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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1960 (SND Vol. V). Includes material from the 1976 and 2005 supplements.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

JOIN, v., n. Also jine, jyne; †jown (Fif. 1862 St Andrews Gazette (25 July)); joun (Fif. 1766 Session Papers, Ramsay v. Martin (25 Nov.) 119). [The usual pronunciation is dʒəin as in 17–18th c. Eng. See P.L.D. § 46. For jown [dʒʌun], see Bowl, v.¹, Dowtit, etc.]

I. v.

Sc. forms of Eng. join.wm.Sc. 1985 Liz Lochhead Tartuffe 44:
Jine us in defence
O' fair play an' true love against this mess
O' maister's.Abd. 1987 Sheena Blackhall in Joy Hendry Chapman 49 56:
Their byewyes niver jine - as nicht, wi daySc. 1991 Roderick Watson in Tom Hubbard The New Makars 103:
But kennan the future
like he says, he's nae suner by the gates
than he speirs for his dochter tae jine him.em.Sc.(a) 1991 Kate Armstrong in Tom Hubbard The New Makars 113:
speak posh, dinna be blate
an ye'll flee up tae jine em, aye, singin praise.m.Sc. 1994 Martin Bowman and Bill Findlay Forever Yours, Marie-Lou 28:
Yese're aw too yellie-belly tae jine a union, an it's us his tae suffer!Abd. 1996 Sheena Blackhall Wittgenstein's Web 71:
I hope ye dinna mind me jynin ye, yer Reverence, bit seein's there's hardly onybody else here I thocht ye'd enjoy the company. m.Sc. 1997 Herald 26 Sep 16:
Weel duin, fella Scots, and weel duin tae folk in the Constitutional Convention, ... for there is nae doot that their jynt efforts made aw the difference.Uls. 2001 Belfast News Letter 1 Sep 22:
Frydey neist, Billy is airtit bak athort the Atlantic, jynt wi a group 20 Ulsterfowk aa for haein the experience o 10 dey wi the sichts an soons o this gey bonnie an walcumin pairt o the Unit States.

Sc. usages:

1. intr. To become a communicant of a particular religious denomination, esp. in ppl.phr. a jined member, a communicant. Gen.Sc. Occas. tr. of a minister: to admit to church membership.Edb. 1886 R. F. Hardy Within a Mile 16:
Me, that . . . was ane o' the vera first o' their jined members.Ags.¹⁸ 1907:
A wis the lest that Master MacGillivray jined tae 'e kirk afore your faither cam.sm.Sc. 1923 R. W. Mackenna Bracken and Thistledown vii.:
She's a reg'lar attender, but she's no' a j'ined member.Sc. 1935 D. Rorie Lum Hat 68:
Onybody hearin' ye 'ull hae a bonny tale to tell An' you a jined member o' the Kirk!

2. To commence work (Uls. 1880 Patterson Gl.; m.Lth.¹, Arg.³ 1959). Also phr. to join fur till, to begin to (Uls. 1924 Northern Whig (Feb.)).Uls. 1924 Northern Whig (5 Jan.):
“He has joined his work”, commenced his work.

II. n. 1. The clubbing together of several persons in order to obtain money to purchase drink; also the persons so doing (Uls. 1880 Patterson Gl.) and hence a social gathering, treat, or outing (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B. 341; Bnff. 1959).Lnk. 1864 J. Greenshields Lesmahagow 236:
Nor did the evil rest here; these stoppages being usually the prelude to “whisky joins” and drinking brawls, so much more common at that time than now.Abd. 1865 J. Dinnie Hist. Birse 62:
After consuming a good dinner and several “cups of nappie ale” each, they naturally conjectured that a “jine” would not be out of the question.Ags. 1873 T. Watson Poems, etc. 38:
Let's hae a join o' tippence a piece.Abd. 1910 J. Grant Legends 101:
The first “jine” so rejoiced the hearts of the company, that, belyve, a second, third, and fourth came off in quick succession.

2. An association of neighbours for some communal task (Uls. 1947 J. M. Mogey Rural Life Gl.).Uls. 1823 S. McSkimin Carrickfergus 243:
Each join has vats, tubs, pans, and the like implements, which are kept up at the expence of the whole.Uls. 1880 Patterson Gl.:
A join [is] a number of farmers, gen. from eight to twelve who join together for the purpose of making cheese.