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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.

FAN, adv., conj. Also faan; †phan; fin in unstressed position as a conj. n.Sc. forms of Whan, when. See P.L.D. §§ 122, 134.

Hence, fanever, e'er, -e're, -iver, finever; fanoor (Cai.), whenever, as soon as.Abd. 1706 in Sc. Antiquary XII. 103:
We'le e'ne take two Suits of new Cleass phan we cannot get ane now.Abd. c.1750 R. Forbes Jnl. from London (1755) 3:
Fan anes it was down your wizen, it had an ugly knaggim.Mry. 1810 J. Cock Simple Strains 85:
Fan e're ye like, I'll be content, To hear frae you.Ags. 1854 Laird of Logan 454:
I always found out the Forfar folk by their fats, and their fars, and their fans.Abd. 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb xx.:
He gaed aff up the horse market fanever Dawvid an' me begood to speak.Mry. 1873 J. Brown Round Table Club 131:
My mither sang that fin I wis a loon.Cai. 1915 John o' Groat Jnl. (25 June):
The drippin' rain That fell as sooty drap fanoor there wis a rainy nicht.Bnff. 1939 J. M. Caie 'Twixt Hills 3:
But here i' the toon, fin the nichts come doon, An' niver the gloamins creep.Abd. 1991 David Ogston in Tom Hubbard The New Makars 117:
Cameron wis gweed eneuch
Tae gie's a lift faan
We wis ready for Wellshill. Abd. 1991 Douglas Kynoch in Tom Hubbard The New Makars 87:
Fan I was but a bairn, this big and bonnie quine
Wad gie's a smile an caa me owre aside her syne. Abd. 1995 Flora Garry Collected Poems 18:
Fin I'm owercome wi warldly care
An dwine in dark despondency,
Ye'll come, ma cat, an purr to me
Yer three-threids-an-a-thrum I'll hear. Abd. 1996 Sheena Blackhall Wittgenstein's Web iv:
Like maist North-east bairns, I wis brocht up bilingual, hearin Inglis on the wireless fin I wis a littlin, an later, at schule or on TV. Abd. 1998 Sheena Blackhall The Bonsai Grower 61:
... fyle fusslin Bonnie Strathyre or Bonnie Glenshee or ain o a mixter-maxter o tunes that furled aroon his heid like the mist that wyved aroon Beinn a Bhuird, fan the wattergaw hung i the lift.