A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1983 (DOST Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1596-1699
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Patern, -erne, Pattern, n. [e.m.E. patarne (1548), -erne (1570), pattern(e (1582), metathetic var. of patron Patro(u)n(e n.1]
1. a. A perfect specimen of something: = Patro(u)n(e n.1 4. 1596 Reg. Privy C. V. 341.
Ane mirrour and paterne of pietie 1622-6 Bisset I. 78/15.
[The king] as paterne of patronis 1666-74 Fraser Polichron. 163 (see Patro(u)n(e n.1 4 a).
Patern
b. A prototype; a pattern for copying; a preliminary drawing, a plan. = Patro(u)n(e n.1 5, 6. 1614 Edinb. B. Rec. VI. 110.
For setting out off ane paterne off gluiffes upon his signe befoir his buith 1638 Rothes Affairs Kirk 15.
Their bischops … dared … to borrow a patern from these inferior to us in reformatione 1641 Acts V. (1817) 625/2.
That these seatis … be advancit fra the gavell … according to the paterne set doune 1699 Forrester Bishops Claim iii. 30.
For this will make the pattern and after copies manck and defective
2. A patron. = Patro(u)n(e n.1 3 b. 1666-74 Fraser Polichron. 122.
Glad to have such a powerfull patern to patronise them
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"Patern n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 14 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/patern_n>
