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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Evin, Ewin, adv. Also: evyn(e, eviyn, even(e, eaven; ievne; ewyn(e, ewine, ewein, hewyn. [ME. evin, even, evene, OE. efne.]

1. Directly, in a straight line, straight. a. Of motion or direction.(a) a 1350 Facs. Nat. MSS. ii. 14.
Euin in line [glossing linealiter] 1375 Barb. xvii. 692.
The stane That evin toward the lift is gane Ib. xix. 512.
Thair host … Buskit, and evin anent thaim raid c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 204.
A ferly token of the heven Inne-to it doune descended even c1420 Wynt. iv. 2086.
A low out off that ryfft Strak wp evyn nere to the lyfft 1446 Reg. Episc. Aberd. I. 245.
Syn evyn furth til a rod behynd the Camehill a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 248.
Apone that riche river, randonit full evin, The side-wallis war set 1513 Doug. iii. vii. 22.
This fair wynd blawing evyn befor 1535 Stewart 28906.
In ane craig that callit is the Bas, … Tua myle and mair evin furth fra the mane land 1556 Prot. Bk. T. Dalrymple 29 b.
Thre rygis … streikand evin doun fra Henre Beillis ȝard nuk 1573 Sat. P. xxxix. 101.
The bumbard stanis derectlie fell sa euin 1641 Acts V. 629/1.
Evin west the brae … to ane know(b) a1400 Leg. S. ii. 535.
As he went ewine furth rycht, Fra hewine schane don a mekil lycht Ib. iii. 648.
Thai suld … syne ger the croice ewyn vpstand c1420 Wynt. iii. 928.
Sa rowme wythin wes it, That ewyne wp rycht a man mycht syt Ib. v. 1752.
Thare he mad … A wall … Strekand ewyn fra se to se 1459 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III. 61.
Ascendand wp … and ewyn sowth owr to the burn of owr landis 1487 Dunferm. B. Rec. i.
Betwix the causay … and the common wennel gangand ewyn est to the Newrawe c1515 Asl. MS. I. 169/9.
A ryvere that … endis the Mediterane ewyne south west fra Ierusalem a1540 Freiris Berw. 344 (M).
In the eist he turnit ewin his face Ib. 346.
In the west he turnit him ewin about c1552 Lynd. Mon. 5465.
The sey … sall nocht spred ouir the land, Bot, lyke ane wall, ewin straycht vpstand 1587 Acts III. 522/1.
The wydnes … of the quhilk firlot … ewin ovir within the burdis sall contene auchtene insches

b. Of position or location. 1375 Barb. viii. 124.
The kyng lay in-to Gawlistoun. That is rycht evyn anent Lowdoun a1400 Leg. S. vii. 615.
Iosaphus … gert ane vthire bord … Be sete ewyne anence hyme c1420 Wynt. vii. 3362.
Ewyn owth the thryd pillare Fra the chawncelare dure 14.. Acts I. 357/2.
To be prowyt … be iiij lell men dwellande … evine forgan the dure of his hous a1500 Seven S. 2185.
Remuf ȝour bed and vnder it evyne Thar ȝe sall fynd the bulleris sevyne 1556 Prot. Bk. T. Dalrymple 34 b.
Thair wes ane staik affixt apone the said landis evin anenst the tovn of Levin

2. In direct line of descent; lineally. 1375 Barb. i. 61.
Ony male That were in lyne ewyn descendand c1420 Wynt. ii. 1676.
Off this Anthenor come syne, Descendand ewyn down be lyne, Francus Ib. iv. 1807.
He wes bot the tende man For to rekkyn ewyn be lyne, Befor Kenyaucht Makalpyne

3. Precisely, exactly. a1400 Leg. S. xxxiii. 357.
Fra Cristis byrth reknand ewyne Thre hundre ȝeris lx & sewine c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 2926.
He his crage straik ewyn in two c1420 Wynt. i. 799.
Wyth a horne, and that is set Ewyne in the myddys of his foret Ib. v. 4126.
The fest … fallys ay Ewyne apon the Lammes day ?1438 Alex. ii. 9443.
He it claif euin in tua, That the tane half to the erd can ga 14.. Acts I. 312/2.
The halfpeny lafe … sal wey sex markys evyn a1500 Doug. K. Hart 589.
Syn gaif he him the thuide ewin behind c1552 Lynd. Mon. 2632.
Quhilk orisione, it doith contene, full ewin, Most proffitabyll for ws, petetionis sewin

4. Quite, fully, actually. Freq. with to.(1) a1400 Leg. S. x. 137.
To gere a toure say he be mad That the hicht of it suld ewyne Be manis traste rek to the hewyne c1420 Wynt. v. 3658.
He … come in Lumbardy agayne Ewyne to the cyte off Mylayne 1451 Acts II. 40.
The ymage of Sanct Andro … withe a side cote ewin to his fute c1500-c1512 Dunb. xliii. 29.
Thay can defend evin to the end Ane mater furth expres 1570 Sat. P. xiii. 133.
Thir are ȝour warks euin fra ȝour first barnage a1578 Pitsc. I. 63/8.
Sen king Robert the first of that name ewin into this present tyme c1615 Chron. Kings 74.
To rander Northumberland ewein to the Reir Corse(2) a1500 Seven S. 1284.
Ȝone sagis sevyn That schapis to fordo ȝowe ewyn 1513 Doug. iii. vi. 194.
Beseik hir or thou wend, … scho plesit schaw thé evyn Thy destaneys 1535 Stewart 15207.
Thai … fillit the fowseis evin full to the ground

b. As far or as much as. 1604 Elgin Rec. II. 122.
That ewine the principall of the towne be poyndit as they be found refractor 1611 Mure Misc. P. ii. 57.
I … Doubted myself ewin gif it was my hert

5. In a level position. 1375 Barb. iii. 136.
He laid hym ewyn him beforn Ib. xvi. 651.
He evin apon his bak hym flang c1420 Wynt. v. 2304.
That empryowr behowyd off fors To ly ewyn down besyd hys hors a1500 Henr. Fab. 526.
Rychteous God, haldand the balandis euin, Smytis richt sair a1598 Ferg. Prov. 17.
Quhen the cup is fullest, bear it evinest

b. In a regular, normal, or proper manner. a1400 Leg. S. Prol. 47.
Hou scho can hir-selwyn led, Demaynand hir in althing ewine 1456 Hay I. 25/14.
The kirk … was all in divisioun … sa that archly the twa partis stude evyn in the faith Ib. II. 151/36.
Gif it befallis to ga nocht evin, and behufis to be done agayne a1500 Henr. Fab. 2315.
Seis thow not … giftis garris crukit materis hald full euin? a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 1041.
Bot ilk berne has bene vnbundin with blame, … and reullit thame self evin c1536 Lynd. Compl. Bagsche 177.
Gud brother Bawte, beir the euin, Thocht with thy Prince thow be potent

6. Equally, evenly. a1400 Leg. S. xxxvi. 689.
Nocht-thane the kirk halowis hewyn The fest of his birth in til hewine c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 2099.
Eftir thar faderis deces The kynrik of Argew but les Betuix thaim thai couth ewyn depart c1420 Wynt. viii. 4165.
For till assege togyddyr ewyn Thai past to the Castell off Lochlewyn ?1438 Alex. i. 2050.
Bot thay war nocht euin bodin thair, Thay of Gaderis war ten tymes ma c1420 Ratis R. 1770.
Ȝit this opvnyone haldis ewyne All the philosophouris, les and mare c1530-40 Stewart Maitl. F. cxxxv. 36.
Rewarde in court is delt so ewin, Sum gettis that mycht suffice sevin 1560 Rolland Seven S. 1407.
Lat ilk ane vse thair dew defence, evin to riche as to pure

7. No less or no other than; just (there, then, etc.).(a) ?1438 Alex. ii. 1687.
For Gaudefeir at the first meting Straik him to erd, euin the King a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 358.
The wit thou suld have had was castin in Evyn at thyne ers a1540 Freiris Berw. 189.
Evin with that thay hard the gudman cry Ib. 399.
All wes furth brocht, evin at his devyis 1560 Rolland Seven S. 1053.
Euin sa we suld be all and ane To our parents obedient 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 35.
Small tratouris of thair wickit conspiracy, evin men execrabill to thair parentis a1578 Pitsc. I 16/7.
Evin sicklyk mischeiff befell thame that ȝeid to pleinȝie to the governour 1611-57 Mure Misc. P. ii. 25.
Evin at this tyme the blindit god arywed(b) a1400 Leg. S. xxxvi. 314.
Thar-with hopnyt he the hewine Abeofe, quhare Criste was ewine c1475 Wall. vii. 469.
The Scottis … Ȝeid to the wynd, and leit thaim ewyn allayne a1500 Seven S. 1112.
I will drovne my self ewin now 1490 Thanes of Cawdor 74.
Ewyne as schow var his lachtfull veddyt wiff c1550 Rolland C. Venus ii. 1025.
In iust quarrell we sex ar ewin anew c1552 Lynd. Mon. 1842.
Quhen mennis memberris sufferit calde Fyre warmyth thame, ewin as thay walde (c) 1649 Hist. Fragm. III. 18.
Yea, I saue off these who had bien most faithfull in the Covenant, ievne for their affection to it, and their desire to establish it, and promoove the ends off it, some bainished, and mainy imprisoned