Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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About this entry:
First published 1974 (SND Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

THORN, n.¹ Also torn (Sh. 1905 E.D.D.). Sc. form and usages: 1. A sharp spine or spine-like projection on an animal or fish (Sh. 1972). Rare or obs. in Eng.Sh. 1899 Shetland News (18 Feb.):
De're I'm raaz'd da ba' o' me haan apo' dis deevil's toarns.Sh. 1901 Shetland News (9 March):
I laid me haands open wi' da torns of da last ane [skate] 'at I peel'd.

Hence (1) thorny-back, the thornback ray, Raja clavata (Lth. 1811 Trans. Wernerian Soc. I. 555; Sh. 1972), and reduced forms thornie, -y (Abd. 1884 F. Day Fishes II. 344, 1930 Fishery Board Gl.), torno (Ork. 1929 Marw.), id.; (2) thorn-pike, id. (Abd. 1930 Fishery Board Gl.); (3) thorny-sellag, the lesser weever, Trachinus vipera (Cai. 1972).(1) Sc. 1776 Weekly Mag. (23 May) 264:
Abundance of turbot, scate or thorny-back.Fif. 1883 W. D. Latto Bodkin Papers 23:
I seized it [skate] by the tail an' held it up atween me an' the licht to see if it was a thorny-back.Ags. 1899 W. F. McHardy Bonny Montrose 91:
Catchin' whales and thornybacks, An' crooners, flukes, and skate.

2. A handful of heather or a small branch of spruce used as a plug in a brewing vat to keep malt from coming through when the wort is being drawn off (Abd. 1921 T.S.D.C.), poss. orig. a hawthorn twig used for the purpose.Abd. 1794 Abd. Estate (S.C.) 76:
To making a thorn for the brue fatt . . . 4s.