Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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About this entry:
First published 1934 (SND Vol. I). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

BINNA, Bena, Baenae, Beenna, prep. and conj. Except, unless = “be it not,” sometimes preceded by a conditional conj. such as an.

1. prep.Sc. 1834 G. R. Gleig Allann Breck II. v.:
Naebody gangs there bena sailor lads, 'prentices, and cabin-boys, and sic like.Ayr.⁴ 1928:
They were a' there binna Tam.Gall. 1894 S. R. Crockett Raiders xi.:
We hae nae horses bena my cuddy and wee Donald.

2. conj.Edb. 1929 (per Edb.¹):
Ye needna gang there baenae ye hae a pooch o' siller.Hdg. 1896 J. Lumsden Battles of D. and P. 220:
I've cheer'd the ways o' youth an' e'il Thae thretty years and mair; An' binna when I tint my Nell, I've little pree'd o' care.w.Sc. 1869 A. Macdonald Settlement (1877) 166:
Hoo he did it I dinna ken, beenna he was in colleague wi' the auctioneer.Lnk.³ 1934:
I never see Tam an be na when I gang to the toon.Wgt. 1880 G. Fraser Lowland Lore 158:
There's never ocht in his pouch binna when his han's int.