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 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Siren, Syren, n. Also: sirene, siraigne, syraine, serein, seryne, serainne. [ME serayn (Ayenbite), sereyn (Chaucer), sirene (Trevisa), late ME and e.m.E. siren (c1400), OF sereine, MF sirene (late 11th c. and 1377 in Larousse), late L. sirena, L. Sīrēn, f. the Gk.]

1. One of the three Sirens of classical mythology, who were believed to lure sailors to their destruction by their sweet singing.(a) 1494 Loutfut MS 33a.
Siraigne of the sey a1585 Maitl. Q. 155/83.
Hir angell voice … Dois pas the hevinlie harmonie And sirens songe most sueit 1581-1623 James VI Poems I 21/64.
They yeld to me no lesse in singing well, Then pye to syraine 1611-57 Mure Early Misc. P. i 122.
Abstract … thyne eares The chairming sirenes songs quhich hears 1691 Kirk Secr. Commonw. (1964) 260.
How much is written of pigme's, fayries, nymphs, syrens, apparations [etc.](b) 1494 Loutfut MS 30a.
Serainne … is a monstre of the sey quhilk syngis sa suetly … quhill scho garris the maryneris that passis slepe 1572 Sempill Sat. P. xxxviii 33.
With sangis lyke the seryne our lyfis thow allurit

2. fig. One who ‘sings’ sweetly or with telling effect, like a Siren. Also, of a bird. 1581-1623 James VI Poems II 81/53.
The Court is like a volier … Wherout of is her sweetest sirene gone 1653 Binning Wks. 595.
Christ and his ministers are … blessed sirens that … pipe … some sad and woful ditties of men's sin and God's wrath

3. a. attrib. Siren-sangis (-songis), songs resembling those of the Sirens. b. comb. (adv.). Siren-like, in the manner of a siren.a. 1570 Sat. P. xxii 87.
Thy feddrum fair will wirk the cair, For all thy syren sangis 1602 Lett. Jas. VI to Eliz. 150.
I deeplie mistruste his sirene songsb. c1590 Fowler I 198/12.
I, alas, … Inthralled by thé[whose] beautye … sereinlyke hes at my thraldome laught