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

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First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Lerning, Leirn-, Learn-, Lairning, vbl. n. Also: -e(i)ng, -yng. [ME. and e.m.E. lernyng, e.m.E. learning, OE. leorning, -ung.]

1. The action of Lern(e v. a. Learning, study. c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxv. 21.
Ȝe clarkis … in frustar is all ȝour lang leirning 1554 Facs. Nat. MSS. III. xxxvi.
To endeauoure my wittes daylie … to vertuous lerning 1558-66 Knox II. 198.
The children of the ministeris … salbe susteaned at learnyng [supra in sculis and … in collegis], gif thai be found apt therto 1633 Banff Ann. II. 169.
For having … examinatioune tackin of the said youthe raithlie anent quhat they haif profeitit in thair leirning

b. Teaching, instructing; instruction; teaching in school, schooling, education.(a) 1557 Inverness Rec. I. 10.
To fullfill his promise in lerning of the said Jame to his craft 1562-3 Winȝet I. 5/28.
Ignorantis and wikit persones, nother able to persuade to godlines be lerning nor be leuing 1570 Leslie 45.
Williame Elphinstown … wes foundatour of the newe college of lerning(b) 1561 Edinb. B. Rec. III. 106.
Collegis for leirnyng and vpbring of the youth 1560 Rolland Seven S. 337.
Within ane ȝeir I sall him giue leirning … in all the science seuin a1578 Pitsc. I. 350/27.
The latter will … of … Christ Jesus writtin be his foure evangellistis to our leirning and instructioun 1605 Edinb. Test. XL. 280 b.
Ane thousand merkis … to hald him at the leirning 1614–5 Lanark B. Rec. 122.
To our scuilmaister for leirning the yowtht thre^xx pundis 1630 Boyd Fam. P. No. 137 (22 Oct.); 1654 Stirlings of Keir 462, 1666 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Deeds I. 171.
To sustaine … the said Johne Boyd … in meit [etc.] … leirneing at the schoole and vther vertew(c) 1579 Dysart Rec. 39.
To pay to Mr Henry Strang, schoolmaster, for her bairns learning, twelve shillings a1578 Pitsc. I. 116/25.
That he micht gif him instructioun and learneing quhow he suld invaid that gret perrell 1640 Dundonald Par. Rec. 467.
The maister wold be carefull … to teach his shollers gud learning 1647 J. M. Beale Hist. Fife Schools (1953) 26.
That masteres … be exhorted to use meanes for learning thair servants to reid 1648 Sc. Hist. Rev. XXX. 153.
[Gavin Burnet writer's fee for] learning him the wrytter craft 1659 S. Ronaldshay 28.
The childreene may have thair learning gratis 1679 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. MS. 29 Oct.; 1696 Logie Par. Hist. I. 321.
To pay … threttie shilling Scots for quarter wages in learning of ther childe

2. What is learned or taught, a doctrine. 1562-3 Winȝet II. 55/19.
Quhat thing promiseit thai quhen thai errit? Bot ane new and … vnknawin leirnyng

3. The fruit of learning or study: knowledge, erudition, learnedness.(a) 1558 Q. Kennedy Tractive 122.
Thir pestilent precharis ar to be cryit out on be al men of godlie lerning a1570-86 Maitl. F. lx. 58.
Sen thow art so expert So scharp of lerning and so wyse 1596 Dalr. I. 205/20.
Inflamed with the desyre and studie of lerneng … he wandiret throuch Hispane [etc.] … to leir ȝit mair 1600 Hamilton Facile Tr. 70.
To conquise to thame selfis a reputation of lerning 1607 Misc. Abbotsf. C. 74.
I am a young man, a student, having gottin some small tinctur in lerning(b) 1564 Acts II. 544/1.
All that … ar desyrous that leirning and letters floreis 1572 Buch. Detect. (1727) 125.
Scho … wald fane dissaif my lufe Be wrytingis and paintit leirning 1583 Edinb. Univ. Chart. 91.
As it sall happin thair said colledge in policie and leirning to incres 1597 Acts IV. 148/1.
Ane vniuersitie [in Fraserburgh] … vill tend to the advancement of the loist … ȝouthe in bringing tham vp in leirning and vertew 1603 Philotus § 170.
Gif God had greiter leirning to mee lent, I suld haue schawin the same 1635 Lundie Poems 22.(c) 1562-3 Winȝet I. 11/1.
We being of smal learning 1558-66 Knox II. 207.
The Superintendentis … shall examyn … the learnyng … of all those that ar nominat 1655 Rothesay B. Rec. 6.
Patrik Campbell … considering himselff not to be of capacitie … be reasone of wanting learneing(d) 1609 Melvill 783: see Lern(e v. 1 (d).
Lairneing — 1693 Kirkcudbright B. Rec. in Grant Burgh Schools 389.
[That the doctor in the grammar school teach] English and the inferior children in lairning