Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1960 (SND Vol. V). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1870-1953
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HEN, v., n.2
I. v., intr. 1. To withdraw from any undertaking or promise through cowardice, to retract, to "funk" (Lth. a.1838 Jam. MSS. X. 131; Gall. 1905 E.D.D. Suppl.; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.; em.Sc. (b)., Ayr., Kcb., Dmf., s.Sc. 1957). Also used tr. with on, and in passive to be henned. ¶Pa.t. with double ending hentit (Dmb. 1898 J. M. Slimmon Dead Planet 174; Dmf. 1957).Rxb. 1870 J. Thomson Doric Lays (1884) 9:
Jury courts to haud when some coward laddie henn'd.Ayr. 1879 R. Adamson Lays 144:
We maunna, like the coward, hen An' frichtet flee.Ags. 1896 A. Blair Rantin Robin 40:
I thocht ye'd clean henned when ye were sae slow to come.Dmb. 1899 J. Strang Lass of Lennox 234:
"Ye're henned." "Deil the fear o' me. . . . I'll tak' the wager."Gsw. 1904 H. Foulis Erchie xxii.:
"Man!" I says, "ye've henned — that's whit's wrang wi' ye: come in jist for the pant; naebody'll touch ye, and ye'll can come oot if it's sore."Sc. 1915 P. Macgillivray Pro Patria 7:
And the Gordon men, they didna "hen," Though Death at their ribs did dirl.Rxb. 1927 E. C. Smith Braid Haaick 12:
Hei hennd on ei's prenti'ship an listed for a sojer.
Hence adj. hennie, -y, timid, cowardly (Abd.30, Ags., m.Lth., Ayr. 1957).Gsw. 1909 J. J. Bell Oh! Christina! viii.:
Weel, I'll bet ye onything ye like. Come on, auntie! Ye're awfu' henny!Mearns6 1953:
Afraid, cowardly, used mostly by children when taunting one to do a risky deed. "A! ye're hennie tae fecht!"
2. To dare a person to attempt some bold feat by taunting him with cowardice (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.). Agent n. henner.Edb. 1943 A. A. MacGregor Auld Reekie 61:
There was the game known as "henners," a form of follow-my-leader, but different in that the leader "henned" or challenged one to follow him in exploits more daring than usual. . . . Dangling dangerously from slender branches for so many seconds counted aloud by the "henner."
II. n. 1. A dare, a challenge to some feat of daring (Gall. 1956).Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.:
A'll gie ee a hen.
2. Phr.: tae lat in the hen, to lose heart, to give up, become discouraged (Ags.20 1956). Appar. a play on hen, the bird (see note below).
[Any connection with Hain is very doubtful. For the metaphor in hen, cf. Eng. chicken with sim. meanings.]You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Hen v., n.2". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 5 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/hen_v_n2>
