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.
Plain, Plane, adv. Also: plaine, playn(e. [ME. pleyn (Trevisa), plein, e.m.E. playn(e, plain(e, f. Plain a.1 and a.2; also OF. plain ‘d'une manière unie’ (Godef.).]
1. (To speak, sing) clearly or audibly. a1500 Henr. Fab. 1060 (Bann.).
Because he red hir respit plane and wele Ib. 1224 (Ch.).
The arbiteris than did sweir full plane The sentence gaif and proces fulminat c1500-c1512 Dunb. xii. 3.
This sang a bird with voce out plane All eirdlie joy returnis in pane 1513 Doug. Direct. 86.
That Virgill mycht intill our langage be Red lowd and playn
2. a. In straightforward fashion, candidly, bluntly. b. In easily understood terms, simply.With expressions of declaration or statement. ?1438 Alex. ii. 7020.
Thairfore plane [F. par amours] I pray thé That my standart vpdressit be c1400 Troy-bk. i. 172.
Bot my message nothtthan all plane As me was biddyn so I said a1500 Rauf C. 315.
That I tell thé plane a1500 Bk. Chess 1502; Ib. 1511.
Wp he stud and tuk apon him plane The hale slauchter of this man was slane c1500 Fyve Bestes 397.
This lyoun sentence gaf he plane No beist of reif suld in his court remane c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxxvii. 7. 1513 Doug. ii. iv. 87.
Cassandra than the fatis to cum tald plane [: invane] Ib. ix. vii. 21.
Quhidder ar ȝe bown ȝe schaw ws plane 1533 Gau 69/23.
Sanct Paul vritis … Plane and marklie of Our Lordis resurrectione 1535 Stewart 50563.
Williame … blamit him befoir thame all rycht plane 1558-66 Knox II. 326.
Yf I shall geve you any ansuer ye maun speik moir plane c1568 Lauder Minor P. I. 666.
My text heir plane declaris [etc.] c1600 Montg. Suppl. ix. 99.
For sindrie tymes ȝe schew me plane My law degree
c. (To know, consider) with clear perception. 1535 Stewart 34364.
We haif considderit plane Ȝour greit falsheid and infidelitie Ib. 51780.
All man knew richt plane Ib. 53040.
3. No more than, merely, simply. a1568 Scott iv. 78.
Or scho war kissit plane Scho leir be japit thryis
4. (To compose music) in simple monophonic form.Cf. Plain a.1 8 c and Plain-sang n. 1562-92 Wode's Psalter (ed.) 3.
My lord comandit the said David to leave the curiosity of musike and sa to make plane and dulce
5. Manifestly, unmistakeably, assuredly; altogether, wholly, absolutely, quite.(1) 1388 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 13.
To mak of new to the forsaid Alexander whatkin euident chartre or resignacoun plaine in the kyngis hand whairthruch the forsaid Alexander … micht be maste sikir c1400 Troy-bk. I. 458.
The see To weltyre in wawis without wynd All playne agane the course of kynd a1568 Bann. MS. 226 a/45.
Off pety and pes I hir pray And plane I repent a1585 Maitland Maitl. Q. lix. 42.
Flatteraris … at the lenth will bot thé plaine desave 1558-66 Knox II. 136.
Francis … His father's footsteps following plane To Christ crying deafe eares did yeild a1578 Pitsc. I. 102/5.
The Douglas brunt … all landis belangand to the king … and allis to them that war nocht plaine of his factioun 1584 Sempill Sat. P. xlv. 319.
Medeas practicques scho had plane That could mak auld men young agane 1596 Dalr. I. 3/30.
The same peple plane ignorant of the Ingles toung oft names the Inglise men Saxons Ib. 97 marg.
The Scottis bordirers to tile the land plane abhoris(2) 1560 Rolland Seven S. 736.
Vnkyndlie captanes … leidis not the auld lawis Bot contrair wirks plane 1565–6 Inverness Rec. I. 134.
[They] dyd playne the contrar 1580 Ib. 277.
Plane contrar his ayth 1590-1 R. Bruce Sermons 233.
Plain 1595 Cal. Sc. P. XII. 34.
6. a. ? Directly, promptly. b. ? Directly, straight.a. c1450-2 Howlat 77 (A).
I will appele to the pape & pas till him plane a1500 K. Hart 252.
Dame Plesance can on fresche Bewtie call, Bad hir command the folk to presoun plaine 15.. Dum. Wyf 129.
Thai depairtit plane 1567 G. Ball. 132.
I haif na mycht Me to defend Fra hellis pane bot gif thow plane Me succour sendb. 1683 Melrose Reg. Rec. III. 9.
John Uschar … houked ane seugh throw the loaning plaine doune allongs to the burne againe
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"Plain adv.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 29 Apr 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/plain_adv>
