Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1960 (SND Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
HARN, v. tr. Also haurn. To roast on embers, to toast, make crisp (in front of a fire or on a girdle), to bake or “fire” (Dmf. 1825 Jam.; Uls. 1880 Patterson Gl.; Dmf. 1925 Trans. Dmf. & Gall. Antiq. Soc. 29, Uls. 1931 North. Whig (16 Dec) 9; I.Sc., Kcb., Uls. 1956). Also fig. and occas. intr. in a passive sense.Dmf. 1810 R. H. Cromek Remains 283:
She haurned it weel wi' ae blink o' the moon, An withre-shines thrice she whorled it roun'.Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 341:
It [a mill bannock] is baked at mills, and haurned or toasted on the burning seeds of shelled oats, which makes it as brittle as if it had been baked with butter.Slk. a.1835 Hogg Tales (1874) 282:
She's a queer weelfaur'd quean now, this Bell Macara, and has a gift at haurning bread.Bwk. 1856 G. Henderson Pop. Rhymes 66:
Knuckled cakes, made of meal warm from the mill haurned, or havered (toasted), on the decayed embers of the fire.Uls. c.1920 J. Logan Uls. in X-rays 86:
Sometimes a hen will even peck a scone as it cooks or “harns” on the griddle over the fire.
Hence harnen stand, a stand for drying off and toasting oatcakes before the fire (Uls. 1956).Uls. 1944 E. E. Evans Irish Heritage 73:
In the north of Ireland . . . local smiths vied with each other in producing elaborately-made toasters, or “harnen stands.”
