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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1971 (SND Vol. VIII). Includes material from the 1976 and 2005 supplements.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

SAME, adj., n.², adv. Also sam (I.Sc., Cai.), saum (Ork. 1968 M.A. Scott Island Saga 97); saam; seame (Dmf. 1820 Hogg Winter Ev. Tales I. 269), see P.L.D. § 97. 2; †samen, -in(e), -yne. The form samen survived until recently in Mry. and Bnff. Sc. usages. [sem(†-ɪn); I.Sc. sɑm]

I. adj. As in Eng. Deriv. same-like, id.Sc. 1700 Gsw. Charters (1906) II. 281:
David Strachan, Thesaurer of the samen burgh.Per. 1773 in Fergusson Poems (Grosart 1879) 73:
The very sam way we do here At Amond back.Abd. 1804 W. Tarras Poems 70:
Some spunkies or some same-like ills.Sc. 1818 Scott H. Midlothian xlvii.:
That saam John Scrimgeour.Ayr. 1818 Kilmarnock Mirror 110:
Gif ye ware to put thae sam cratures till't.Lnk. a.1832 W. Watt Poems (1860) 245:
This samen blade, o' uppish min'.Cai. 1869 M. Maclennan Peasant Life 134:
Ma Willie's nae the same-lik' lad he wus at the Braes here awa.Mry. 1897 J. Mackinnon Braefoot Sk. 132:
A'd on a bigger ane than that tho' that samin day.Ags. 1897 G. A. Mackay Where Heather Grows 165:
The warld's gettin' samelike. I mind fin ilka year differed frae ither.Sh. 1918 T. Manson Peat Comm. 25:
I think we are aa mair on da sam level.Bnff. 1934 J. M. Caie Kindly North 13:
An' mony a chiel'has trod that verra samen road.

II. n. As in Eng. Freq. with dem. pron. that in colloq. use as an equivalent for what has just been said, and hence = “just so, exactly, quite” (Sh. 1969). Phrs. sammas [ < (the) same as], as if; the very same o't, the identical of it; wi dat sam, with that, simultaneously (Sh. 1969).Sc. 1704 Acts Parl. Scot. XI. App. 48:
This Pole [tax] hes occasioned a considerable loss in the samen.Ags. 1709 Montrose T.C. Rec. MS. (11 May):
To cause suficiently repair the ends of the bridge and to cause calsay the samen.Sc. 1725 Ramsay Gentle Shep. iii. iii.:
Nane but my Jenny shou'd the samen skair.Edb. 1806 H. MacNeill Poet. Works 114:
She roars, and she flytes (though the sam's done by Kate).Sc. 1829 Scott Letters (Cent. Ed.) XI. 195:
Not so good as Sophia's singing of that saam.Sh. 1832 Old-Lore Misc. VIII. iv. 198:
Threow him in till da door, dan dey will not can shuit dat same.Sc. 1836 Michael Scott The Cruise of the Midge Vol I (1894) 294:
I can scrimp deny that same.Ayr. 1887 J. Service Dr. Duguid 62:
Whaur got ye the pin? my cuddy's tied to anither the very same o't!Sh. 1916 J. Burgess Rasmie's Smaa Murr (Jöne 11):
If aathing is vennity, ta say sae is da sam.Sh. 1951 New Shetlander No. 29. 6:
I ken at “un” ir “une” is “a”, and “le” ir “la” is “the”. Dat sam.Sh. 1963 New Shetlander No. 67. 7:
Wi dat sam da snekk lifted an in cam Jeennie o Spootigirt.Sh. 1969 New Shetlander No. 88. 12:
Hit maks me oorie. Sammas der somethin gyaan ta come an' tak me.Abd. 1993:
Ae man's e same's ither at e tail o e day.

III. adv. Usu. with def. art. and followed by as: in the same way, just like, just as if. Gen.Sc. and in colloq. Eng.Edb. 1811 H. MacNeill Bygane Times 9:
The sam's wi' siller, ance sae scanty, It's tint its worth, it's now sae plenty.m.Lth. 1857 Misty Morning 139:
They're no to come here an' speer after her that way, the same's she was an ill-daer.Arg. 1882 Arg. Herald (3 June):
If he didna shalp awa' the same's his nose was bliddan.Sh. 1898 “Junda” Klingrahool 9:
Da sam as if du'd been lauchin at me?Gall. 1928 Gallovid. Annual 28:
Dave believed in her an' A never did, same as oor twa weans.