Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1971 (SND Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

SERMON, n. Sc. usages: divine service, an act of church worship. Now obs. in Eng., but surviving later in Scot., owing to the stress laid by Presbyterianism on the primacy of the preaching of the Word.

Phrs. between sermons, the period between morning and evening service (wm.Sc. 1900); to hear or take sermon, to attend church; wee sermon, the rebuke administered in church to offenders against church discipline. Hist.Abd. 1700 W. Cramond Ch. Aberdour (1896) 42:
Severall young people do possess the forebreast of the common loft in tyme of sermon.Gall. 1719 Session Rec. Minnigaff (1939) 330:
They had a mind to have taken sermon at the Church of Bar.Sc. 1773 A. Grant Letters from Mts. (1809) I. 53:
Kilmore, where we heard sermon, is four miles off at least.Sc. 1798 J. A. Haldane Tour 37:
There would be sermon next morning at eight oclock.Ags. 18th c. W. M. Inglis Ags. Parish (1904) 31:
At the proper time, the offender (against church discipline) received what was called The Wee Sermon.Sc. 1815 Scott Guy M. xi.:
The young Laird of Hazlewood rides hame half the road wi' her after sermon.Dmf. 1823 Carlyle Early Letters (Norton) II. 242:
I am just come from sermon.