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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.

Flam, Flamb(e, n.¹ Also: flaumbe, flawme, flame. [ME. (14th c.), flaumbe, flambe, OF. flambe, and flawme, flaume, flamme, OF. flamme.]

1. A flame.The plural flambis, flambys, is freq. used by Douglas.(a) 1456 Hay I. 58/27.
Efter that was sene a grete flaumbe of fyre in the aire a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 1176.
For thi falt mak satisfactioun And fle the flawme of that infernale fyre 1513 Doug. ii. vii. 122.
O ȝe cald assys of Troy, and flawmys baith(b) c1400 Troy-bk. i. 469.
Fyre-flauchtis on the feldes flee In syk fladdanis & flambys bricht 1513 Doug. ii. xi. 130.
Our the rufe, heir and thar, The flambe vpsprang Ib. iii. i. 7.
Prowd Ilion … Ybrynt in smoke of flambis and in reik 1533 Boece xv. xiiij. 601 b.
Becaus in fervour of thir weris … war sene bleisis and flambis of fire 1570 Bann. Memor. 23.
To quenche this heat … befoir it brust fourth into a flambe Ib.
We requyre water … to repres the rage of the flambfig. 1513 Doug. iv. Prol. 107.
This furyous flambe of sensualite Ib. ii. 3.
The flambe of lufe(c) 1513 Doug. xiii. iv. 65.
The wemen fled … From the bald flammys 1531 Bell. Boece I. p. vii.
Goldin Titan, with his flammis reid 1533 Boece ii. x. 77.
Ane bleis or flam of fyre c1568 Lauder Minor P. v. 4.
Quhill scho hirself in to the flam haue brint 1609 Gardyne Garden 16.
It is not flamm's of artificiall fir's [= fires]fig. 1560 Rolland Seven S. 3547.
Thou art a furious flam c1590 Fowler I. 49/46.
Vnto his second flamme he more inclynes 1629 Boyd Last B. 22.
This spirituall flamme … , shall shine most clearlie into the presence of God

2. Without article: Flame.(b) a1500 Henr. Orph. 344.
Abbotis … In flambe of fyre were bitterly torment 1513 Doug. i. iv. 36.
Al in flambe the bles of fyre vp bradis Ib. iv. xi. 113.
To … byrn ȝon Troiane statw in flamb funeral 1533 Boece vii. ix. 239.
Scottis & Pichtis … in flamb of fire birnyng townys and villagis 1578 Douglas Corr. 177.
This fiere kindlinge and entringe into flambefig. 1513 Doug. i. x. 35.
This queyn … with flambe of amouris till enbrace Ib. iv. Prol. 74.
In fervent flambe of hait desyre(c) 1528 Lynd. Dreme 266.
In flam of fyre rycht furiouslie fryand c1568 Lauder Minor P. i. 120.
So thus the wekit … ar brint in flam of fyre 1596 Dalr. II. 26/24.
With flam and fyre he burnt vp the kirk 1626 Garden Worthies 159.
Cities they sack't, the farms perforce in flamm(d) 1560 Rolland Seven S. 1235.
Fy on the foull flame fyre sa fell a1578 Pitsc. I. 312/10.
The flame of fyre … blew wpoun the freir that accusit him