Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1934 (SND Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

ANAWIN, ANAWN, INAWIN, INAWN, pr.p., used only as complement of pred., sometimes with an obj. following. Owing; indebted; “continuing to owe” (see Kcb. quot.). — Jam.² (for Lnk.) gives inawn as a pres. inf. and pres. indic.: “He inawns me ten pund” = He owes me ten pounds. This use recorded by Jam. appears now to be obs. [ɪ′nɑən, ə′nɑ:n]Gall.(D) 1901 Trotter Gall. Gossip 144:
The small trifle we're owing you. (Ay, an we'll be anawin him, A'm thinkin.)Gall. 1929 Gallovidian, Bauldy, etc. 83:
Oh, I cudna dae that, for your bill amounts to fowr-an'-six, and yer inawin' me ten-an'-six.Wgt. 1904 J. F. Cannon Recollections of Whithorn 26:
He's inaw'n me ninepence ha'penny.Kcb.¹ 1931:
Anawn is still used to express the idea of continuing to owe. E.g. “Ye're awn me five bob.” “Aye, an' I'll be anawn ye't for a while yet.”e.Dmf. 1917 (per Dmf.⁴):
Hei'z anawn ee sumthin.Uls. 1901 A. McIlroy, Letter in North. Whig (May 2):
They . . . micht leeve comfortable an' contented — be anawin tae naebudy, an' ie be pittin' by somethin' for ould age.