Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1960 (SND Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1701-1725, 1789-1956
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HARN, n.2 Also †harne, ¶harran, ¶harrin', hern (Ayr. 1845 A. Aitken Poems 66; Rnf. 1878 C. Fleming Poems 237). Coarse linen cloth made from the refuse of flax or hemp, sackcloth (Sc. 1808 Jam.; Ork., n.Sc., Ags., Fif., Kcb. 1956). Used also attrib. and fig.Sc. 1701 Rec. Sc. Cloth Manuf. (S.H.S.) 225:
Desyres 40 or 50 ells of Dudistoune harne to be sent out.Mry. 1709 E. D. Dunbar Social Life (1865) 211:
Four course harn shiets.Ork. 1721 P. Ork. A.S. XI. 42:
To Eight webbs didingston Harne for secking to the meall . . . £27 0 0Kcb. 1789 D. Davidson Seasons 15:
On's back a coat o' hame-made claith And, underneath weel sarkit Wi' harn that day.Ayr. 1790 Burns Tam o' Shanter 171–2:
Her cutty sark, o' Paisley harn, That while a lassie she had worn.Abd. 1795 Stat. Acc.1 XI. 410:
The women, however, are employed partly in . . . spinning tow, which is manufactured into a coarse kind of narrow cloth, called harn, which labouring people use for shirts.Edb. 1822 R. Wilson Poems 42:
To spin guid brairds for harn, Or teeze an' caird the creeshy woo'.Fif. 1864 W. D. Latto T. Bodkin vi.:
"Worth a' that siller!" quoth Willie, drawin' frae his oxter pouch a dirty harran-poke, whilk he held up by the neck, an' sheuk.ne.Sc. 1881 Gregor Folk-Lore 149:
With regard to the weather, the saw is: — "A harn Monanday macks a linen week."Ork. 1920 J. Firth Reminisc. 47:
The local weaver could also accomplish linen or harn for sheets and aprons.Abd. 1920 A. Robb MS.:
It wis a common sicht to see a bandster at work wi' his lang harn jerkin on.Ags., Fif. 1956:
As coorse as Cupar harn [see Cupar].
Comb.: †harn gown, a coarse linen garment worn by penitents under Church discipline.Wgt. 1703–1725 G. Fraser Lowland Lore (1880) 47:
To buy a Harn gown, £1. 5s.
Phr.: †harn an ooin, lit. linen and woollen, but applied to an ox and a horse yoked together in a plough (Bnff., Abd. 1919 T.S.D.C. III. MS. Add.).
[Contracted form of Harden, q.v. O.Sc. harn(e), adj., from 1546, made of harden cloth, n., from 1587, harden cloth.]You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Harn n.2". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 5 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/harn_n2>
