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Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Vermine, -yne, n. Also: -in(g, werm(e)yne, (werming), worming. [ME and e.m.E. vermyn (Rolle), vermyne (1406), vermine (1576), vermin (a1631), OF vermin(e.] coll. Noxious, unpleasant creatures. a. transf. Applied to people: Dangerous, harmful or unpleasant people. Also attrib. b. Applied to creeping or crawling creatures: Snakes, worms, lice, etc. c. Animals viewed as harmful or unwanted.a. ?1438 Alex. ii 3012.
Sik ane lessoun I sall him ken That he agane in Inde wald be, Quhare of vermine [F. vermine] is great plente ?1438 Alex. ii 9915.
Of … kingis he [sc. Hector] slew nynetene … Alexander … That wan Daurus and Nicholas And slew in Inde the great vermyne [F. vermine] (Babylon he conquered syne) 1562-3 Winȝet II 31/25.
And on the wthir syde contrare cryis certane padokis, filthy verming and fleis præparit to the dethe of the quhilk sort are the Pelagianis 1558-66 Knox I 430.
Of the reformatioun of the haill religioun, be that verming of schavelingis utterlie corruptit 1689 J. Canaries Sermon East Church St. Giles, 30 Jan. 31.
Neither have ever any vermine holl'd the throne more than these flattering parasitesattrib. c1590 Fowler II 150/11.
Hou flatterers ar to be escheued … men ar so pleased … with there awen doings … that very hardlie can they save theme selfs from sic a pest and verming sortb. 1460 Hay Alex. 18739.
Quha eitt best meit denteis spyce and wyne Now is his bodie full of foull vermyne a1570-86 Maitl. F. 343/24.
Ane … sepulture Full of askis and wermeyne [Bann. MS 74b/10, armyn] 1587 Carmichael Etym. 10.
All creiping vermin 1632 Lithgow Trav. 469.
Vermin, whch lay crawling in lumps … about my body: yea hanging in clusters about my beard a1646 Wedderburn Voc. (1709) 11.
Pediculi, vermine a1689 Cleland 34 (Jam. s.v. Kid n.).
Their swarms of vermine, and sheep kaids, Delights to lodge beneath the plaids 1732 Stirling B. Rec. II 223.
Skinner relict of Mr. James Hogg … whose furniture is infected with bogs and that … they would … be pested and troubled with them in their persons … therefore craveing the said James Dawson might be discharged … to sett the same to any body else whose furniture is infected with the foresaid kind of verminec. 1494 Deidis of Armorie 23.
The cat … takis the mous … the cat … betakinniis he that bure it first wes licht and chasar of vermine a1561 Norvell Meroure 8.
By this reason we shalde thole every where The wolfe, the fox, the wod and bousteous bere To kill all kinde of tender bestiall, And lat all vermine work their naturall 1591-2 Rob Stene 13.
The wolf persavit the flok And tawld the fowmart, fox, and brok And all the wermyne of lyk sorte[s] In cluch and caverne that resortis 1631 Peebles B. Rec. I 417.
For clynging Brockes-holl and burning the worming [Peebles Gleanings 98, werming] furth thairof efter the wyf wes remoued qua deid thairin, xij s.