay to goggle at
a monster screen-size crab witin on's love Sc. 1995 David Purves Hert's Bluid 58:
... the touers we bigged yestrein murls doun ti saund,
an synds ti heiliegoleirie in the sea.