Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1971 (DOST Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Nun, Non(e, n. Also: nunne, nune, nwn(e, (nouin). [ME. nun(ne (Ancr. R.), nonn(e (c 1290), late ME. nune (Prompt. Parv.), e.m.E. also noon(e (1523), non(e (c 1550), OE. nunne.] 1. A nun.(a) 1400 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 49.
Pryorese of the nunnys of Hadyngton c1420 Wynt. vi. 1826.
In habyte off relygyowne, A nwn [v.rr. none, nwne] mad be professyown Ib. v. 1572. 1492 Myll Spect. 292/19.
With relegious wemen, as nunnis Ib. 294/9. 1540 Lynd. Sat. 1261. Ib. 3658. c1552 Id. Mon. 609. 1562-3 Winȝet I. 110/21. 1565 Reg. Privy S. V. i. 651/1.
To the said Jane ane nunnis portioun within the abbacie of Northberuik 1567 G. Ball. (1868) 179.
The seily nunnis keist up thair bunnis Ib. (S.T.S.) 188.
Nunne 1568–9 Bk. Old Edinb. C. XV. 34.
The lands … of the freiris and nunnys 1662 Soc. Ant. XXII. 220.
Janet Paton, termed the nun, was a great one(b) a1400 Leg. S. xxxv. 121.
Til ane abbay Quhare haly nunis can duel c1420 Wynt. vii. 266.
Scho wes mayd nwne [C. none] and deyd virgyne 1587 Aberd. Council Lett. I. 31.
Of ony kirkis landis, freiris landis, nunis landis or commoun landis a1595 Cullen Chron. Aberd. 39.
Prestis, nwnis and haill rabell of that dewillige sowrtt of papistis a1633 Hope Major Pract. I. 63.
Nunes(c) c1475 Wall. i. 164.
Nonnys 1492 Myll Spect. 293/8.
The ante cryst salbe ingenerit on a non 1530 Lynd. Test. Pap. 908.
The sillye nonnis did ȝeild thame haistelye Ib. 928.
As did the holy nonnis 1531 Bell. Boece (M)II. 360.
Becaus the nonnys war of evill life(d) 1610 Hist. Kinloss A. xi.
Ane nouin

b. Attrib. in place-names. 1421 Inchcolm Chart. 48.
Jacentibus in le Nun gate et Nunsyde [of Haddington] 1489 Acta Aud. 137/1.
Liand in the north parte of the Nvngate of Sanct Martine 1572–3 McCrie Knox 498.
The Nunland liand in the parochin of Haddingtoun 1587 Acts III. 437/1.
The west pairt of … Northberwick callit the Nungait 1608 Milne-Home MSS. 189.
Nunmeadow, Nunbutts, Nunflatt 1684 Symson Descr. Galloway 125.
A nunry having the lands called Nuntoun and the Nun-mill thereunto belonging

c. Nunes threid, ‘the fine white thread spun in the convents of Italy and Flanders’ (C. R. Beard).e.m.E. nuns thred (1631). 1625 Orkney & Shetl. Test. I. 138.
Tua vnce of nwnes threid pryce of the vnce x s. 1628 Edinb. Test. LIV. 280 b.
Sex pund wecht of nunes threid at iiij merkis the pundis wecht 1633 Ib. LVI. iii b.
Nwnis threid 1644 Ib. LXI. 16 b. c 1644 Tailor's Acc. Bk. B. 65.
For kneittingis & nuneis threid

2. In Douglas: A priestess or votaress of a pagan deity. 1513 Doug. iv. vi. 41.
As quhen thir nunnys of Bachus Ruschis and relis [etc.] Ib. ix. 21.
Ane haly nun, a ful gret prophetes Ib. i. v. 77, vi. i. 77, x. i. Id. Comm. i. v. 81.
Consecrat a nun onto the goddes Vesta